North Dakota Education Statistics 2026: Schools, Enrollment & Spending
North Dakota reported 116,365 public K–12 students in fall 2025 across 169 school districts. The state classified 405 elementary, middle, high, combined, and one-teacher schools in session.
Financial statistics cover the 2024–25 school year, while the federally comparable spending measure covers fiscal year 2024. Each table identifies its reporting period and measurement method.
North Dakota Education Snapshot
School and staffing values are from the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. Federal spending uses the Census Bureau definition.
Public School Enrollment Trend
NCES fall enrollment, 2013 through 2023
NCES enrollment rose from 103,947 in fall 2013 to 119,033 in fall 2023. The series uses one federal definition across all years.
Trend analysis
- Enrollment increased by 15,086 students, or 14.5%, from 2013 to 2023.
- The series reached 119,033 students in fall 2023.
- Enrollment declined from 116,185 in 2019 to 114,955 in 2020 before returning to growth.
- The 2022–23 increase was 520 students, or about 0.4%.
- The separate NDDPI fall 2025 count should not be inserted into this series without reconciling state and NCES reporting rules.
North Dakota School, Enrollment and Finance Indicators
Values from different reporting systems are retained under their original definitions.
| Indicator | Value | Period | Source | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public K–12 enrollment | 116,365 | Fall 2025 | NDDPI | State fall enrollment |
| School districts | 169 | Fall 2025 | NDDPI | All district types |
| State-classified schools in session | 405 | Fall 2025 | NDDPI | Five state school categories |
| NCES operational public schools | 511 | 2022–23 | NCES CCD | Federal operational-school definition |
| Teachers | 9,137 FTE | Fall 2025 | NDDPI | All teachers |
| Average teacher salary | $71,402 | Fall 2025 | NDDPI | Average salary |
| Students per teacher | 12.7 | Fall 2025 | Calculated from NDDPI totals | Enrollment divided by teacher FTE |
| Fund Group 1 revenue | $2.089 billion | 2024–25 | NDDPI | Reported revenue |
| Fund Group 1 expenditure | $2.040 billion | 2024–25 | NDDPI | Reported expenditure |
| State average cost per pupil | $15,399.63 | 2024–25 | NDDPI | Cost of education per pupil in ADM |
| Current spending per pupil | $17,102 | FY2024 | U.S. Census Bureau | Current operational spending |
| U.S. current spending per pupil | $17,619 | FY2024 | U.S. Census Bureau | National weighted average |
Table analysis
- The state reported 116,365 public K–12 students and 9,137 teacher FTE in fall 2025.
- The calculated enrollment-to-teacher ratio is about 12.7 students per teacher.
- Fund Group 1 revenue exceeded expenditure by about $48.9 million in 2024–25.
- North Dakota’s FY2024 Census current spending was $517 per pupil below the national average.
- The Census spending gap was approximately 2.9%.
- The NDDPI cost-per-pupil figure and Census current-spending figure use different expenditure and pupil definitions.
- State and NCES school counts are not interchangeable because their classification and operational-status rules differ.
Enrollment by Student Group
NDDPI fall 2025 enrollment categories sum to the statewide public K–12 count.
| Enrollment group | Students | Share | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 8,354 | 7.18% | Fall 2025 |
| One-room rural schools | 72 | 0.06% | Fall 2025 |
| Elementary schools | 73,200 | 62.91% | Fall 2025 |
| Secondary schools | 34,739 | 29.85% | Fall 2025 |
| Total public K–12 | 116,365 | 100.00% | Fall 2025 |
Enrollment analysis
- Elementary-school enrollment accounted for 62.91% of the reported total.
- Secondary schools enrolled 34,739 students, or 29.85%.
- Kindergarten enrollment totaled 8,354 students.
- One-room rural schools enrolled 72 students.
Enrollment History
NCES Common Core of Data state totals provide a consistent federal trend through fall 2023.
| Fall year | Enrollment | Annual change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 103,947 | — |
| 2014 | 106,586 | +2,639 |
| 2015 | 108,644 | +2,058 |
| 2016 | 109,706 | +1,062 |
| 2017 | 111,920 | +2,214 |
| 2018 | 113,845 | +1,925 |
| 2019 | 116,185 | +2,340 |
| 2020 | 114,955 | −1,230 |
| 2021 | 116,864 | +1,909 |
| 2022 | 118,513 | +1,649 |
| 2023 | 119,033 | +520 |
Table analysis
- Enrollment increased in nine of the ten annual intervals shown.
- The largest increase was 2,639 students between fall 2013 and fall 2014.
- The only decline occurred between 2019 and 2020, when enrollment fell by 1,230 students.
- Fall 2023 enrollment stood 2.5% above fall 2019.
- The ten-year increase was 14.5%.
School and District Structure
These are NDDPI administrative and school classifications for fall 2025.
| Unit | Classification | Count | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| District | High school district | 145 | Fall 2025 |
| District | Graded elementary district | 16 | Fall 2025 |
| District | One-room rural district | 4 | Fall 2025 |
| District | District not operating schools | 4 | Fall 2025 |
| District | Total districts | 169 | Fall 2025 |
| School | Elementary school | 179 | Fall 2025 |
| School | Middle-level or junior high school | 50 | Fall 2025 |
| School | Senior high school | 136 | Fall 2025 |
| School | Elementary-secondary combination | 34 | Fall 2025 |
| School | One-teacher school | 6 | Fall 2025 |
| School | Total state-classified schools | 405 | Fall 2025 |
Structure analysis
- High school districts accounted for 145 of 169 districts.
- Elementary schools formed the largest state school category at 179.
- North Dakota reported 136 senior high schools and 50 middle-level or junior high schools.
- Four districts did not operate schools in fall 2025.
- The 405-school total follows NDDPI categories and should not be treated as an updated NCES operational-school count.
Fund Group 1 Revenue Sources
North Dakota public school revenue, 2024–25
State sources supplied 56.76% of Fund Group 1 revenue. Dollar amounts are nominal and rounded in the chart.
Chart analysis
- State sources provided $1.186 billion.
- Local sources supplied $585.0 million.
- Federal sources contributed $255.4 million.
- County and other sources together represented about 3.0%.
Fund Group 1 Expenditure Mix
Reported expenditure categories, 2024–25
Regular instructional programs formed the largest expenditure category. The chart uses the same values as the expenditure table.
Chart analysis
- Regular instructional programs totaled $926.4 million.
- Undistributed support totaled $406.6 million.
- Special programs totaled $330.8 million.
- The three categories represented about 81.6% of Fund Group 1 expenditure.
School Revenue by Source
Fund Group 1 revenue totaled approximately $2.089 billion in 2024–25.
| Revenue source | Amount | Share | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local sources | $585,024,505 | 28.00% | 2024–25 |
| County sources | $41,409,402 | 1.98% | 2024–25 |
| State sources | $1,185,803,170 | 56.76% | 2024–25 |
| Federal sources | $255,444,064 | 12.23% | 2024–25 |
| Other sources | $21,377,279 | 1.02% | 2024–25 |
| Total Fund Group 1 revenue | $2,089,058,419 | 100.00% | 2024–25 |
Revenue analysis
- State and local sources supplied 84.76% of Fund Group 1 revenue.
- State revenue exceeded local revenue by about $600.8 million.
- Federal revenue represented 12.23% of the total.
- Amounts are nominal and have not been adjusted for inflation.
School Expenditure by Category
The categories reconcile to the reported 2024–25 Fund Group 1 expenditure total.
| Expenditure category | Amount | Share | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular instructional programs | $926,428,435 | 45.41% | 2024–25 |
| Special programs | $330,769,716 | 16.21% | 2024–25 |
| Federal programs | $104,330,387 | 5.11% | 2024–25 |
| Undistributed support | $406,609,141 | 19.93% | 2024–25 |
| Other programs and services | $186,013,468 | 9.12% | 2024–25 |
| Tuition and assessments | $46,823,972 | 2.30% | 2024–25 |
| Other uses | $39,173,592 | 1.92% | 2024–25 |
| Total Fund Group 1 expenditure | $2,040,148,711 | 100.00% | 2024–25 |
Expenditure analysis
- Regular instructional programs represented 45.41% of reported expenditure.
- Undistributed support was the second-largest category at 19.93%.
- Special programs accounted for 16.21%.
- Other programs and services accounted for 9.12%.
- Federal program expenditure and federal-source revenue are separate accounting measures.
State Cost per Pupil by Grade Category
NDDPI calculates these amounts from selected education expenditures divided by average daily membership.
| Grade category | Cost per pupil | Pupil basis | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preschool special education | $20,412.84 | Average daily membership | 2024–25 |
| Kindergarten | $13,137.60 | Average daily membership | 2024–25 |
| Elementary grades 1–6 | $14,885.53 | Average daily membership | 2024–25 |
| Elementary grades 7–8 | $15,637.92 | Average daily membership | 2024–25 |
| Elementary grades 1–8 | $15,078.60 | Average daily membership | 2024–25 |
| Elementary grades K–8 | $14,871.85 | Average daily membership | 2024–25 |
| Secondary grades 9–12 | $16,479.52 | Average daily membership | 2024–25 |
| All pupils | $15,399.63 | Average daily membership | 2024–25 |
Cost analysis
- Preschool special education had the highest reported grade-category cost at $20,412.84 per pupil.
- The secondary grade 9–12 amount was $16,479.52.
- Kindergarten had the lowest listed amount at $13,137.60.
- The all-pupil state average was $15,399.63.
- These values are not equivalent to Census current spending per pupil.
What the North Dakota Data Shows
The reporting systems describe different parts of the state’s public education system.
Enrollment Scale
The state reported 116,365 public K–12 students in fall 2025. The longer NCES series shows a 14.5% increase between fall 2013 and fall 2023.
District Structure
North Dakota maintained 169 districts in fall 2025. High school districts accounted for 145 of the total.
Staffing Context
The state reported 9,137 teacher FTE and an average teacher salary of $71,402 in fall 2025.
Revenue Structure
State sources supplied 56.76% of Fund Group 1 revenue. Local sources supplied 28.00%, and federal sources supplied 12.23%.
Two Per-Pupil Measures
NDDPI reported a $15,399.63 cost of education per pupil for 2024–25. Census reported $17,102 in current spending per pupil for FY2024. The definitions and pupil bases differ.
National Spending Context
North Dakota’s FY2024 current spending per pupil was $517 below the $17,619 national weighted average. Neither amount is adjusted for regional prices.
Source and Methodology
North Dakota School Finance Facts
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, February 2026. Financial and average daily membership data cover 2024–25. Fall enrollment, school structure, staffing, salary, valuation, and levy data cover 2025–26.
NCES Enrollment Series
NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 203.20, based on the Common Core of Data State Nonfiscal Survey. The trend table uses fall 2013 through fall 2023.
NCES School Count
The 2022–23 operational-school count comes from the NCES Digest State Dashboard and Common Core of Data.
Federal Finance Comparison
The Census Bureau’s 2024 Annual Survey of School System Finances supplies current spending per pupil for North Dakota and the United States.
Units and Rounding
Student and staff counts are displayed as reported. Dollar amounts are nominal. Shares and calculated ratios are rounded to two decimal places unless a source reports fewer digits.
Coverage
The profile covers public elementary and secondary education in North Dakota. Private-school enrollment, higher education, tribal schools outside the applicable reporting systems, and federal Bureau of Indian Education totals are not merged into the public K–12 counts.
The page year identifies the publication edition. It does not imply that every indicator measures calendar year 2026. Academic-year, fall-count, and fiscal-year labels remain attached to their source values.
School counts depend on whether specialized, alternative, virtual, inactive, and combined-grade units are included. NDDPI’s 405 state-classified schools and NCES’s 511 operational schools use different categories and reporting years. NDDPI cost per pupil also differs from Census current spending per pupil. Census current spending excludes capital outlay, debt service, and non-elementary-secondary programs and is not adjusted for inflation or regional prices.