There are about 115,171 schools in the U.S., including K-12 schools, special education centers, career training schools, and adult education programs.
Most, around 83%, are public schools funded by the government and free for students.
In this post, we’ll break down the number of schools in the US by grade level, public vs. private schools, specialized institutions, and state-wise distribution.
Number Of Schools In The US — Key Highlights
- As of 2025, there are 115,171 schools in the United States.
- There are 95,852 public schools and 19,329 private schools in the United States.
- As of 2025, there were 26,727 high schools in the United States, both public and private.
- There are 64,311 elementary schools, 2,672 special education schools, and 410 adult education schools in the United States.
- California had the highest number of Public elementary and secondary schools in 2022, with 10,325 schools.
- Delaware has the lowest number of public schools, with just 229 schools in the state.
- California has the highest number of K-12 students in the United States, with 6.86 million students enrolled.
Note: Most of the data was last updated as per the latest data available of Q1, 2024.
How Many Schools Are In The United States?
There are 115,171 schools in the United States.
These schools include all the K-12 public and private schools, adult education, and career and technical schools.
Source: MDR education.
There were 128,961 public and private K-12 schools in the United States in the academic year 2019 – 2020.
Of these, 88,909 were pre-kindergarten, elementary, and middle schools, while 27,155 were Secondary and high schools.
The following table displays the breakdown of the K-12 schools in the United States recorded in the academic year 2019 and 2020.
| K-12 School Type | Number of Schools |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten, elementary, and middle schools | 88,909 |
| Secondary and high schools | 27,155 |
| Other, ungraded, and not applicable/not reported | 12,897 |
Source: EdWeek.
Number Of Schools In The U.S. By Grade
As of 2025, 64,311 elementary schools exist in the United States.
Meanwhile, the number of Senior high schools in the country is 20,318, and 11,518 schools are K-12 combined.
The following table displays the number of U.S. schools by grade level.
| Grade Level | Number of Schools |
|---|---|
| Elementary | 64,311 |
| Middle and Junior high | 14,677 |
| Senior High | 20,318 |
| K-12 Combined | 11,518 |
| Other | 4,347 |
Source: MDR education.
Public vs. Private Schools: A Breakdown
There are 95,852 public schools and 19,329 private schools in the United States.
Country, state, and BIS schools are public schools, while private schools are comprised of Catholic and non-Catholic schools.
Source: MDR education.
Public Schools In The United States
There are 2,709 magnet schools in the United States, and 719 of them focus specifically on STEM.
Magnet schools are usually included in the traditional public school system. They offer subjects that focus mainly on STEM or performing arts.
Magnet schools make up approximately 1.8% of public schools.
Source: MDR education.
Public schools in New York State spend the most on their pupils, reaching 24,040 per pupil.
The second highest spending is recorded in the District of Columbia at 22,759 per pupil.
Connecticut, New Jersey, and Vermont are other top states in which public schools spend the most per pupil.
The following table displays the top states where public schools spend the most per pupil in the United States.
| State | Public School Spending Per Pupil |
|---|---|
| New York | 24,040 |
| District of Columbia | 22,759 |
| Connecticut | 20,635 |
| New Jersey | 20,021 |
| Vermont | 19,340 |
Source: Research.com.
Private Schools In The U.S.
In 2025, there are 8,427 charter schools in the United States.
Despite being publicly funded, Charter schools are run privately. The state education laws do not bind these schools. They create their contacts, known as charters.
Charter schools make up 7% of the schools in the United States.
Source: MDR education.
How Many High Schools Are There In The U.S. Total?
There are 26,727 public and private high schools in the United States.
23,882 high schools in the United States are public, while just 2,845 are private.
California has 3,900 secondary high schools, which is most of the country’s secondary high schools.
Conversely, Delaware has the lowest number of high schools, with just 83 total secondary school institutions.
Further, for the academic years 2023 and 2024, North Carolina’s Early College at Guilford is the top high school in the United States in terms of academics, diversity, graduation rates, etc.
Source: US News, What to Become.
How Many High School Students Are There In US?
3.47 million students in the United States are estimated to graduate from high school in the academic year 2023-2024.
Of these, 3.2 million high school students are expected to graduate from public institutions, while 244.92K students are projected to graduate from private high school institutions.
The following table displays the number of high school students graduating from public and private institutions in the United States.
| Academic Year | Public Institutes | Non-Public institutes | Public and Non-public Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | 3,081,361 | 221,452 | 3,302,813 |
| 2021-22 | 3,090,971 | 238,306 | 3,329,277 |
| 2022-23 | 3,128,459 | 239,694 | 3,368,153 |
| 2023-24 | 3,228,089 | 244,929 | 3,473,018 |
| 2024-25 | 3,262,503 | 246,001 | 3,508,504 |
| 2025-26 | 3,207,111 | 241,760 | 3,448,871 |
| 2026-27 | 3,118,880 | 236,726 | 3,355,606 |
| 2027-28 | 3,021,810 | 229,210 | 3,251,020 |
Source: Harvard.
Other Types Of Schools In The U.S.
There are 2,672 special education schools in the United States, while 410 schools are for adult education.
Special education schools serve students who have special needs like physical, behavioral, or learning disabilities.
Most students with disabilities prefer to attend normal schools, while some require special attention. 2% of the total number of schools in the United States are special education schools.
Besides, career and technical school helps students gain the skills required for jobs. They are usually replacements for high schools.
Adult education schools are also made for adults interested in learning a new language, exploring topics, or earning a GED.
The following table displays the number of different types of schools in the United States.
| Type of Schools | Number of Schools |
|---|---|
| Career/Technical Education | 1,266 |
| Special education | 2,761 |
| Adult education | 410 |
Source: MDR education.
There are 49,220 Title 1 schools in the United States, while 46,613 are Non-Title 1 schools.
Schools that receive additional federal funding from the US Department of High Education are called Title 1 schools. A high percentage of students in these schools are from low-income families.
Approximately 43% of the public schools in the United States are currently qualified for Title 1 funding, accounting for 49,229 of the public schools.
Source: MDR education.
There are 353 Blue Ribbon Schools in the United States.
Blue Ribbon schools include public and private schools in the United States that help close the achievement gap for underachieving populations or attain overall high academic achievement.
Source: MDR education.
There are 2,041 year-round schools and 989 Virtual schools in the United States.
Most schools in the United States hold classes 180 days a year, while year-round schools hold courses yearly. These schools make up just 2% of the schools in the United States.
Besides, the virtual schools are held entirely online. Hence, students can attend classes and learn in an environment that suits their needs. These schools have gained immense popularity over the past years.
Source: MDR education.
Number Of Schools By State
California had the highest number of Public elementary and secondary schools in 2022, with 10,325 schools.
Texas and New York had the second- and third-highest numbers of public elementary and secondary schools in the United States, respectively.
Conversely, Delaware has the lowest number of public schools, with just 229 schools in the state. The District of Columbia and Hawaii also have the lowest number of public schools in the United States, with 240 and 294 schools in the states, respectively.
The following table displays the States with the highest number of public elementary and secondary schools in the United States as of 2022.
| States | Number of Public Schools |
|---|---|
| California | 10,325 |
| Texas | 9,101 |
| New York | 4,802 |
| Illinois | 4,386 |
| Florida | 4,191 |
| Ohio | 3,659 |
| Michigan | 3,536 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,941 |
| North Carolina | 2,719 |
| Minnesota | 2,661 |
| New Jersey | 2,558 |
| Washington | 2,546 |
Source: Statista
Number Of School Enrollment In the US by State
California has the highest number of K-12 students in the United States, with 6.86 million students enrolled in the state’s schools.
Texas has the second-highest number of students enrolled in schools, at 5.84 million.
Florida, New York, and Illinois are other States with the highest number of students enrolled in K-12 schools.
The following table displays the states in the United States with the highest number of students enrolled.
| States | Number of Students enrolled in the schools |
|---|---|
| California | 6.86 million |
| Texas | 5.84 million |
| Florida | 3.38 million |
| New York | 3.17 million |
| Illinois | 2.24 million |
Source: Research.com.
How Many Students Are Enrolled In Schools In The United States?
75.2 million students were enrolled in schools in the United States in 2022.
The total school enrollment in the United States grew 1.3 million from 2021 to 2022.
The number of students enrolled in schools has been the highest since 2019, when the total school enrollments in the United States were recorded at 76.1 million.
Total school enrollments have declined since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, enrollment has been increasing steadily since 2021, but has not managed to surpass the 76.8 million recorded in 2018.
Source: United States Census Bureau.
Here are some additional statistics related to school enrollments in 2022:
- The enrollment rate for children aged 3 and 4 in nursery school or kindergarten was 53.3% in 2022. That was 13% higher than the enrollment rates recorded in 2020.
- 8.4 million students enrolled in nursery and kindergarten schools in the United States in 2022.
- 27.6% of elementary school students and 29.4% of high school students had at least one foreign-born parent.
- 70.4% of the students enrolled in elementary schools in the United States were white alone, 5.9% were Asian alone, 15.7% were Black alone, and 25.8% were Hispanic.
- In 2022, 72.2% of the students who enrolled in high school in the United States were White alone. At the same time, 25.9% were Hispanic, 14.5% were Black alone, and 5.7% were Asian alone.
Source: United States Census Bureau.
Conclusion: United States Has 115,171 Schools
As of 2025, with over 75.2 million students enrolled and an extensive network of public, private, charter, and specialized schools, the U.S. education system is vast and diverse.
States like California and Texas dominate in both school count and enrollment, while Title 1 and Blue Ribbon schools highlight equity and excellence in education. The system continues to evolve, from magnet and year-round schools to virtual classrooms.
As enrollment rebounds post-pandemic and spending varies by state, understanding these figures helps policymakers, educators, and parents navigate the nation’s educational priorities and challenges in 2025 and beyond.
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