Per Pupil Funding
Colorado Rankings illustrates Colorado’s historical per pupil funding in comparison to other states. The rankings are from audited sources. Audited data lags current data.
Updated March 2024- Per pupil spending by state 2021 illustrates the gap between Colorado and the national average, Fiscal Year 1997-98 through Fiscal Year 2020-21.
Data sources include the U.S. Census Bureau, Education Week; Quality Counts, and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Figures are audited data, so lag behind current spending numbers. For the past 20 years, the gap has continued to grow; from less than $500 per student in the early to mid-1990s to between $1000 to $2000 in 2021.
Education Week, Quality Counts
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
K-12 Per Pupil Funding: Colorado versus National Average comparing Colorado per-pupil funding to the National Average 1970 – 2015 (source: National Center for Education Statistics data). Gallagher, TABOR, Amendment 23 and the Negative Factor noted on the chart. Chart provided by Great Education Colorado.
Teacher Pay The following links include how Colorado ranks in average teacher salary compared to other states and the National average. Teacher Salary with comparative wage (according to NCES) Teacher Salary not adjusted for cost of living (according to NEA) United States versus Colorado average salary over time Teacher salary compared to other occupations