More States Require Personal Finance Courses as Financial Literacy Lags

March 23, 2026 | planadviser.com

U.S. students aged 15 through 18 have seen modest but inconsistent changes in financial literacy over the past five years. Results from the National Financial Educators Council’s National Financial Literacy Test showed high schoolers scored an average of 67.4% in 2026, up from the average of 64% in 2025, down from 66.2% in 2024. Since 2020, average scores have hovered between 64% and 66%.

The most recent results included scores from 107,141 participants who completed a 30-question assessment measuring competency across 10 areas of money management. Areas covered in the test include investments and personal finance planning; risk management and insurance; loans and debt; budgeting; entrepreneurship; and account management.

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