Educational facilities management leaders juggle a number of priorities including program consistency, health and safety, accessing funding and environmental responsibility. These leaders' number one priority is the education of our nation’s most valuable and vulnerable asset: the children.
The condition of educational facilities is proven to have a statistically significant impact on student behavior and achievement. Improvements to temperature control, air quality, lighting, acoustics and classroom space can benefit the morale and performance of staff and students. Many school systems across the country are looking to recover from the disruptions and learning loss in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic by utilizing federal funding to improve facilities and safety.
As North America’s leading construction cost database, Gordian’s RSMeans Data has been synonymous with reliability since the 1940s, serving as a trustworthy resource when budgeting for projects. With localized square foot costs on over 100 building models, Gordian’s RSMeans Data allows architects, engineers and other preconstruction professionals to quickly and accurately create conceptual estimates for future builds.
This table shows the most recent costs per square foot for different levels of school buildings (elementary, junior high, high school, and vocational) in select cities, with sustainable, “green” building considerations.
New York City is the most costly metro market for K-12 school construction, with elementary school buildings running $320.96 per square foot on average and high schools at $319.16 per square foot. Honolulu, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas round out the top five most-costly school construction markets analyzed by Gordian.
The national average cost for the four primary K-12 school buildings are: $239.21 for elementary schools, $230.36 for junior high schools, $233.16 for high schools, and $221.39 vocational schools.
Visit rsmeans.com/bdandc for more information about Gordian’s RSMeans Data.
Cost Per Square Foot for School Buildings With Green Building Considerations | ||||
City | Elementary | Junior High | High School | Vocational |
| National Average | $239.21 | $230.36 | $233.16 | $221.39 |
| Houston | $197.83 | $190.44 | $190.68 | $181.85 |
| Miami | $202.37 | $195.81 | $196.98 | $187.87 |
| Memphis, Tenn. | $208.43 | $198.35 | $198.62 | $189.38 |
| Denver | $213.18 | $205.35 | $206.78 | $196.82 |
| Baltimore, Md. | $222.75 | $214.14 | $215.80 | $206.00 |
| Las Vegas | $253.94 | $247.12 | $250.85 | $238.14 |
| Los Angeles | $277.00 | $267.90 | $272.84 | $258.68 |
| Honolulu | $287.16 | $284.99 | $288.29 | $274.88 |
| Chicago | $291.00 | $281.89 | $288.59 | $271.72 |
| New York | $320.96 | $311.08 | $319.16 | $301.24 |
Please note: Square foot models are used for planning and budgeting and are not meant for detailed estimates.
More building construction cost reports from Gordian:
Related Stories
Smart Buildings | Jul 25, 2024
A Swiss startup devises an intelligent photovoltaic façade that tracks and moves with the sun
Zurich Soft Robotics says Solskin can reduce building energy consumption by up to 80% while producing up to 40% more electricity than comparable façade systems.
Great Solutions | Jul 23, 2024
41 Great Solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors
AI ChatBots, ambient computing, floating MRIs, low-carbon cement, sunshine on demand, next-generation top-down construction. These and 35 other innovations make up our 2024 Great Solutions Report, which highlights fresh ideas and innovations from leading architecture, engineering, and construction firms.
University Buildings | Jul 17, 2024
University of Louisville Student Success Building will be new heart of engineering program
A new Student Success Building will serve as the heart of the newly designed University of Louisville’s J.B. Speed School of Engineering. The 115,000-sf structure will greatly increase lab space and consolidate student services to one location.
K-12 Schools | Jul 15, 2024
A Cleveland suburb opens a $31.7 million new middle school and renovated high school
Accommodating 1,283 students in grades 6-12, the Warrensville, Ohio school complex features flexible learning environments and offers programs ranging from culinary arts and firefighting training to e-sports.
Adaptive Reuse | Jul 12, 2024
Detroit’s Michigan Central Station, centerpiece of innovation hub, opens
The recently opened Michigan Central Station in Detroit is the centerpiece of a 30-acre technology and cultural hub that will include development of urban transportation solutions. The six-year adaptive reuse project of the 640,000 sf historic station, created by the same architect as New York’s Grand Central Station, is the latest sign of a reinvigorating Detroit.
K-12 Schools | Jul 1, 2024
New guidelines for securing schools and community spaces released by the Door Security and Safety Foundation
The Door Security and Safety Foundation (DSSF), in collaboration with Door and Hardware Institute (DHI), recently released of “Are Your Door Openings Secure?.” The document provides guidelines to equip school administrators, building management personnel, and community leaders with a clear roadmap to create a secure and safe environment.
University Buildings | Jun 28, 2024
The American University in Cairo launches a 270,000-sf expansion of its campus in New Cairo, Egypt
In New Cairo, Egypt, The American University in Cairo (AUC) has broken ground on a roughly 270,000-sf expansion of its campus. The project encompasses two new buildings intended to enhance the physical campus and support AUC’s mission to provide top-tier education and research.
University Buildings | Jun 18, 2024
UC Riverside’s new School of Medicine building supports team-based learning, showcases passive design strategies
The University of California, Riverside, School of Medicine has opened the 94,576-sf, five-floor Education Building II (EDII). Created by the design-build team of CO Architects and Hensel Phelps, the medical school’s new home supports team-based student learning, offers social spaces, and provides departmental offices for faculty and staff.
Education Facilities | Jun 6, 2024
Studio Gang designs agricultural education center for the New York City Housing Authority
Earlier this month, the City of New York broke ground on the new $18.2 million Marlboro Agricultural Education Center (MAEC) at the New York City Housing Authority’s Marlboro Houses in Brooklyn. In line with the mission of its nonprofit operator, The Campaign Against Hunger, MAEC aims to strengthen food autonomy and security in underserved neighborhoods. MAEC will provide Marlboro Houses with diverse, community-oriented programs.
Mass Timber | May 31, 2024
Mass timber a big part of Western Washington University’s net-zero ambitions
Western Washington University, in Bellingham, Wash., 90 miles from Seattle, is in the process of expanding its ABET-accredited programs for electrical engineering, computer engineering and science, and energy science. As part of that process, the university is building Kaiser Borsari Hall, the 54,000-sf new home for those academic disciplines that will include teaching labs, research labs, classrooms, collaborative spaces, and administrative offices.
