Public vs private school statistics: Key insights and trends for 2025

Does attending a public school vs a private school significantly impact a student's future in the United States? The statistics say yes!

One study found that students who attended private school in 8th grade were twice as likely to complete a bachelor's degree by their mid-20s compared to public school students (52% vs. 26%). That's not just a small advantage; it's a fundamentally different life trajectory.

But what's driving this divide? Is it the schools themselves, or the students they serve? And with over 49.5 million students in public schools versus just 4.7 million in private ones, what does this mean for the future of American education?

In this article, we will look at the latest public vs. private school statistics to uncover the real differences between these two systems. We'll examine enrollment patterns, academic outcomes, teacher qualifications, class sizes, costs, and the socioeconomic factors shaping who gets access to what kind of education.

Let's explore what the data reveals.

Key statistics: Public vs private schools (Top picks)

• Approximately 49.5 million K-12 students attend public schools, while around 4.7 million American students are enrolled in private schools.
• There are more White students (65%) in private schools compared to all other races combined.
• About 17% of public school students lived in families below the poverty line, compared to only 11% of private school students.
• 55% of current educators are planning to leave their jobs, further exacerbating the situation.
• In the US, at 96%, private school students are more likely to graduate than public school students (87%).
• 44% of public school students are behind a grade level in at least one academic subject.
• The mean wage of public school teachers ($57,360) is higher than that of private school teachers ($52,240) for comparable roles.

Sources: National Center for Education Statistics, National Education Association, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Table of contents

What is the enrollment distribution between public vs. private schools?

The data shows that the majority of students in the U.S. attend public schools. Socioeconomic factors and accessibility are key reasons for enrollment rates, irrespective of region.

How many students attend public schools?

• Approximately 49.5 million K-12 students attend public schools in 2023.
• Over 90% of all K-12 students in rural areas attend public schools because of fewer private options and lower population density. 

Sources: National Center for Education Statistics, Pew Research

How many students attend private schools?

• About 4.7 million American students were enrolled in private elementary or secondary schools in 2021.
• Hawaii and Washington D.C. have the highest rate of private school students (19%), followed by the Northeastern U.S. states (10-15%). 

Sources: National Center for Education Statistics, Pew Research

What is the enrollment distribution between public vs. private schools by region?

• 43% of private school students were enrolled in city-based schools, compared to about 30% of public school students. 
• Only 11% of private school students attend school in rural areas, whereas 20% of public school students are in rural schools.

Sources: National Center for Education Statistics

In most states, public schools remain the dominant education provider, typically accounting for 80-95% of enrollment. Private schools tend to be concentrated in more populous and urbanized states, while public schools are the preferred option outside of metropolitan areas.

Which students are most likely to enroll in public vs private schools?

The data shows students of color comprise the majority in public schools nationwide — especially when combining all students who identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian, or multiracial.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

However, there are slightly more Asian American students in private schools compared to public schools. This can be attributed to social factors like parental expectations and involvement in educational decisions.

How does socio-economic status contribute to public vs private school enrollment?

Differences in family income and educational levels are a key factor in the public vs. private enrollment. Wealthier households are more likely to choose private schools, whereas lower-income families are more likely to rely on public schools.

• In 2021, an estimated 17% of public school students lived in families below the poverty line, compared to only 11% of private school students. 
• About 25% of students at private schools receive some kind of financial aid.

This is further exacerbated by the region, with more urban school districts getting access to better curriculum and opportunities.

• 17% of all rural students attended high-poverty schools, defined as those in which more than 75% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. 
• Around 33% of rural high schools offer AP math courses, compared with 56% of urban schools and 75% of suburban schools.

Sources: National Center for Education Statistics, Education Data Initiative, U.S. Department of Education

What is the academic performance of students in public vs private schools?

The data shows that students in private schools often score higher on standardized tests and college entrance exams. Students who attended private school in 8th grade were twice as likely to earn a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to students who attended public school in the same grade.

• 87% of U.S. student graduates are from public high schools. 
• 96% of U.S. student graduates are from private high schools. 
• A little over 62% of private school graduates are attending a 4-year college.

Sources: National Center for Education Statistics

Why are there more private school graduates than public school graduates?

According to NCES data, 44% of public school students started the 2023-24 school year behind grade level in at least one academic subject. This was most common in high-poverty neighborhoods (56%), where students face challenges linked to limited funding, housing instability, and other barriers to learning.

What is the experience of teachers in public vs private schools?

Both public and private school teachers average about 15 years of teaching experience. Considering that the average age of teachers is around 43 years, this can lead to a large number of vacancies in the next decade.

Adding to this problem is that currently, over one in three vacancies in both public and private schools are unfulfilled for subjects like special education, foreign languages, physical sciences, etc. Moreover, 55% of current educators are planning to leave their jobs, further exacerbating the situation. 

The main reasons for this mass exodus and hiring crisis are compensation, stress levels, and anxiety.  

How much do teachers earn in public vs private schools?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean wage of public school teachers ($57,360) is higher than that of private school teachers ($52,240) for comparable roles. Public schools also offer higher pay at all grade levels.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Besides pay, public school teachers typically have better benefit packages (health insurance, state pensions). Private schools often can’t match the state pension systems; some offer 401(k) plans with limited matches. This makes the total benefits gap even larger than the salary gap.

Public school teachers generally earn higher wages because of government funding, unionized pay structures, and stricter certification requirements. Private schools, which rely on tuition and donations, often offer lower salaries but emphasize smaller classes or mission-driven environments.

What are the educational qualifications of teachers in public vs private schools?

More public school teachers (61%) have Master’s degrees or higher than private school teachers (49.8%) in comparable roles.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

Want to learn more about the lives of teachers in the U.S.? Check out our teacher demographics article, where we break down the latest trends and stats impacting teachers today.

What are class sizes like in public vs private schools?

Private schools generally have smaller class sizes, with over 44% of them enrolling fewer than 300 students, according to data from 2021. On the other hand, more than 60% of public schools enroll more than 500 students. Despite this, the student-to-teacher ratio in 2021 was better in private schools (1 teacher for 12.5 students) compared to public schools (1 teacher for 15.4 students).  

NOTE: The student-to-teacher ratio is calculated by taking all teaching staff, including part-time teachers, specialists, etc., and dividing it by student enrollment.

What is the average tuition rate of public vs private schools?

By law, public schools in the U.S. charge no tuition for residents. Education is funded by federal, state, and local taxes. In contrast, private schools rely on tuition and donations to stay open.

As of the 2021-22 school year, the average private school tuition was about $12,790 per year for K-12 schools. The actual tuition varies widely by grade, school type, region, etc.

• By grade, private elementary schools average around $9,200 per year, whereas private high schools average about $16,400 per year. 
• By school type, Catholic schools cost $4k-$8k for elementary, $8k-$15k for high school, and over $30k for an independent, non-sectarian school per year.
• By region, tuition tends to be highest in the Northeast (~$27k+), while states like Mississippi, West Virginia, and Wisconsin have averages around $6k-$8k. 

The cost differences are dictated by the average income in those regions, the cost of living, and the density of elite schools in that area. 

Source: Education Data Initiative

What financial aid do students get in public vs private schools?

Given the high tuition, many private schools offer financial aid, scholarships, or discounts to students. At independent private schools (the non-religious, often non-profit schools), it’s standard to use a portion of tuition revenue to aid families who can’t afford full price. 

• About 1 in 4 students at NAIS member private schools receive financial aid. 
• In boarding schools, about a third of students receive aid.
• The median grant for those receiving aid was around $20,912 per student annually. 
• In boarding high schools, the average aid grant was about $33k due to the greater cost of room and board.

Source: Education Data Initiative

Since tuition is zero for public schools, traditional “financial aid” doesn’t apply. However, an emerging factor is school choice programs. It offers publicly funded vouchers or scholarships that families can use for private school tuition. 

Students can cover partial or full tuition depending on the state. For instance, a voucher might be worth $5,000-$7,000, which might fully cover a moderate-cost private school or partially cover an expensive one.

• As of 2024, more than one million students nationwide were using some form of private school choice program. 
• Florida had nearly 13% of its K-12 students receiving state-funded scholarships to attend private schools. Other states like Ohio, Iowa, and Oklahoma also rapidly expanded their programs recently.
• About 2.2% of U.S. students now utilize an education choice program (voucher/ESA). 
• Over 90% of private school students are still privately funded, but these subsidies are growing.

Source: EdChoice

What specialized educational programs are offered in public vs private schools?

The majority of both public and private school types are regular schools. However, technical and vocational schools (1%) are exclusively public programs, while only private schools offer Montessori (5%) and day care (1%) programs. Special programs, alternative schools, and special education schools are only a small number (3-7%) of schools. 

Source: National Center of Education Statistics

What is the distribution of specialized staff to conduct these programs in public vs private schools?

There are more general instruction and soft skill coaches in public schools. Access to educators for more specialized training (like STEM) is similar in both public and private schools; however, the quality of teaching can vary depending on access to materials.

Source: National Center of Education Statistics

The statistics reveal two education systems—separate and unequal

These public vs. private school statistics paint a clear picture: America's K-12 education landscape is deeply divided along economic, geographic, and racial lines.

Public schools serve over 90% of students, including the vast majority of low-income families, students of color, and rural communities. On the other hand, private schools enroll just 4.7 million students but boast smaller classes, higher graduation rates, and double the college enrollment. 

But the data also reveals shared challenges. 

Both face a looming teacher shortage, with over half of educators planning to leave the profession due to low pay, stress, and burnout. And while private schools offer better student-to-teacher ratios (12.5 vs. 15.4), they pay teachers less than public schools and provide fewer benefits.

This means it’s time for parents, educators, and policymakers to:

✔ Bridge the opportunity gap by expanding access to AP courses, extracurriculars, and specialized programs in rural and high-poverty public schools.

✔ Address teacher retention through competitive compensation, mental health support, and reduced administrative burden in both school types.

✔ Rethink voucher programs to ensure they don't further drain resources from the public schools that serve 90% of America's children.

Without systemic investment in public education and thoughtful reform of private school access, the gap between these two systems will only widen—leaving millions of students behind.