High-union-density states are more likely to invest in public education: State level per-pupil spending on K–12 public education, 2023–2024
| Union-Density | Per-pupil spending |
|---|---|
| Low | $14,600 |
| Medium | $18,636 |
| High | $23,382 |
Notes: Union density is defined as the share of workers in the state who are members of a union based on the variable “unmem” from EPI extracts of CPS-ORG microdata.
Source: Economic Policy Institute. 2026. Current Population Survey Extracts, Version 2026.6.10, https://microdata.epi.org; EPI analysis of National Public Education Financial Survey Data, FY2024.