Fast Facts: Educational Institutions (84)

Fast Facts

Educational institutions

Question: How many educational institutions exist in the United States?

Response:

• The number of public schools in 2009–10 was 98,817 and the number of public schools in 2020–21 was 98,577.
• The number of private schools in 2009–10 was 33,366 and the number of private schools in 2019–20 was 30,492.
• There were a total of 70,142 public prekindergarten, elementary, and middle schools in 2009–10 and a total of 70,055 public prekindergarten, elementary, and middle schools in 2020–21.
• There were a total of 21,611 private prekindergarten, elementary, and middle schools in 2009–10 and a total of 18,870 private prekindergarten, elementary, and middle schools in 2019–20.
• There were a total of 23,499 public secondary and high schools in 2009–10 and a total of 23,519 public secondary and high schools in 2020–21.
• There were a total of 3,405 private secondary and high schools in 2009–10 and a total of 3,626 private secondary and high schools in 2019–20.

Number of educational institutions, by level and control of institution: Selected years, 2009–10 through 2019–20
Level and control of institution	2009–10	2010–11	2011–12	2012–13	2013–14	2014–15	2015–16	2016–17	2017–18	2018–19	2019–20	2020–21
Public schools	98,817	98,817	98,328	98,454	98,271	98,176	98,277	98,158	98,469	98,755	98,469	98,577
Prekindergarten, elementary, and middle	70,142	70,427	70,291	70,007	70,050	70,113	69,931	69,612	70,112	70,261	70,039	70,055
Secondary and high	23,499	23,728	23,195	23,348	23,311	23,441	23,472	23,379	23,318	23,567	23,529	23,519
Other, ungraded, and not applicable/not reported	5,176	4,662	4,842	5,099	4,910	4,622	4,874	5,167	5,039	4,927	4,901	5,003
Private schools1	33,366	–	30,861	–	33,619	–	34,576	–	32,461	–	30,492	–
Prekindergarten, elementary, and middle	21,611	–	19,884	–	22,698	–	22,115	–	20,245	–	18,870	–
Secondary and high	3,405	–	3,329	–	3,413	–	3,672	–	3,644	–	3,626	–
Other, ungraded, and not applicable/not reported	8,350	–	7,648	–	7,509	–	8,789	–	8,572	–	7,996	–

– Not available. 1 Includes schools with kindergarten or higher grades NOTE: Data in this table represent the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics. (2023) Table 105.50. Number of educational institutions, by level and control of institution: 2010–11 through 2020–21; (2022) Table 105.50. Number of educational institutions, by level and control of institution: 2009–10 through 2019–20 [Data tables]. In Digest of education statistics. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved December 9, 2022, from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d22/tables/dt22_105.50.asp and https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d21/tables/dt21_105.50.asp.

Related Tables and Figures: (Listed by Release Date)

• 2022, Digest of Education Statistics 2021, Table 205.40. Number and percentage distribution of private elementary and secondary students, teachers, and schools, by orientation of school and selected characteristics: Fall 2009, fall 2017, and fall 2019
• 2022, Digest of Education Statistics 2021, Table 205.50. Private elementary and secondary enrollment, number of schools, and average tuition, by school level, orientation, and tuition: Selected years, 1999–2000 through 2011–12
• 2022, Digest of Education Statistics 2021, Table 216.10. Number of public elementary and secondary schools, by school level, type, and charter, magnet, and virtual status: 2009–10 through 2019–20
• 2022, Digest of Education Statistics 2021, Table 216.40. Number and percentage distribution of public elementary and secondary schools and enrollment, by level, type, and enrollment size of school: 2017–18 through 2019–20
• 2022, Digest of Education Statistics 2021, Table 216.70. Public elementary and secondary schools, by level, type, and state or jurisdiction: 1990–91, 2000–01, 2009–10, and 2019–20
• 2021, Digest of Education Statistics 2020, Table 106.10. Expenditures of educational institutions related to the gross domestic product, by level of institution: Selected years, 1929–30 through 2019–20

Other Resources: (Listed by Release Date)

• 2022, Common Core of Data (CCD) School and Agency Reports: This site provides annual reports describing public schools and their characteristics (type; magnet, charter, and Title I status; urbanicity; size) and counts of students.
• 2022, Private School Universe Survey (PSS): This site provides access to information on the PSS as well as links to reports and data tables using PSS data.
• 2022, Search for Public Schools - CCD School Locator
• 2021, Search for Private Schools - PSS School Locator