Of all 50 states, Utah dedicates the largest portion of its budget to education, according to fiscal year 2013 data released by the Census Bureau. Utah spends 40.8 percent of its budget on education, with Vermont close behind at 40 percent.

On the other end of the spectrum, New York spends just 22.4 percent of its budget on education. Not that New York spends too little on education — it actually spends $19,396 per pupil, more than any other state. Nearly one-third of New York’s budget goes toward welfare programs. For comparison, only 18 percent of Utah’s budget is spent on welfare.