K-12 school facilities leaders face an increasingly complex capital planning environment. Aging buildings and deferred maintenance compete for limited resources alongside safety, energy efficiency, technology, and evolving learning needs. Shifting enrollment adds another challenge, requiring some districts to expand while others reconsider how facilities and capital dollars are allocated.

These pressures are driving greater investment in flexible learning spaces, security, energy-efficient systems, and technology-ready environments. Districts must also weigh whether to renovate, modernize, repurpose, or replace existing buildings.

Against this backdrop, reliable cost information is critical. Gordian’s data shows that K-12 school construction costs per square foot increased more than 9% from Q4 2025 to Q4 2026, reinforcing the need for current, reliable cost data when planning projects and setting capital budgets.

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 more than 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 in select cities, with sustainable, “green” building considerations.

Visit rsmeans.com/bdandc for more information about Gordian’s RSMeans Data.

Please note: Square foot models are used for planning and budgeting and are not meant for detailed estimates.