What share of students in Iowa are proficient in math?

In 2024, 27% of eighth graders in Iowa public schools were at or above NAEP Proficient in mathematics (24th highest among the 50 states and DC) and 31% in reading, compared with 33% and 33% in 2019 (national public 2024: 27% and 29%).

Education in Iowa, United States: official figures

89.9% of public high school students in Iowa graduated within four years of starting ninth grade in the 2021-22 school year (the adjusted cohort graduation rate); 6th highest among the 49 states (including DC) with data (U.S.: 86.6%).

High school graduation rate (4-year ACGR)

89.9%

2021-22

NAEP fourth-grade reading score

215

2024

NAEP eighth-grade mathematics score

275

2024

Current spending per pupil, public schools

$14,369

FY2024

Public school enrollment

508,112

Fall 2023

Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

32.1%

2024

Is the graduation rate in Iowa rising?

The four-year graduation rate in Iowa was 89.9% in 2021-22, compared with 89% in 2011-12 and 91.6% in 2018-19, before the pandemic; nationally the rate went from 80% in 2011-12 to 86.6% in 2021-22.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

What is the graduation rate for disadvantaged students in Iowa?

In 2021-22 the four-year graduation rate in Iowa was 82.3% for economically disadvantaged students, 72.8% for students with disabilities and 73.0% for English learners (U.S.: 81.3%, 71.4%, 72.1% respectively).

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

What is the graduation rate by race in Iowa?

By race and ethnicity, the 2021-22 graduation rate in Iowa was 77.0% for Black, 80.2% for Hispanic and 92.7% for White students (U.S.: 81.0%, 82.8%, 89.8%).

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

How do students in Iowa score in grade 4 reading?

Public school students in Iowa averaged 215 in fourth-grade reading on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), joint 22nd highest among the 50 states and DC, down from 221 in 2019 (national public: 214, 219 in 2019). 29% scored at or above Proficient and 39% below Basic.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

How do students in Iowa score in grade 8 reading?

Public school students in Iowa averaged 261 in eighth-grade reading on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), joint 8th highest among the 50 states and DC, down from 262 in 2019 (national public: 257, 262 in 2019). 31% scored at or above Proficient and 28% below Basic.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

How do students in Iowa score in grade 4 math?

Public school students in Iowa averaged 237 in fourth-grade mathematics on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), joint 24th lowest among the 50 states and DC, down from 241 in 2019 (national public: 237, 240 in 2019). 39% scored at or above Proficient and 23% below Basic.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

How do students in Iowa score in grade 8 math?

Public school students in Iowa averaged 275 in eighth-grade mathematics on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), joint 22nd highest among the 50 states and DC, down from 282 in 2019 (national public: 272, 281 in 2019). 27% scored at or above Proficient and 35% below Basic.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

How much does Iowa spend per student?

Public school systems in Iowa spent $14,369 per pupil on current operations in fiscal year 2024, 16th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: $17,619), according to the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Is school spending per pupil in Iowa going up?

Current spending per pupil in Iowa rose from $11,907 in fiscal 2019 to $14,369 in fiscal 2024, up 20.7% before inflation (U.S.: up 33.6%); the change on fiscal 2023 was up 4.2%.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What does Iowa spend school money on?

Of the $14,369 spent per pupil in Iowa in fiscal 2024, $8,308 went on instruction and $5,416 on support services; salaries and wages came to $8,852 per pupil and employee benefits $2,989.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Where does school funding in Iowa come from?

Public school systems in Iowa received $8.8 billion in revenue in fiscal 2024: 9.2% from the federal government, 50.9% from the state and 39.9% from local sources such as property taxes (U.S.: 11.6%, 45.2% and 43.2%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does Iowa spend on public schools in total?

Total spending by public school systems in Iowa was $9.0 billion in fiscal 2024, of which $7.3 billion was current spending and $1.5 billion capital outlay on buildings and equipment; the systems owed $5.5 billion in debt at the end of the year.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many students are in public schools in Iowa?

508,112 pupils were enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools in Iowa in fall 2023, down 1.8% on fall 2019 (517,324) and up 1.0% on fall 2013; nationally enrollment was down 2.5% since 2019.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

What is the student-teacher ratio in Iowa?

Public schools in Iowa had 36,138 full-time-equivalent teachers in fall 2022, about 14.1 pupils per teacher, joint 24th fewest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 15.4; Iowa in fall 2019: 14.5).

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

What percentage of people in Iowa have a college degree?

32.1% of adults aged 25 and over in Iowa, about 703,000 people, held a bachelor's degree or higher in 2024; 11th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 36.8%). That is up 1.6 percentage points on 2021 (30.5%), according to the American Community Survey.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in Iowa have a graduate degree?

In 2024, 10.9% of adults 25 and over in Iowa had a graduate or professional degree and 12.3% an associate degree as their highest qualification (U.S.: 14.7% and 8.8%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many adults in Iowa did not finish high school?

93.0% of adults 25 and over in Iowa had at least a high school diploma or equivalent in 2024, leaving 7.0% without one; that share is 14th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 10.1%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How Iowa compares with other states

Public high school 4-year graduation rate (ACGR) (2021-22)

Iowa ranks 6 of 49, highest first. Adjusted cohort graduation rate; New Mexico and Oklahoma did not report for 2021-22

Rank	Region	Public high school 4-year graduation rate (ACGR)
3	Wisconsin	90.3%
4	Massachusetts	90.1%
5	Kentucky	90.1%
6	Iowa	89.9%
7	Missouri	89.8%
8	Texas	89.7%
9	Virginia	89.1%

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

Graduation rate of economically disadvantaged students (2021-22)

Iowa ranks 13 of 48, highest first. Adjusted cohort graduation rate

Rank	Region	Graduation rate of economically disadvantaged students
10	Massachusetts	83.2%
11	Alabama	82.6%
12	Virginia	82.4%
13	Iowa	82.3%
14	Kansas	82.2%
15	Connecticut	82.1%
16	Missouri	81.7%

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

NAEP fourth-grade reading, average score (2024)

Iowa ranks 26 of 51, highest first. Public school students; scale 0-500

Rank	Region	NAEP fourth-grade reading, average score
23	Tennessee	215
24	Wisconsin	215
25	South Carolina	215
26	Iowa	215
27	Illinois	214
28	Georgia	214
29	Virginia	214

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

NAEP eighth-grade reading, average score (2024)

Iowa ranks 9 of 51, highest first. Public school students; scale 0-500

Rank	Region	NAEP eighth-grade reading, average score
6	Illinois	262
7	Indiana	262
8	Utah	261
9	Iowa	261
10	Idaho	261
11	Montana	261
12	Ohio	260

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

NAEP fourth-grade mathematics, average score (2024)

Iowa ranks 28 of 51, highest first. Public school students; scale 0-500

Rank	Region	NAEP fourth-grade mathematics, average score
25	Idaho	238
26	Nebraska	238
27	Montana	238
28	Iowa	237
29	Kansas	237
30	Rhode Island	237
31	Illinois	236

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

NAEP eighth-grade mathematics, average score (2024)

Iowa ranks 23 of 51, highest first. Public school students; scale 0-500

Rank	Region	NAEP eighth-grade mathematics, average score
20	Tennessee	276
21	Vermont	276
22	Virginia	275
23	Iowa	275
24	Washington	274
25	Kansas	274
26	Maine	273

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

Eighth graders at or above NAEP Proficient in mathematics (2024)

Iowa ranks 24 of 51, highest first. Public school students

Rank	Region	Eighth graders at or above NAEP Proficient in mathematics
21	North Dakota	29.5%
22	Virginia	28.5%
23	Vermont	28.5%
24	Iowa	27.2%
25	Kansas	26.3%
26	New York	26.2%
27	Rhode Island	26.0%

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

Fourth graders below NAEP Basic in reading (2024)

Iowa ranks 30 of 51, highest first. Public school students

Rank	Region	Fourth graders below NAEP Basic in reading
27	South Dakota	39.9%
28	Louisiana	39.6%
29	Washington	39.5%
30	Iowa	39.5%
31	Rhode Island	39.3%
32	Minnesota	39.1%
33	Hawaii	39.1%

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

Current spending per pupil, public schools (FY2024)

Iowa ranks 36 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau Annual Survey of School System Finances

Rank	Region	Current spending per pupil, public schools
33	South Carolina	$15,060
34	Nevada	$14,812
35	Kentucky	$14,596
36	Iowa	$14,369
37	Missouri	$14,241
38	Arkansas	$13,873
39	Montana	$13,656

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Change in current spending per pupil since FY2019 (FY2019-FY2024)

Iowa ranks 49 of 51, highest first. Current dollars, not adjusted for inflation

Rank	Region	Change in current spending per pupil since FY2019
45	Wyoming	+25.9%
46	Pennsylvania	+25.1%
47	Connecticut	+23.5%
48	North Dakota	+22.1%
49	Iowa	+20.7%
50	Alaska	+14.2%
51	Montana	+13.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Share of public school revenue from local sources (FY2024)

Iowa ranks 26 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau

Rank	Region	Share of public school revenue from local sources
23	Montana	43.2%
24	Oklahoma	41.5%
25	Utah	41.5%
26	Iowa	39.9%
27	Tennessee	39.8%
28	Wyoming	39.1%
29	North Dakota	38.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Pupils per teacher, public schools (Fall 2022)

Iowa ranks 28 of 51, highest first. Common Core of Data

Rank	Region	Pupils per teacher, public schools
25	Hawaii	14.2
26	Delaware	14.2
27	South Carolina	14.1
28	Iowa	14.1
29	Nebraska	13.8
30	South Dakota	13.8
31	Illinois	13.7

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

Change in public school enrollment, fall 2019 to fall 2023 (2019-2023)

Iowa ranks 22 of 51, highest first. Common Core of Data

Rank	Region	Change in public school enrollment, fall 2019 to fall 2023
19	Georgia	-1.1%
20	New Jersey	-1.4%
21	Indiana	-1.8%
22	Iowa	-1.8%
23	Missouri	-2.1%
24	Maryland	-2.1%
25	Connecticut	-2.1%

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education) · saved copy

Adults 25 and over with a bachelor's degree or higher (2024)

Iowa ranks 41 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey 1-year estimates

Rank	Region	Adults 25 and over with a bachelor's degree or higher
38	Ohio	32.4%
39	Tennessee	32.4%
40	Wyoming	32.3%
41	Iowa	32.1%
42	New Mexico	31.8%
43	Indiana	30.7%
44	Alabama	29.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Adults 25 and over without a high school diploma or equivalent (2024)

Iowa ranks 38 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey 1-year estimates

Rank	Region	Adults 25 and over without a high school diploma or equivalent
35	Pennsylvania	7.6%
36	Idaho	7.5%
37	Nebraska	7.4%
38	Iowa	7.0%
39	Colorado	6.8%
40	Alaska	6.6%
41	Utah	6.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

More on Iowa: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · the United States

Sources

National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education): Digest of Education Statistics 2023, Table 219.46: Public high school 4-year adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR), by selected student characteristics and state, 2011-12 through 2021-22, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1913b92e5e75…)
U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Educational attainment for the population 25 years and over (B15003), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0c933281d2c2…)
National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education): Digest of Education Statistics 2024, Table 203.20: Enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools, by state, fall 1990 through fall 2023 (Common Core of Data), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8e370b60d62a…)
U.S. Census Bureau: 2024 Annual Survey of School System Finances: summary tables (Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finance Data, fiscal year 2024), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 848133174f29…)
National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education): NAEP mathematics grade 4, 2019 and 2024: average scale score and achievement-level percentages for public school students by state (NAEP Data Service), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 913ed194a3d5…)
National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education): NAEP mathematics grade 8, 2019 and 2024: average scale score and achievement-level percentages for public school students by state (NAEP Data Service), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7dc207d5418d…)
National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education): NAEP reading grade 4, 2019 and 2024: average scale score and achievement-level percentages for public school students by state (NAEP Data Service), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7da857933d83…)
National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education): NAEP reading grade 8, 2019 and 2024: average scale score and achievement-level percentages for public school students by state (NAEP Data Service), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 790de8a24822…)
National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. Department of Education): Digest of Education Statistics 2023, Table 208.40: Public elementary and secondary teachers, enrollment, and pupil/teacher ratios, by state, fall 2000 through fall 2022 (Common Core of Data), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c15568f58c4c…)

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