School Construction Cost by State (2026)
The U.S. baseline for a school construction is $198/SF–$321/SF in 2026. The actual cost in your state depends on local construction labor rates. Pick a state below for a figure adjusted to that market (BLS QCEW), or see the national school construction cost guide. The national figure comes from Gordian's RSMeans data (2024); our school construction cost per square foot guide walks through it.
| State | Typical / SF | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| California | $254/SF | +15.2% |
| Florida | $226/SF | -12.5% |
| Texas | $243/SF | +4% |
See all building types in The 2026 Construction Cost Index, or estimate your project with the free cost estimator.