FACT BRIEFDoes Nevada get a poor return on investment in K-12 education compared to other states?
NO
An analysis by The Nevada Independent comparing states' K-12 education spending with their public school ratings shows Nevada ranks 18th nationally in education return on investment (ROI).
We looked at states' per-pupil spending (according to Census Bureau data) and their combined quality and safety rating across 32 metrics by WalletHub. We then compared these two rankings to determine if a state had a good return on its education investment.
The data ranks Nevada 45th in spending and 39th in quality and safety. The state's differential between these rankings is the 18th best in the nation. The top ROI state is Utah, which ranks 49th in spending and 13th in quality and safety. The lowest-ranking state is Alaska, which ranks 6th in spending and 50th in quality and safety.
Despite Nevada's above-average education ROI, its education system consistently ranks near the bottom among states.
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Sources
The Nevada Independent State Public Education ROI Analysis
US Census Bureau Per Pupil Amounts for Current Spending of Public Elementary-Secondary School Systems by State: Fiscal Year 2020
WalletHub States with the Best & Worst School Systems
Scholaroo States with Best & Worst Education (2023)
US News & World Report Education Rankings
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