Question of the Month
April
2002
What
percentage of Midwestern states’ total expenditures goes toward
higher education?
Answer:
The chart below illustrates the percentage differences between the
Midwestern states, with a majority of them devoting a larger
proportion of their budget expenditures to higher education than the
national average. Another way of comparing spending is by examining
the amount of state and local tax funds devoted to higher education on
a per capita basis. In the Midwest, Nebraska spends the
most per capita (fifth in the nation), while South Dakota
earmarks the least (44th in the nation). According to the National
Association of State Budget Officers, when compared to other budget
areas, the amount that states allocate to higher education can
fluctuate quite a bit from year to year, depending on economic
conditions, because it is a discretionary expenditure. Recent
difficult economic times have made it more problematic for higher
education institutions seeking to procure state money at the levels
they would like. A January 2002 report done for The Chronicle of
Higher Education found that state budgets adopted for the
2001-2002 fiscal year boosted appropriations for higher education by
4.6 percent, marking the lowest increase in five years.
Higher
education spending as a percent of budget
| State |
Local governments |
| Illinois |
7.5% |
| Indiana |
9.2% |
| Iowa |
26.0% |
| Kansas |
16.6% |
| Michigan |
6.5% |
| Minnesota |
9.8% |
| Nebraska |
21.6% |
| North Dakota |
12.2% |
| Ohio |
6.7% |
| South Dakota |
14.6% |
| Wisconsin |
15.4% |
| All States |
10.8% |
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