Where does Arizona rank among states in spending on students?
Annual funding per student ranges from $2,904 to $17,487. Arizona isn't the worst, but is firmly planted in the lower half.
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
- Updated
CollegeDegrees 360/Flickr
The cost of higher education is a controversial topic on the minds of many Americans, particularly this election season. Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has proposed a plan that would help low-income families pay for college, but recent grads are currently struggling under $1.2 trillon of collective debt.
Considering this massive amount of student debt, one might believe that states are not financially supporting higher education. StartClass, an education research site powered by Graphiq, wanted to find out how much money states are allocating for higher education, and where the funds are coming from.
Each year, the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association heads the State Higher Education Finance program, which delves into funding used to support higher education. By analyzing the SHEF report from 2015, StartClass ranked all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., by how much each state spends on an individual student for higher education. According to SHEF, this funding comes from a variety of sources including state and local revenue from taxes, lottery receipts, royalty revenue, and state-funded endowments.
All 50 states, including Washington D.C., spend at least $2,900 per student for higher education. But this is far from the whole picture. StartClass took a step further also included the percentage of total revenue allocated directly to the student. For example, Wyoming spent $15,135 per student on higher education in 2015, a very high number compared with other states. However, this amount was only 15 percent of Wyoming's total education revenue available in 2015.
Some states spent over 70 percent of their education revenue on students — one state reached 85 percent in 2015.
Most would agree that states should do more to help citizens afford higher education, but in cases where the state is already spending 70 to 85 percent of their education revenue on students, it's challenging to figure out how to procure more funding.
Annual funding per student ranges from $2,904 to $17,487 — is your state allocating educational funding fairly?
Photos from Shutterstock unless otherwise noted.
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
- Updated
#51. New Hampshire
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $2,904
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 79 percent
#50. Vermont
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $3,204
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 85 percent
#49. Colorado
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $3,955
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 70 percent
#48. Pennsylvania
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $4,203
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 72 percent
#47. South Carolina
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $4,641
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 64 percent
#46. West Virginia
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $4,871
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 61 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
- Updated
#45. Virginia
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $4,929
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 62 percent
#44. Oregon
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,096
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 62 percent
#43. South Dakota
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,118
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 66 percent
#42. Louisiana
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,153
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 47 percent
#41. Rhode Island
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,297
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 62 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
- Updated
#40. Alabama
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,319
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 66 percent
#39. Ohio
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,320
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 61 percent
#38. Arizona
Wolfgang Staudt / Wikipedia
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,423
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 59 percent
#37. Michigan
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,530
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 69 percent
#36. Indiana
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,592
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 57 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
- Updated
#35. Montana
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,677
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 51 percent
#34. Delaware
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,852
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 74 percent
#33. Kansas
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,879
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 51 percent
#32. Mississippi
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,892
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 48 percent
#31. Florida
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,914
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 34 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
- Updated
#30. Iowa
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,945
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 60 percent
#29. Washington
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,962
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 49 percent
#28. Minnesota
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,987
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 58 percent
#27. Missouri
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,083
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 49 percent
#26. Wisconsin
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,239
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 48 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
- Updated
#25. Nevada
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,450
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 38 percent
#24. Kentucky
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,474
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 49 percent
#23. Tennessee
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,529
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 48 percent
#22. Utah
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,538
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 45 percent
#21. New Jersey
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,697
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 60 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
- Updated
#20. Oklahoma
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,720
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 44 percent
#19. Texas
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,725
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 41 percent
#18. Maine
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,760
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 57 percent
#17. Idaho
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,814
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 38 percent
#16. Arkansas
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,865
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 45 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
- Updated
#15. Washington, D.C.
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,965
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 47 percent
#14. Georgia
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $7,390
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 37 percent
#13. Maryland
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $7,885
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 49 percent
#12. Massachusetts
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $8,087
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 43 percent
#11. North Carolina
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $8,109
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 34 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
- Updated
#10. New Mexico
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $8,479
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 30 percent
#9. California
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $8,726
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 22 percent
#8. North Dakota
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $8,732
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 46 percent
#7. Nebraska
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $8,791
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 40 percent
#6. New York
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $9,699
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 36 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
- Updated
#5. Connecticut
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $9,910
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 50 percent
#4. Illinois
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $11,627
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 32 percent
#3. Hawaii
Wikipedia
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $12,123
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 33 percent
#2. Wyoming
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $15,135
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 15 percent
#1. Alaska
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $17,487
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 27 percent
More like this...
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
CollegeDegrees 360/Flickr
The cost of higher education is a controversial topic on the minds of many Americans, particularly this election season. Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has proposed a plan that would help low-income families pay for college, but recent grads are currently struggling under $1.2 trillon of collective debt.
Considering this massive amount of student debt, one might believe that states are not financially supporting higher education. StartClass, an education research site powered by Graphiq, wanted to find out how much money states are allocating for higher education, and where the funds are coming from.
Each year, the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association heads the State Higher Education Finance program, which delves into funding used to support higher education. By analyzing the SHEF report from 2015, StartClass ranked all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., by how much each state spends on an individual student for higher education. According to SHEF, this funding comes from a variety of sources including state and local revenue from taxes, lottery receipts, royalty revenue, and state-funded endowments.
All 50 states, including Washington D.C., spend at least $2,900 per student for higher education. But this is far from the whole picture. StartClass took a step further also included the percentage of total revenue allocated directly to the student. For example, Wyoming spent $15,135 per student on higher education in 2015, a very high number compared with other states. However, this amount was only 15 percent of Wyoming's total education revenue available in 2015.
Some states spent over 70 percent of their education revenue on students — one state reached 85 percent in 2015.
Most would agree that states should do more to help citizens afford higher education, but in cases where the state is already spending 70 to 85 percent of their education revenue on students, it's challenging to figure out how to procure more funding.
Annual funding per student ranges from $2,904 to $17,487 — is your state allocating educational funding fairly?
Photos from Shutterstock unless otherwise noted.
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
#51. New Hampshire
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $2,904
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 79 percent
#50. Vermont
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $3,204
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 85 percent
#49. Colorado
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $3,955
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 70 percent
#48. Pennsylvania
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $4,203
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 72 percent
#47. South Carolina
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $4,641
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 64 percent
#46. West Virginia
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $4,871
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 61 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
#45. Virginia
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $4,929
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 62 percent
#44. Oregon
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,096
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 62 percent
#43. South Dakota
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,118
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 66 percent
#42. Louisiana
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,153
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 47 percent
#41. Rhode Island
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,297
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 62 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
#40. Alabama
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,319
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 66 percent
#39. Ohio
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,320
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 61 percent
#38. Arizona
Wolfgang Staudt / Wikipedia
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,423
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 59 percent
#37. Michigan
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,530
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 69 percent
#36. Indiana
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,592
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 57 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
#35. Montana
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,677
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 51 percent
#34. Delaware
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,852
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 74 percent
#33. Kansas
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,879
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 51 percent
#32. Mississippi
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,892
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 48 percent
#31. Florida
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,914
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 34 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
#30. Iowa
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,945
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 60 percent
#29. Washington
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,962
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 49 percent
#28. Minnesota
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $5,987
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 58 percent
#27. Missouri
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,083
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 49 percent
#26. Wisconsin
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,239
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 48 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
#25. Nevada
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,450
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 38 percent
#24. Kentucky
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,474
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 49 percent
#23. Tennessee
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,529
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 48 percent
#22. Utah
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,538
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 45 percent
#21. New Jersey
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,697
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 60 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
#20. Oklahoma
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,720
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 44 percent
#19. Texas
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,725
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 41 percent
#18. Maine
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,760
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 57 percent
#17. Idaho
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,814
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 38 percent
#16. Arkansas
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,865
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 45 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
#15. Washington, D.C.
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $6,965
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 47 percent
#14. Georgia
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $7,390
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 37 percent
#13. Maryland
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $7,885
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 49 percent
#12. Massachusetts
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $8,087
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 43 percent
#11. North Carolina
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $8,109
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 34 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
#10. New Mexico
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $8,479
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 30 percent
#9. California
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $8,726
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 22 percent
#8. North Dakota
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $8,732
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 46 percent
#7. Nebraska
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $8,791
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 40 percent
#6. New York
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $9,699
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 36 percent
- Tessa Boyce, StartClass.com
#5. Connecticut
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $9,910
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 50 percent
#4. Illinois
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $11,627
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 32 percent
#3. Hawaii
Wikipedia
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $12,123
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 33 percent
#2. Wyoming
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $15,135
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 15 percent
#1. Alaska
Funding per Student for Higher Education: $17,487
Percentage of Funding Allocated to Students: 27 percent
Former Sam Levitz building sells for $8.6 million
