Pennsylvania Snapshot
2,975
Public Schools in Pennsylvania
320
Colleges in Pennsylvania
61.3%
Avg Completion Rate
How Pennsylvania compares
Pennsylvania
61.30%
National Average
56.52%
Pennsylvania's avg completion rate is 8.5% higher than the national average.
Pennsylvania Education Laws
Compulsory attendance, homeschool regulation, school choice programs, and per-pupil spending for Pennsylvania — verified against ECS, HSLDA, Ballotpedia, and NCES.
Compulsory Ages
9 years of required schooling (national avg 11.0)
Kindergarten
Entry age: 5 by Sep 1
Homeschool Regulation
Approval, testing, and curriculum oversight
School Choice
EITC/OSTC tax credit scholarships (income-limited)
Per-Pupil Spending
25% above national avg ($15,305)
Student-Teacher Ratio
10% below national avg (14.5)
Compulsory Education in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania requires school attendance from age 8 through age 17 — a total of 9 years of required schooling. Kindergarten attendance is optional in Pennsylvania, though most districts offer K with entry age 5 by Sep 1.
Homeschool Laws in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania falls in the high regulation tier (HSLDA classification). Approval, testing, and curriculum oversight.
- Notice to authorities required: Yes
- Standardized testing required: Yes
- Specific subjects mandated: Yes
Affidavit + portfolio + evaluator certification; detailed subjects
School Choice in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania operates the following private-school choice programs:
- Tax credit scholarship program
EITC/OSTC tax credit scholarships (income-limited)
School Spending & Class Size in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania spends $19,188 per K-12 student annually (NCES, FY2022). 25% above national avg ($15,305). The average student-to-teacher ratio is 13.1:1. 10% below national avg (14.5).
How Pennsylvania compares to other states
Quick policy snapshot for every other state. Click any state to view its full policy page.
| State | Ages | Homeschool | Choice | Per-Pupil $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 6–17 | Low | Universal | $11,314 |
| Alaska | 7–16 | None | None | $20,403 |
| Arizona | 6–16 | Low | Universal | $10,003 |
| Arkansas | 5–18 | Low | Universal | $12,520 |
| California | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $17,078 |
| Colorado | 6–17 | Low | None | $13,572 |
| Connecticut | 5–18 | Low | None | $22,769 |
| Delaware | 5–16 | Moderate | Limited | $17,277 |
| District of Columbia | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $28,100 |
| Florida | 6–16 | Moderate | Universal | $11,763 |
| Georgia | 6–16 | Moderate | Limited | $12,350 |
| Hawaii | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $16,597 |
| Idaho | 7–16 | None | Universal | $9,557 |
| Illinois | 7–17 | None | None | $17,889 |
| Indiana | 7–18 | Low | Universal | $11,413 |
| Iowa | 6–16 | Moderate | Universal | $13,549 |
| Kansas | 7–18 | None | Limited | $13,768 |
| Kentucky | 6–18 | Low | None | $12,702 |
| Louisiana | 7–18 | Moderate | Universal | $12,477 |
| Maine | 7–17 | Moderate | None | $18,046 |
| Maryland | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $16,018 |
| Massachusetts | 6–16 | High | None | $20,857 |
| Michigan | 6–16 | None | None | $13,715 |
| Minnesota | 7–17 | Moderate | Limited | $14,873 |
| Mississippi | 6–17 | Low | Universal | $10,030 |
| Missouri | 7–17 | None | None | $12,915 |
| Montana | 7–16 | Moderate | Limited | $13,432 |
| Nebraska | 6–18 | Moderate | None | $14,950 |
| Nevada | 7–18 | Moderate | Limited | $12,646 |
| New Hampshire | 6–18 | Moderate | Universal | $19,753 |
| New Jersey | 6–16 | None | Limited | $23,046 |
| New Mexico | 5–18 | Moderate | None | $12,915 |
| New York | 6–16 | High | None | $28,760 |
| North Carolina | 7–16 | Moderate | Universal | $10,413 |
| North Dakota | 7–16 | Moderate | None | $16,385 |
| Ohio | 6–18 | Moderate | Limited | $15,204 |
| Oklahoma | 5–18 | None | Universal | $10,430 |
| Oregon | 7–18 | Moderate | None | $14,521 |
| Rhode Island | 5–18 | High | Limited | $20,546 |
| South Carolina | 5–17 | Moderate | Limited | $12,516 |
| South Dakota | 6–18 | Low | None | $12,649 |
| Tennessee | 6–18 | Moderate | Universal | $11,554 |
| Texas | 6–18 | None | Universal | $11,675 |
| Utah | 6–18 | Moderate | Limited | $9,140 |
| Vermont | 6–16 | High | Limited | $21,656 |
| Virginia | 5–18 | Moderate | Limited | $14,202 |
| Washington | 8–18 | Moderate | None | $15,420 |
| West Virginia | 6–17 | Moderate | Universal | $14,308 |
| Wisconsin | 6–18 | Low | Limited | $14,914 |
| Wyoming | 7–16 | Low | Universal | $18,763 |
More about Pennsylvania
Explore other state-specific topics to get the full picture of living in Pennsylvania.
FAQ
How many ZIP codes does Mubboo track in Pennsylvania?
Mubboo tracks 1,833 ZIP codes in Pennsylvania via the U.S. Census ZCTA basemap. Use the search box above to look up data for any specific ZIP.
How does Pennsylvania's average college completion rate compare nationally?
Pennsylvania's average college completion rate is higher the national average. See the "How Pennsylvania compares" callout above for the precise side-by-side comparison.
How fresh is this data?
Mubboo refreshes each data source on its native cadence — HUD Fair Market Rents annually (October), Tax Foundation tables annually, and federal datasets per their published schedules. Each page caches for 24 hours via ISR. See our methodology page for details.
Data sources: NCES Common Core of Data, College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education). Mubboo refreshes each source on its native cadence (HUD annually, Tax Foundation annually, etc.). See our full methodology →