How Many Schools Are In The US [2025 Statistics]

When asked how many schools are in the USA, the answer is a staggering 115,171 as of 2024, reflecting the nation’s extensive education system.

From the abundance of elementary schools to the specialized offerings of charter and magnet schools, this article examines the numbers, trends, and unique characteristics shaping education across the states.

So if you are a parent, educator, or data enthusiast, uncover insights that reveal just how vast and varied the U.S. school system truly is. Let’s explore!

Top Picks: How Many Schools In The US

• The American education system encompasses 115,171 schools as of 2024.
• 95,852 public schools and 19,329 private schools exist in the USA as of 2024.
• Elementary schools make up the largest segment, with 51,782 schools.
• 17,579 high schools are operating across the nation.
• For those curious about how many middle schools are in the US: The US education system includes 15,952 middle schools, representing 18% of all regular schools. These schools employ 3,662,000 teachers, serving 54,834,000 students.
• Elementary schools make up the largest portion with 51,782 schools, followed by 17,579 high schools and 15,952 middle schools in the USA.
• Texas and California lead with the most schools – Texas has 1,400 high schools, while California has 1,381.
• Geographically, the smallest number of schools is in Vermont, with 729 total schools.

How Many Schools Are In The US

• In the 88,835 operational public regular schools, 51,782 are elementary schools and 15,952 are middle schools.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of how many schools in America:

This data encompasses all regular operating schools across the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

(NCES)

Now let us have a look at the total number of  schools by category in the academic year 2022-2023:

(NCES)

• The pre-primary enrollment rate in the USA was 72.4% in 2023, positioning it as one of the major education providers globally. This rate is noticeably above the global average of 60.9%. (World Data Bank)

How Many Public Schools Are In The US?

• 95,852 public schools exist in the USA, of which 88,835 are regular public elementary and secondary schools.
• High schools make up 17,579 regular public schools, highlighting their critical importance in secondary education.
• Texas has the highest number of public schools at 8,076, while California follows closely with 7,371 public schools as per the latest data
• Vermont has the smallest number of public schools, with just 585 public schools as of 2024.

(NCES)

How Many K-12 Schools In The US?

• 11,518 institutions operate as K-12 combined schools, providing continuous education from kindergarten through high school graduation under one roof. (MRD Education)
• 1,160 prekindergarten schools play a small yet vital role in the K-12 education system. (NCES)

How Many High Schools Are In The US?

• If you’re wondering how many high schools are there in the US?
• The total stands at 26,727 as of 2024 across both public and private sectors. (LSU)
• The United States has 20,318 senior high schools. (MRD Education)
• 61.4% of recent high school graduates (ages 16-24) enrolled in college, which makes up 1.9 million out of 3.1 million recent high school graduates who enrolled in colleges/universities. (BLS)

Types Of Schools In The U.S.

The American education system features diverse school types to meet various educational needs.

Here are the statistics on them:

• Magnet schools (2,709, including 719 STEM-focused)
• Special education schools (2,672)
• Adult education schools (410)
• Blue Ribbon Schools (353)
• Year-round schools (2,041)
• Virtual schools (989)
• Elementary schools (64,311)
• Private and Catholic schools comprise 17% of all U.S. schools, with 13,871 private (non-Catholic) schools and 5,458 Catholic schools.
• 989 virtual schools provide students with the option to learn entirely online.

(MRD Education)

• There are 90,604 regular schools, 1,882 special education schools, 1,571 career and technical education schools, and 5,352 alternative education schools.
• Additionally, the country has 7,999 charter schools, which may overlap with these categories. (NCES)

Charter School Vs Public School

Let’s examine charter vs public school, highlighting the differences in funding, governance, and educational approaches between these two types of institutions.

• 8,427 charter schools operate independently while receiving public funding, offering alternative education approaches to traditional public schools as of 2024. (MRD Education)
• There are 101,105 public elementary and secondary schools in the United States, with 1,696 of these categorized as nonoperational, including closed, inactive, or future schools. (NCES)
• 99,409 public elementary and secondary schools were operational in the United States, encompassing traditional public schools, charter schools, and other public institutions offering pre-kindergarten through grade 12 in the academic year 2022-23.
• Among the operational schools, 88,835 are regular public schools as per the latest data, delivering core education services at prekindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school levels. (NCES)

Charter School Vs Private School

• Charter schools have the highest percentage of Hispanic students at 36%.
• Private schools have the highest percentage of White students at 65%.In public schools, 47% of students are White, while this percentage increases to 65% in private schools. (Pew Research)

Public Vs Private School Statistics

There is a clear distinction between public and private institutions:

• With 95,852 public schools and 19,329 private schools.
• Within the public school system, Title I funding plays a crucial role, with 49,220 Title I schools and 46,613 non-Title I schools.
• Additionally, 43% of public schools, totaling 49,229, qualify for Title I funding to support low-income families. (MRD Education)

Number Of Schools By State

The number of schools in the US varies significantly by state, with populous states like California and Texas leading the count.

• Texas takes the lead with 1,400, closely followed by California, which has over 1,381 high schools in 2022-2023.
• California also boasts the highest total number of schools in the U.S., with 10,118 institutions, including 9,371 public schools and 1,017 private schools. 

Here’s a look at the top 10 states with the highest number of schools:

At the other end of the spectrum, Vermont has the fewest schools in the U.S., totaling 729, including 585 public schools and 144 private schools. 

Below is a breakdown of the bottom 10 states by the total number of schools:

(NCES)

How Many Teachers Are There In The US

The question of how many teachers in US schools reflects the scale of the education system, with over 3.6 million educators shaping young minds. Lets us look at the details:

• The US education system employs 3,662,000 teachers as of 2023, with 3,181,000 in public schools and 481,000 in private schools.
• These teachers serve a total student population of 54,834,000 students (49,012,000 in public schools and 5,822,000 in private schools). (NCES)
• Among top-performing high schools in the US, student-teacher ratios range from 5:1 to 12:1, with Phillips Exeter Academy having the lowest at 5:1 and Stanford Online High School the highest at 12:1.
• The average student-teacher ratio in top public schools ranges from 6:1 to 11:1, with North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics at 6:1 and MA Academy for Math & Science School at 11:1.
• Private institutions maintain lower student-teacher ratios, averaging between 5:1 and 8:1, with Phillips Exeter Academy at 5:1 and Harvard-Westlake School at 8:1. (LSU)

How Many High Schoolers Are In The US

• The United States reports a Gender Parity Index (GPI) of 0.986 in primary and secondary education, slightly below perfect parity (1.000), indicating marginally fewer females than males enrolled in schools. (Data World Bank)
• Texas leads with 1,400 high schools, averaging approximately 793 High Schoolers per school.
• California follows with 1,381 high schools, hosting an average of 767 High Schoolers each.
• In contrast, Montana, with 176 high schools, reflects regional needs and lower population densities, with many schools serving fewer than 200 High Schoolers.

Here’s a breakdown of the High Schoolers demographics by school type:

(Pew Research)