(Matt Rainey | Star-Ledger file photo)

By Ted Sherman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Education is not cheap. There are teacher salaries and benefits, classroom support, books and supplies, administrative salaries and building construction and maintenance.

New Jersey school districts last year spent on average $20,385 per student to educate their students. Statewide, per-pupil costs ranged from a high of $60,129 in one small district, to $10,181 for a Jersey City charter school with 310 students.

In some of the state's regional vocational schools, per pupil spending last year was as high as $35,568. New Jersey's 21 vocational-technical districts are county-run districts with schools teaching traditional vocational subjects, including auto repair and cosmetology. Many of the vo-tech districts, including Bergen, Union and Middlesex, also include specialized high schools that require entrance exams for admission and are designed for the county's highest-achieving students.

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(Star-Ledger file photo)

The statewide picture

While charter schools, which receive funding on a per-student basis from the districts students leave, dominate the list of schools that spend the least, they were not uniformly cheaper. A New Brunswick charter school with 386 students reported per-pupil costs of $35,981.

The numbers come from the state's annual Taxpayers's Guide to Education Spending, which is intended to provide a comparison of all money spent on the students enrolled in the public school system, including transportation, equipment, total food services, judgments against the school district, and tuition/costs for students sent out of district (except payments to charter schools).

Also included in the total cost are pension payments the state makes on behalf of school districts and tuition and fees districts paid to send students to other schools.

Here are the 50 most expensive school districts in New Jersey:

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50: Tewksbury | $25,779

Grades: K-8

County: Hunterdon

Average daily enrollment: 602

Revenue Sources: State: 18.3% | Local Taxes: 80.6% | Federal: 1% | Tuition: 0.2%

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49: South Hackensack | $25,830

Grades: K-8

County: Bergen

Average daily enrollment: 357

Revenue Sources: State: 11.3% | Local Taxes: 87.1% | Federal: 1.5% | Tuition: 0.1%

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48: Passaic County Vocational | $25,892

Grades: County Vocational



County: Passaic

Average daily enrollment: 3,331

Revenue Sources: State: 31.9% | Local Taxes: 13% | Federal: 4.1% | Tuition: 43.9% | Use of Fund Balance: 4.8% | Other: 2.3%

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47: Princeton | $25,902

Grades: K-12

County: Mercer

Average daily enrollment: 3,590

Revenue Sources: State: 16.1% | Local Taxes: 75.3% | Federal: 1.5% | Tuition: 5.5% | Use of Fund Balance: 0.1% | Other: 1.5%

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46: Neptune Township | $25,920

Grades: K-12

County : Monmouth

Average daily enrollment: 4,395

Revenue Sources: State: 60.7% | Local Taxes: 32.1% | Federal: 2.4% | Tuition: 4.8%

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(Star-Ledger file photo)

45: Deal | $26,080

Grades: K-8

County: Monmouth

Average daily enrollment: 167

Revenue Sources: State: 53.8% | Local Taxes: 44.5% | Federal: 1.7%

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44: Red Bank Regional | $26,120

Grades: 9-12

County: Monmouth

Average daily enrollment: 1,205

Revenue Sources: State: 15.6% | Taxes: 70.6% | Federal: 1.7% | Tuition: 12.1%

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43: Pascack Valley Regional | $26,143

Grades: 9-12

County: Bergen

Average daily enrollment: 2,093

Revenue Sources: State: 13.9% | Local Taxes: 84% | Federal: 0.9% | Tuition: 1.1% | Other: 0.1%

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42: Brigantine | $26,176

Grades: K-8

County: Atlantic

Average daily enrollment: 811

Revenue Sources: State: 21.2% | Local Taxes: 75.6% | Federal: 2.5% | Other: 0.7%

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41: Mountain Lakes | $26,265

Grades: K-12

County: Morris

Average daily enrollment: 1,548

Revenue Sources: State: 14.9% | Local Taxes: 52.2% | Federal: 0.8% | Tuition: 32.2%

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(Star-Ledger file photo)

40: Morris Hills Regional | $26,415

Grades: 9-12

County: Morris

Average daily enrollment: 2,786

Revenue Sources: State: 22% | Local Taxes: 76.8% | Federal: 1% | Tuition: 0.3%

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39: Califon | $26,452

Grades: K-8

County: Hunterdon

Average daily enrollment: 110

Revenue Sources: State: 20.1% | Local Taxes: 77.5% | Federal: 1.6% | Tuition: 0.8%

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38: Lakewood | $26,477

Grades: K-12

County: Ocean

Average daily enrollment: 6,262

Revenue Sources: State: 32.8% | Local Taxes: 51.9% | Federal: 12.7% | Other: 2.6%

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37: Teaneck | $26,486

Grades: K-12

County: Bergen

Average daily enrollment: 3,717

Revenue Sources: State: 15.6% | Local Taxes: 82.6% | Federal: 1.7% | Tuition: 0.1%

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36: Wildwood Crest | $26,627

Grades: K-8

County: Cape May

Average daily enrollment: 300

Revenue Sources: State: 17.2% | Local Taxes: 80.4% | Federal: 2.3% | Other: 0.1%

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(Jerry McCrea | Star-Ledger file photo)

35: High Point Regional | $26,737

Grades: 9-12

County: Sussex

Average daily enrollment: 1,000

Revenue Sources: State: 34.5% | Local Taxes: 60.3% | Federal: 1.4% | Tuition: 3.8%

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34: Bethlehem | $26,831

Grades: K-8

County: Hunterdon

Average daily enrollment: 389

Revenue Sources: State: 18.6% | Local Taxes: 50% | Federal: 1% | Tuition: 0.2% | 30.2%

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33: Hudson County Vocational | $26,915

Grades: County Vocational

County: Hudson

Average daily enrollment: 2,142

Revenue Sources: State: 43.4% | Local Taxes: 48.5% | Federal: 6.8% | Tuition: 1.3%

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32: Harding | $26,988

Grades: K-8

County: Morris

Average daily enrollment: 433

Revenue Sources: State: 10.5% | Local Taxes: 87.7% | Federal: 1% | Tuition: 0.9%

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31: New Hanover | $27,189

Grades: K-8

County: Burlington

Average daily enrollment: 245

Revenue Sources: State: 55% | Local Taxes: 29.3% | Federal: 15.5% | Other: 0.2%

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P.J. Ciccone, the principal of Mendham Township Middle School, Gov. Chris Christie and Superintendent Sal Constantino at 2014 ceremony marking the school as a National Blue Ribbon Award winner. (Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

30: Mendham Township | $27,205

Grades: K-8

County: Morris

Average daily enrollment: 717

Revenue Sources: State: 14.6% | Local Taxes: 84% | Federal: 1.1% | Tuition: 0.3%

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29: Spring Lake | $27,298

Grades: K-8

County: Monmouth

Average daily enrollment: 276

Revenue Sources: State: 13.9% | Local Taxes: 83.3% | Tuition: 1.3% | Use of Fund Balance: 1.5%

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28: Franklin Lakes | $27,484

Grades: K-8

County: Bergen

Average daily enrollment: 1,190

Revenue Sources: State: 13.9% | Local Taxes: 78.9% | Federal: 1% | Tuition: 6.2%

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27: Colts Neck | $27,571

Grades: K-8

County: Monmouth

Average daily enrollment: 957

Revenue Sources: State: 15.9% | Local Taxes: 80.6% | Federal: 3.5%

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26: East Orange | $27,699

Grades: K-12

County: Essex

Average daily enrollment: 10,145

Revenue Sources: State: 89% | Local Taxes: 7.7% | Federal: 3.1% | Other: 0.2%

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(Amanda Brown | Star-Ledger file photo)

25: New Horizons Charter School | $27,701

Grades: Charter School

County: Essex

Average daily enrollment: 432

Revenue Sources: State: 80.3% | Local Taxes: 12.4% | Federal: 7.2% | Other: 0.1%

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24: Burlington City | $28,165

Grades: K-12

County: Burlington

Average daily enrollment: 1,776

Revenue Sources: State: 67.2% | Local Taxes: 23.4% | Federal: 3.1% | Tuition: 6% | Other: 0.3%

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23: Hoboken | $28,217

Grades: K-12

County: Hudson

Average daily enrollment: 2,396

Revenue Sources: State: 41.5% | Local Taxes: 54.5% | Federal: 3.5% | Tuition: 0.1% | Other: 0.4%

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22: Montague | $28,407

Grades: K-8

County: Sussex

Average daily enrollment: 338

Revenue Sources: State: 34.9% | Local Taxes: 60.2% | Federal: 4.8% | Other: 0.1%

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21: Hampton | $28,411

Grades: K-8

County: Hunterdon

Average daily enrollment: 121

Revenue Sources: State: 41.1% | Local Taxes: 53.6% | Federal: 2.6% | Tuition: 2.2% | Other: 0.5%

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NJ Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) with Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes at the Mercer County Technical School. (Jenna Pizzi | Times of Trenton file photo)

20: Mercer County Vocational | $28,522

Grades: County Vocational

County: Mercer

Average daily enrollment: 478

Revenue Sources: State: 24.4% | Local Taxes: 56.2% | Federal: 3.2% | Tuition: 16.1% | Other: 0.1%

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19: Shore Regional | $28,920

Grades: 9-12

County: Monmouth

Average daily enrollment: 631

Revenue Sources: State: 13% | Local Taxes: 80.1% | Federal: 1.5% | Tuition: 0.7% | Other: 4.7%

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18: Monmouth Regional | $29,229

Grades: 9-12

County: Monmouth

Average daily enrollment: 1,018

Revenue Sources: State: 20.9% | Local Taxes: 75.2% | Federal: 1.2% | Tuition: 0.1% | Other: 2.6

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17: North Wildwood | $29,411

Grades: K-8

County: Cape May

Average daily enrollment: 322

Revenue Sources: State: 18.8% | Local Taxes: 69.4% | Federal: 3.7% | Tuition: 8.1%

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16: Camden | $29,455

Grades: K-12

County: Camden

Average daily enrollment: 10,758

Revenue Sources: State: 91.7% | Local Taxes: 3.1% | Federal: 4.7% | Tuition: 0.1% | Other: 0.4%

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(Ed Murray | Star-Ledger file photo)

15: Lakeland Regional | $29,531

Grades: 9-12

County: Passaic

Average daily enrollment: 1,025

Revenue Sources: State: 25% | Local Taxes: 55.6% | Federal: 1.1% | Tuition: 3.4% | Use of Fund Balance: 1.4% | Other: 13.5%

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14: Cumberland County Vocational : $30,310

Grades: County Vocational

County: Cumberland

Average daily enrollment: 370

Revenue Sources: State: 58.4% | Local Taxes: 29.1% | Federal: 3.7% | Tuition: 8.8%

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13: Alpine | $30,765

Grades: K-8

County: Bergen

Average daily enrollment: 221

Revenue Sources: State: 9.8% | Local Taxes: 89% | Federal: 1.2%

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12: Henry Hudson Regional | $31,378

Grades: 7-12

County: Monmouth

Average daily enrollment: 302

Revenue Sources: State: 20% | Local Taxes: 77.6% | Federal: 2% | Tuition: 0.5%

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11: Keansburg | $31,436

Grades: K-12

County: Monmouth

Average daily enrollment: 1,559

Revenue Sources: State: 84.7% | Local Taxes: 11% | Federal: 4.3% | Tuition: 0.1%

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A master class for Gifted and Talented students at Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School. (Photo courtesy of Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School)

10: Somerset County Vocational | $31,485

Grades: County Vocational

County: Somerset

Average daily enrollment: 512

Revenue Sources: State: 19.8% | Local Taxes: 69% | Federal: 2.5% | Tuition: 8.6% | Other: 0.1%

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9: Margate | $32,129

Grades: K-8

County: Atlantic

Average daily enrollment: 492

Revenue Sources: State: 16% | Local Taxes: 77.2% | Federal: 1.5% | Tuition: 5.3%

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8: Long Beach Island | $32,913

Grades: K-6

County: Ocean

Average daily enrollment: 236

Revenue Sources: State: 20.6% | Local Taxes: 75.8% | Federal: 2.2% | Tuition: 1.4%

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7: Carlstadt- East Rutherford | $33,000

Grades: 9-12

County: Bergen

Average daily enrollment: 496

Revenue Sources: State: 14.9% | Local Taxes: 83.8% | Federal: 1.3%

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6: Beach Haven | $33,533

Grades: K-6

County: Ocean

Average daily enrollment: 63

Revenue Sources: State: 15.8% | Local Taxes: 82.9% | Federal: 1.3%

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(Richard Raska | Star-Ledger file photo)

5: Bergen County Vocational | $35,568

Grades: County Vocational

County: Bergen

Average daily enrollment: 2,159

Revenue Sources: State: 17.5% | Local Taxes: 46.5% | Federal: 2.2% | Tuition: 33.7% | Other: 0.1%

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4: Asbury Park | $35,636

Grades: K-12

County: Monmouth

Average daily enrollment: 2,380

Revenue Sources: State: 86.3% | Local Taxes: 8.6% | Federal: 4.4%

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3: Greater Brunswick Charter School | $35,981

Grades: Charter School

County: Middlesex

Average daily enrollment: 387

Revenue Sources: State: 63.7% | Local Taxes: 23.6% | Federal: 5.1% | Other: 7.6%

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2: Stone Harbor | $38,451

Grades: K-8*

County: Cape May

Average daily enrollment: 84

Revenue Sources: State: 10.5% | Local Taxes: 73.8% | Federal: 0.9% | Tuition: 14.8%

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1: Avalon | $60,129

Grades: K-8*

County: Cape May

Average daily enrollment: 75

Revenue Sources: State: 12% | Local Taxes: 65.6% | Federal: 0.7% | Tuition: 9.7% | Other: 12%

*Stone Harbor and Avalon are two distinct districts in a send-receive relationship, said the state Department of Education. Stone Harbor educates all the K-4 students from both districts, and Avalon educates all the students in grades 5-8. (They both send to Middle Twp for high school.)

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Statewide average spending for instruction, support services, administration and books and supplies. (Pixabay stock photo)

District spending

All of the state's school districts except for its eight special services districts were included in the per-pupil ranking.

A Department of Education spokesman, meanwhile, noted the data is all self-reported by the districts.

"The School Performance Reports are designed to be conversation starters by informing parents, educators and communities about how well a school is performing and preparing its students for college and careers," said David Saenz. "The department compiles and releases the data, but we don't analyze the data. If the public thinks that the data submitted by the district is questionable, they should reach out to the district to have a conversation about that data."

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(Patti Sapone | Star Ledger file photo)

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Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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