Saving & Spending Budgeting & Expenses

9 States That Now Require a Personal Finance Course in High School (Is Yours One of Them?)

Knowing how to create a budget is just as important as solving for X.

high school student holding pencil in hand
Updated May 28, 2024
Fact checked

We receive compensation from the products and services mentioned in this story, but the opinions are the author's own. Compensation may impact where offers appear. We have not included all available products or offers. Learn more about how we make money and our editorial policies.

If you’ve ever wondered why you had to learn complex mathematics like calculus in high school but were never taught how to open a checking account, you’re not alone.

In fact, 9 states have gone so far as to make a personal finance course a requirement to graduate in public high schools, and a host of others are proposing similar courses. And it makes sense because understanding personal finances could mean our kids can start building wealth early in life.

Here are the states that are teaching kids to be more money-savvy.

Alabama

allard1/Adobe Alabama sign

High school students in Alabama are required to finish a year-long course that includes a segment about personal financial literacy.

It’s possible that this could become enshrined in law if House Bill 259 passes in 2022, which proposes to educate high school students about saving money, planning for college, investing, health insurance costs, and more.

Iowa

Oleksii/Adobe Iowa state of United States flag

Moving into the Midwest, Iowa is also implementing a half-credit financial literacy requirement for high school students. This course will teach students how to understand investing, consumer savviness, debt management, money saving, and wealth building. They will also learn about different kinds of insurance and real estate loans.

Mississippi

JacobLund/Adobe Diverse group of students studying at library

Starting in 2022, high school students in Mississippi will have to complete a course that teaches both career readiness and how to prepare for college.

Embedded in this course is an elective class about financial literacy, aimed at showing students how to manage money and make wise financial decisions for the duration of their lives. High schoolers can take this course at any time during their tenure.

Nebraska

Damir Khabirov/Adobe Young wife and husband checking details of bills

With unanimous legislative support, Nebraska passed legislation that will require high schoolers to learn about personal finance starting in 2023. Included in the five-hour course is how to budget, minimize risk, and understand everything from credit to taxes.

Nebraska will start requiring some financial education for elementary and middle school students, too.

North Carolina

Freepik/Adobe Medium shot girl getting her college certificate

Not far behind Missouri, North Carolina passed House Bill 924 in early 2020, which made it law that high school students have to pass a financial literacy course if they want to collect their diploma and graduate.

Specifically, students will be educated about the importance of credit, how to shop for the best loans, and how to finance college, among other financial decisions.

Ohio

Bacho Foto/Adobe woman is opening bank account

Starting in 2024, high schoolers in the state of Ohio will have to complete a class that teaches personal financial literacy in order to graduate. The bill, which passed in late 2021, requires students to learn how to open bank accounts, the importance of budgeting, and how to deal with student loans.

This measure was supported by Ohio students, who helped the legislation become a reality.

Tennessee

lovelyday12/Adobe saving money with hand putting coins on stack

High school students in Tennessee must complete a course in personal finance that’s half of a year in duration. Specific skills that will be covered include how to save money, wise investment moves, how to manage and crush debt, and more.

If a student is enrolled in JROTC, they can earn credit in that program as long as the instructor is qualified to teach the topic.

Utah

Monkey Business/Adobe male pupil raising hand in class

The western-most state to adopt personal finance requirements for a high school curriculum is Utah. Utah was far ahead of the curve on such legislation, starting to implement personal finance education in schools back in 2003.

Now students not only have to complete a half-year class on financial literacy but also have to pass a test at the end of it to make sure they’ve held onto the information.

Virginia

Syda Productions/Adobe group of students and happy teacher at white board

Last but not least on the list is Virginia, which made financial literacy a requirement for high schoolers in 2021. Students have to take both a personal finance class and a general economics class, both of which are year-long courses.

In these courses, students will learn how to invest, why saving money is important, how to make smart consumer decisions, and the inherent value of their work.

States with integrated personal finance courses

terovesalainen/Adobe man counting college savings fund

According to the 2022 CEE Survey of the States, the above 9 states require standalone courses in personal finance in order to graduate. However, another 14 states integrate personal finance coursework into other required courses, which is still a big step for financial literacy. The 14 states with integrated coursework are:

  1. Arizona
  2. Arkansas
  3. Georgia
  4. Idaho
  5. Kentucky
  6. Michigan
  7. Missouri
  8. New Hampshire
  9. New Jersey
  10. New Mexico
  11. New York
  12. North Dakota
  13. South Carolina
  14. Texas

Bottom line

goodluz/Adobe High-schoolers walking in school campus

English, social studies, history, and math have long been important subjects to learn in school. With the addition of personal financial literacy, students will now be able to make smarter money moves upon graduation and potentially avoid money stress in their futures as well.

As for states that haven’t made financial literacy a high school requirement? Chances are as students in other states make better financial decisions, the rest will follow suit.

Choice Home Warranty Benefits

  • First month free
  • Protection for unexpected expense
  • 24/7 claims hotline
  • Network of over 15,000 technicians


Author Details

Cat Lafuente

Cat Lafuente is a Florida-based writer and editor with extensive experience in digital and print content spaces. Her own personal finance journey — particularly consolidating debt and paying it off, in turn boosting her credit score and becoming a homeowner — inspired her to join the FinanceBuzz team; she hopes she can help others do the same.