Racial Gaps in U. S. School Funding: New York Near the Bottom
New data shows that many U.S. schools still treat students differently because of race, even though segregation is illegal.
A 2025 study by Brown University found that districts with fewer Black and Hispanic students receive $900 to $1,000 more per pupil than those with higher percentages of these groups.
Researchers say that past changes to how schools are funded have not closed this gap.
The differences in money and resources can affect:
- Test scores
- Graduation rates
- Later job prospects
An analyst from WalletHub argued that every district should have enough money, modern tools and the same chances for extra help. Doing so could lessen score gaps and improve chances of college and good jobs.
WalletHub’s State Ranking
WalletHub compared 50 states on six indicators that show how much White and Black adults differ in education:
- High‑school completion
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Standardized test scores
- SAT averages
- ACT averages
- Public graduation rates
| Rank | State | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | 96.5 |
| 2 | West Virginia | 95.8 |
| 3 | New Mexico | 94.7 |
| 4 | Oregon | 93.9 |
| 5 | Kentucky | 92.3 |
| 6 | Vermont | 91.7 |
| 7 | Maine | 90.4 |
| 8 | North Dakota | 89.6 |
| 9 | Tennessee | 88.2 |
| 10 | Hawaii | 87.0 |
Bottom Ten
- Wisconsin
- Connecticut
- New Jersey
- Nebraska
- Minnesota
- Pennsylvania
- New York (score 31.63) – seventh‑worst state for racial equality in education
- California
- Massachusetts
- South Carolina
New York also has the fourth‑largest difference between White and Black adults earning a bachelor’s degree, after Colorado, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Data Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau
- National Center for Education Statistics
- ACT
- College Board (up to May 5, 2026)
