M&O Cost Study

This report reflects spending at school districts and colleges. Data collected include payroll, energy and utilities and various M&O expenditures.

M&O Cost Study

The Maintenance & Operations Cost Study is a research study conducted annually (up until 2008-2009) that asked chief business officials and directors of facilities at the nation's public school districts and 2-year and 4-year colleges (with no significant graduate programs)  to document their institutions' M&O expenditures per student and per square foot for a particular calendar year. The data are useful for benchmarking costs at your institution.

38th Annual M&O Cost Study for Schools (April 2009)

Despite the worst economic environment in generations, spending by K-12 institutions on maintenance and operations (M&O) held its own — defying historical trends that have shown M&O spending among the most affected in times of budget tightening.

38th Annual M&O Cost Study for Colleges (April 2009)

The nation's colleges are feeling the pinch of the economic downturn, and maintenance and operations (M&O) budgets especially are under pressure.

37th Annual M&O Cost Study for Schools (April 2008)

The median school district allocated a smaller percentage of total district expenditures (TDE) to M&O in 2007-08 — 8.35 percent, down from 9.19 percent the year before.

37th Annual M&O Cost Study for Colleges (April 2008)

The median college allocates 11 percent of total college budget to M&O, down from 16.4 percent the year before.

36th Annual M&O Cost Study for Schools (April 2007)

Spending by school districts on maintenance and operations increased in 2006-07, reversing years of historic low expenditures.

36th Annual M&O Cost Study for Colleges (April 2007)

Colleges are focusing increased effort — and money — to improve the physical condition of existing facilities and address a huge backlog of deferred maintenance.

35th Annual M&O Cost Study for Schools (April 2006)

As the nation's school buildings age and deteriorate, spending on maintenance and operations (M&O) remains paltry, especially when compared with historical figures.

12th Annual M&O Cost Study for Colleges (April 2006)

Colleges placed more of an emphasis on maintenance and operations (M&O) this school year by increasing the amount spent on M&O as a percentage of total budget.

34th Annual M&O Cost Study for Schools (April 2005)

Recent data confirms that the practice of providing fewer resources to M&O continues.

11th Annual M&O Cost Study for Colleges (April 2005)

Although colleges continue to face tough economic times, they still spend a larger percentage of their total budget on maintenance and operations (M&O) than their school district counterparts.

33rd Annual M&O Cost Study for Schools (April 2004)

Reflecting ever-growing financial difficulties faced by school districts across the nation, percentage spending on maintenance and operations (M&O) continues to hover around historic lows.

10th Annual M&O Cost Study for Colleges (April 2004)

Difficult economic conditions continue to be a drag on college budgets, and contributed to institutions cutting back on the percentage spent on maintaining and operating their facilities.

32nd Annual M&O Cost Study for Schools (April 2003)

The economy has taken its toll on school district budgets, and it has been especially hard on maintenance and operations (M&O) funding.

9th Annual M&O Cost Study for Colleges (April 2003)

College spending on maintenance and operations (M&O) held steady this year, even as the economy continues to wreak havoc on higher-education budgets.

31st Annual M&O Cost Study for Schools (April 2002)

As has gone the economy over the past couple of years, so went spending by school districts on maintenance and operations (M&O).

8th Annual M&O Cost Study for Colleges (April 2002)

The economic downturn has taken its toll on college maintenance and operations (M&O) budgets, reversing an upward trend over the past few years in the amount 2-year and 4-year institutions allocated to M&O as a percentage of total budget.

30th Annual M&O Cost Study for Schools (April 2001) Text only

7th Annual M&O Cost Study for Colleges (April 2001) Text only

29th Annual M&O Cost Study for Schools (April 2000) Text only

6th Annual M&O Cost Study for Colleges (April 2000) Text only

28th Annual M&O Cost Study for Schools (April 1999) Text only

5th Annual M&O Cost Study for Colleges (April 1999) Text only

27th Annual M&O Cost Study for Schools (April 1998) Text only

4th Annual M&O Cost Study for Colleges (April 1998) Text only

26th Annual M&O Cost Study for Schools (April 1997) Text only

3rd Annual M&O Cost Study for College (April 1997) Text only