Revenue

In 2023, Minnesota public schools received $19,542 per student, totaling $15.6B. This was up from $15,632 per student in 2002, a 25.0% increase in inflation-adjusted terms.

Public School Revenue by Source

Enrollment

In FY 2023, Minnesota had 870,019 students enrolled in public schools, a 2.2% change since FY 2002 and a -2.6% change compared to FY 2020.

Public School Enrollment

Expenditures

In 2023, Minnesota public schools spent $3,367 per student on benefits, totaling $2.68B. This was up from $2,237 per student in 2002, a 50.5% increase in inflation-adjusted terms. In comparison, per-student spending on salaries increased by 12.1% during this time.

Salary & Benefits

In 2023, Minnesota public schools spent $10,179 per student on instruction, totaling $8.10B. This was up from $8,232 per student in 2002, a 23.6% increase in inflation-adjusted terms.

Instructional Spending

In 2023, Minnesota public schools spent $5,237 per student on support services, totaling $4.17B. This was up from $4,146 per student in 2002, a 26.3% increase in inflation-adjusted terms.

Support Services Spending

Staffing

In 2022, the average teacher salary in Minnesota was $72,773 (in 2022 dollars), a 2.5% change since 2002.

Average Teacher Salary

In 2023, there were 56,124 teachers in Minnesota, up from 53,081 in 2002—an 5.7% increase. In comparison, there were 66,578 non-teachers in public schools, up from 51,660 in 2002—an 28.9% increase.

Total Public School Staff

Teachers

Non-Teachers

In 2023, teachers comprised 45.7% of all public school staff in Minnesota, down from 50.7% in 2002.

Teachers as a Share of All Public School Staff

Teachers > 50%

Teachers < 50%

Debt and Capital Outlay

In 2023, Minnesota's school districts carried $20,718 in debt per student, totaling $16.5B. This was a 38.2% change in inflation-adjusted per-student debt since 2002.

School District Debt

In 2023, Minnesota school districts spent $2,622 per student on capital, totaling $2.09B. This represents a 2.1% increase in inflation-adjusted per-student capital spending since 2002.

Capital Outlay

Student Outcomes

NAEP Proficiency Levels (All Students)

The share of students scoring below basic in 4th-grade math went from 16.1% in 2003 to 21.8% in 2024, while the share of students scoring below basic in 8th-grade math went from 18.1% to 29.5% during this time.

The share of students scoring below basic in 4th-grade reading went from 31.3% in 2003 to 39.1% in 2024, while the share of students scoring below basic in 8th-grade reading went from 21.9% to 28.6% during this time.

Minnesota NAEP Proficiency Levels (All Students)

Math – Grade 4

Math – Grade 8

Reading – Grade 4

Reading – Grade 8

NAEP Proficiency Levels (Economically Disadvantaged)

The share of students scoring below basic in 4th-grade math went from 32.7% in 2003 to 34.1% in 2024, while the share of students scoring below basic in 8th-grade math went from 36.1% to 46.6% during this time.

The share of students scoring below basic in 4th-grade reading went from 51.6% in 2003 to 57.2% in 2024, while the share of students scoring below basic in 8th-grade reading went from 44.2% to 41.4% during this time.

Minnesota NAEP Proficiency Levels (Economically Disadvantaged)