Homeschool Statistics & Success

According to the most recent federal data, at least 4% of the school-going population in the United States is homeschooled. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this number increased, with some estimates showing that up to 8% of students are learning at home. The statistics on homeschooling in the US show that it is a very successful education model.

Number of Homeschooled Students in the U.S.

• There are 4.5 to 5.0 million homeschool students in grades K-12.
• This represents 8% of all school-age children.
• Over 9 million Americans have experienced homeschooling at some point.
• Homeschooling is the fastest growing form of education in the United States.
• The number of homeschooled students increased from 850,000 in 1999 to 1,690,000 in 2016.
• Homeschooling experiences a steady growth rate, ranging from 2 to 8% a year.

Homeschool Student Demographics

• 41% of homeschool students are Black, Asian, Hispanic, others.
• 59% of homeschool students are white/Anglo.
• There are no measurable differences in the percentages of students who were homeschooled were observed either by students’ sex or by students’ parent-reported disability status.

How Much Does It Cost to Homeschool?

Homeschool families spend an average of $600 per student annually.

How Do Homeschooled Children Perform Academically?

• Homeschooled children typically score 15 to 30 percentile points above public school students on academic standardized achievement tests.
• Black homeschool students score 23 to 42 percentile points above Black public school students.
• Higher scores are achieved regardless of parents’ level of formal education or household income.
• Homeschooled students typically score higher on the ACT or SAT tests.
• Adults who were home educated were statistically significantly more successful than those who attended traditional schools.
• 24.5% of all homeschooled children have enrolled at least one or more grades above their age level.