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AED for Schools
  • Industry guide · K-12 schools

Best AED for schools 2026: pediatric-ready, budget-real, statute-linked.

Pediatric · 3-min coverage · State mandates
A school AED has one extra job no office AED has: it must treat an 8-year-old and a 58-year-old teacher with equal confidence, in the hands of whoever reaches it first. This guide picks the three devices that do that best, maps placement by campus zone, and links the actual state statutes instead of paraphrasing them.
21+
States mandate K-12 AEDs by statute or regulation
71%
Survival in US high schools with AED programs, 2-yr study
3 min
AHA collapse-to-shock program target, drill-validated
$1,411
Where our school picks start · 2026 US list
  • Direct answer

The best AED for most schools is the Philips HeartStart FRx, $2,099 at 2026 US list. Its infant/child key switches the same pads to pediatric therapy, so a panicked responder never swaps electrodes. Athletic programs wanting CPR coaching should compare the ZOLL AED Plus; tight budgets, the HeartSine 350P.

  • 🏆 Top 3 Picks

Which AED wins for your kind of campus?

Three picks, three buyer situations: the district standard, the athletics-heavy campus, and the budget retrofit. Every price is 2026 US list at authorized distributors; every model is FDA-approved via PMA.
Heartsine Samaritan PAD 350P Products
Lightest AED
HeartSine

Heartsine Samaritan PAD 350P

Decision shortcut The HeartSine 350P puts the pads and the battery in one cartridge with

SKU

SAM-350P

FDA PMA

PMA P160008

Manufacturer

HeartSine

From

$1,411.00
Shop →
Philips HeartStart FRx AED 861304 Product
🏆 Editor's Pick
Philips

Philips HeartStart FRx

Decision shortcut The Philips HeartStart FRx ($2,099, 2026 US list) covers adults and children on

SKU

861304

FDA PMA

P180028

Manufacturer

Philips Healthcare

From

$2,099.00
Shop →
ZOLL AED Plus Product
CPR Feedback
Zoll

ZOLL AED Plus

Decision shortcut Buy the ZOLL AED Plus ($2,082, 2026 US list) when the person doing

SKU

8900-0800-01

FDA PMA

P160015

Manufacturer

ZOLL Medical

From

$2,082.00
Shop →
Not sure which AED? · 60-second match · FDA PMA

Match your facility to the right FDA-approved AED.

Every setting has a different best pick: pediatric capability for schools, real-time CPR feedback for gyms, a video screen for public lobbies. Answer a few questions and get a matched, FDA-approved (PMA) recommendation with 2026 pricing.

FDA PMA approvedMatched to your setting2026 pricingNo sales pressure
Free Tool · 30 seconds
Not sure which AED is right for your space?
Answer 4 quick questions and we'll match you to one of 14 FDA-approved AEDs — independently reviewed, MD-approved.
Take the Quiz
⚡ Quantity planning

How many AEDs does your facility need?

The AHA program target is simple: a responder retrieves the AED and returns to the victim in about 3 minutes, proven with a stopwatch, not a formula. The AHA publishes no square-feet-per-AED coefficient, so treat every calculator output, ours included, as a planning estimate you validate with a timed walking drill on your actual floor plan.

Survival drops with every minute of delay before defibrillation, which is why placement beats brand choice in almost every deployment.

Find Your Perfect AED

5 questions about your environment, training, and budget. Matched to a specific model with the reasoning shown.

Take the 60-second quiz →

AED Quantity Calculator

Floors, detached buildings, and risk zones in, planning estimate out. Then validate with a walking drill.

Plan your coverage →

AED Cost Calculator

Device, pads, batteries, and cabinet over a multi-year horizon, with 2026 pricing and visible math.

Estimate total cost →
Replacing pads and batteries on schedule is where most programs quietly fail. The pads and batteries guide covers expiry cycles by model, and new buyers should start at the complete buyer’s guide or the basics in what is an AED.
  • School AED laws

Which states require AEDs in schools?

At least 21 states mandate AEDs in K-12 schools by statute or regulation, with roughly 14 more covering school athletic events; the CDC’s public-access defibrillation fact sheet counts schools among the most commonly mandated AED locations. The federal HEARTS Act, signed December 2024, adds national support for school CPR training and AED access without imposing a mandate. Four statutes worth reading in full:
Texas

Education Code § 38.017

Requires districts to make an AED available at each campus and to have a reasonable presence at UIL athletic competitions and practices.

Read the statute

New York

Education Law § 917 · Louis' Law

Public schools must provide and maintain on-site AEDs, including coverage for school-sponsored athletic events.

Read the statute

Florida

Fla. Stat. § 1006.165

Public schools that are members of the FHSAA must have an operational AED on campus with trained staff.

Read the statute

Ohio

Rev. Code § 3313.717

Requires AED placement in schools together with emergency action planning, expanded by 2023 legislation.

Read the statute

Or browse the full map with every verdict side by side on the AED Industries hub.
  • Budget reality

What does a school AED actually cost over 5 years?

The device is the down payment; pads and batteries are the subscription. Typical 5-year math per unit, using 2026 US list for devices and typical street pricing for consumables and cabinets (labeled estimates):

 

Cost line Philips FRx ZOLL AED Plus HeartSine 350P
Device · 2026 US list $2,099 $2,082 $1,411
Pads over 5 yrs (est.) ~$150 · 2x SMART Pads II ~$179 · 1x CPR-D-padz (5-yr life) ~$169 · 1x Pad-Pak replacement (pads + battery in one cartridge)
Battery over 5 yrs (est.) ~$89 · 1x M5070A (4-yr) ~$45 · 10x lithium CR123
Cabinet + signage (est.) ~$199 ~$199 ~$199
5-year total per unit (est.) ~$2,380 ~$2,440 ~$1,660

Consumable and cabinet figures are typical 2026 US street pricing at authorized distributors and vary by package; device prices are 2026 US list. Pediatric electrodes (Pedi-Padz II, pediatric Pad-Pak) add per-unit cost where required; the FRx infant/child key is a one-time accessory. Browse all replacement pads and batteries, or run your exact model in the Cost Calculator. Districts buying for 5+ buildings should request a multi-unit quote rather than paying per-unit list.

  • Free tool · 60 seconds · no email

Still between two models? Let the quiz decide.

Answer a few questions about your building, your staff, and your budget and get one specific model with the reasoning shown, weighted by the same four features this page taught you. Multi-location chains should take the fleet path instead.
Find your perfect AED
Multi-location quote (5+ units)
  • Weighted by the 4 features
  • FDA-approved models only
  • 2026 pricing shown
  • Reasoning explained
  • Program checklist

The principal's 10-point AED checklist

Confirm your state statute in the  50-state tracker and your district policy on top of it.
Map the 4 zones: main building, gym, fields and pool, response team, then verify each with a timed walking drill.
Confirm pediatric capability on every unit: FRx key, Pedi-Padz II, or pediatric Pad-Pak, before the school year starts.
Name the response team per season: front office, nurse, PE staff, coaches, and post the assignment sheet.
Put pad and battery expiry dates in the district calendar; consumables are the most common silent failure ( pads guide ).
Send a sideline unit to every practice and game, not just varsity events.
Train staff on CPR plus AED together; the shock works best paired with good compressions ( why both matter ). Book group training at CPR1.
Drill twice a year and log the retrieval times; the log is your proof for the district and the insurer.
Review adult-pads-on-children rules with staff so nobody hesitates: what the guidelines actually say.
  • Buyer questions

School AED questions, answered straight

At least 21 states require them in K-12 schools by statute or regulation, and roughly 14 more require them at school athletic events; published counts vary with how athletic-only mandates are tallied[4]. Texas, New York, Florida, and Ohio statutes are linked above, and the 50-state tracker covers the rest.

Enough that any point on campus is inside a roughly 3-minute retrieval round trip, proven with a stopwatch drill[2]. Typical: 1 to 2 for a single-building elementary, 2 to 4 for a campus with gym and fields (planning estimates). The Quantity Calculator gives a starting number to drill against.

Yes, for children under about 8 years or 55 pounds. The FRx handles this with an infant/child key on the same pads; ZOLL and HeartSine use dedicated pediatric electrodes. If only adult pads are available in a real emergency, guidelines still support using them; the full rules are in this guide.

Per unit over 5 years: roughly $1,660 with the 350P, $2,380 with the FRx, $2,440 with the AED Plus, using 2026 list for devices and typical street pricing for consumables and a cabinet (estimates; table above shows the math). Districts should price per building plus one athletics unit, then seek volume quotes at 5+ units.

Train front office, nurse, PE staff, coaches, and athletic trainers, with per-season refreshers. The federal HEARTS Act (December 2024) directs national support toward school CPR education and AED access, reinforcing but not replacing state mandates[9]. Start with CPR plus AED basics.

Front office or main entrance first, gym wall second, sideline unit for fields and pool third, all in marked, unlocked cabinets on accessible routes. New to AEDs entirely? Start with what an AED is and the buyer’s guide, then come back to placement.

  • Why public-access AEDs work

The evidence behind every claim on this page.

AED Best Brands is an editorial AED-review publication, independent of every AED manufacturer. No manufacturer pays for placement or sees a verdict early. Every number below links to its primary source.

10,000

Workplace arrests yearly

OSHA's count across US workplaces

74%

Survival at 3 minutes

Public-access shocks within 3 min of collapse

60%

Shockable in public

Witnessed public arrests with VF/VT vs 35% at home

2-3x

Survival multiplier

Immediate CPR while the AED arrives

Read Full Methodology
Meet our advisory board

References · primary sources

  1. ClinicalAmerican Heart Association. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, annual update. Circulation. heart.org statistics
  2. ProgramAmerican Heart Association. Implementing an AED Program, 2023 guide. cpr.heart.org AED guide (PDF)
  3. ClinicalDrezner JA, et al. Outcomes from sudden cardiac arrest in US high schools: a 2-year prospective study from the National Registry for AED Use in Sports. Br J Sports Med. 2013;47(18):1179-1183. bjsm.bmj.com
  4. LegalCDC. Public Access Defibrillation State Law Fact Sheet. cdc.gov PAD fact sheet
  5. StatuteTexas Education Code § 38.017, Availability of AEDs. statutes.capitol.texas.gov
  6. StatuteNew York Education Law § 917, On-site AEDs in public schools. nysenate.gov
  7. StatuteFlorida Statutes § 1006.165, AEDs in public schools. flsenate.gov
  8. StatuteOhio Revised Code § 3313.717, AEDs in schools. codes.ohio.gov
  9. FederalHEARTS Act of 2024, H.R. 6829, 118th Congress. congress.gov
  10. ClinicalAlbert CM, et al. Triggering of sudden death from cardiac causes by vigorous exertion. NEJM. 2000;343:1355-1361. nejm.org
Updated · July 2026 Review methodology Medical Advisory Board AED Laws by State All 22 Industries AED Resource Library
Key takeaways
  • •Match the AED to who will use it: most settings need a unit an untrained bystander can operate with clear voice prompts, like the Philips OnSite or ZOLL AED Plus.
  • •Plan for a shock within about three minutes: that response-time goal drives how many units you need and where they go, more than floor area does.
  • •Budget for the full life, and consider recertified: pads and battery add to the cost, and a recertified unit can cost well below new. Use our Find your perfect AED quiz or see best refurbished AEDs.
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