A new national report confirms that New Jersey invests more in its youngest students than any other state in the country.

According to the National Institute of Early Education Research’s annual State of Preschool report, New Jersey spent $18,848 per child on preschool during the 2024-25 school year—the highest of any state in the nation. Total state spending topped $1.23 billion, a jump of more than $100 million from the year before, according to NJ.com.

Only Washington D.C. spent more per child, at $27,354. However, D.C. also enrolls more than 80% of all three- and four-year-olds in public programs, compared to 31% in New Jersey.

What the Numbers Mean

More than 65,000 three- and four-year-olds are enrolled in New Jersey’s public preschool program. The state meets nine of 10 quality benchmarks set by the National Institute of Early Education Research, which includes staff ratios, curriculum standards, and specialized pre-K training. 

New Jersey also ranks second in the nation for three-year-old enrollment, reflecting the state’s long-running push to expand access to younger children.

An Uneven National Picture

Nationally, state-funded preschool enrollment reached 1.8 million children last year—covering 37% of four-year-olds and about 10% of three-year-olds. But access remains wildly inconsistent. Wyoming has no state-funded preschool at all—other states lost ground last year. 

As other states’ youngest students fall behind, New Jersey’s inch toward the top.