The School Construction Data section includes current, forecast, and historical data about U.S. school construction. The School Building Statistics section provides answers to the most frequently asked questions about school facilities.
School Construction Data


McGraw-Hill Construction Monthly, Historical, and Forecast Data

NCEF receives monthly data on school and university construction activity from McGraw-Hill Construction. Data are provided for additions, alterations, and new buildings according to grade range and by project cost per square foot. Historical and forecast information is also provided for the preceding and following two years.

McGraw-Hill Construction Data monthly update
U.S. K-12 School Construction Data 1999-2008

Based on data on school construction activity from 1999-2008 from McGraw Hill Construction, NCEF has created four charts showing the following: total dollars spent on K-12 school construction; total school construction expenditures by building type, including new construction, additions, and alterations; new school construction costs per square foot; and number of new schools built, by school type.

School Construction Data 1999-2008
AS&U and SP&M Annual Construction Reports

American School and University magazine and School Planning and Management magazine publish annual construction reports that provide national and regional cost data on school and university construction. Here are links to the latest online editions of each:

American School and University Education Construction Report 2009
School Planning and Management 2010 School Construction Report
College Planning and Management 2010 College Construction Report Cost Estimating Data

Several national firms provide construction cost estimating data for use by architects, engineers, contractors, and the trades. This information is continually adjusted for local fluctuations in labor and materials costs. The following firms provide, at nominal or no cost, simplified procedures for estimating school construction costs for use in the early design stages of a project.

Reed Construction Data. Building Type Index
Scroll down to the Educational Building section for cost estimates for the following: Elementary Schools, Junior High Schools, Special Schools, School Auditoriums, Cafeterias, Classrooms, Dormitories, Gymnasiums, School Laboratories, Vocational Training Centers, Colleges & Universities, Pre-Schools, High Schools, Adult Education Facilities, Boarding Schools, Community Colleges, and Day Care Centers.

R.S. Means Quick Cost Calculator
Saylor Publications, Inc.: Square Foot Building Costs

Design Cost Data, a bimonthly magazine, publishes school construction case studies with detailed cost breakdowns. This is a subscription service. Professional Cost Estimating Services

Detailed cost estimates are required by the middle of the design phase of a project and most architectural and engineering firms provide them as part of their design services. Consult your local phonebook for firms specializing in this work.

Contractors and tradesmen usually provide cost estimates on a job-specific basis. Except for the smallest jobs, however, such estimates should be based on contract documents prepared by professional architects or engineers. Always solicit several cost estimates.