HOW MANY STATES REQUIRE FINANCIAL LITERACY?
- KidVestors
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
What you'll learn:
Ever noticed how “adulting” feels like it should include financial literacy as a mandatory subject? Guess what—some states are finally catching on. As of mid-2025, 29 states officially require a standalone personal finance course (at least one semester) to graduate high school. That’s a big step up from just a handful a decade ago.
How Many States Require Financial Literacy for High School Students ?
Since 2020, there’s been a clear shift in how states treat personal finance. Fast-forward to 2025, and more than half the country now mandates real-life money skills for graduation. According to the Council for Economic Education, the number of states requiring financial literacy for graduation jumped from 21 in 2020 to 36 by 2025. That includes all formats, not just standalone courses, but also integrated lessons or flexible options.
But when we zoom in on states that specifically require a standalone personal finance course. think at least a semester dedicated to it, the official count sits at 29 states as of September 2025.
And just to sprinkle in some recent updates:
California hopped on board as the 26th state to pass the requirement in 2024, with full implementation by the 2030–31 graduating class.
In 2025, Kentucky, Colorado, and Texas passed similar legislation, pushing that total to 29.
How States Deliver Personal Finance Requirements
We know what you’re thinking: are students stuck in a boring finance class, or is there some wiggle room? Great question. States generally fall into three buckets for how they deliver the requirement:
Standalone personal finance course – A dedicated, semester-long class (minimum) students must complete to graduate.
Embedded in another required course – Finance lessons built into another course, like College & Career Readiness; still mandatory.
Flexibility in how students meet the requirement – Proficiency could be shown via a course, an assessment, a portfolio—a mix.
Here’s a breakdown of those 29 “guarantee” states and how they handle the course requirement:
29 States Requiring a Stand-Alone Personal Finance Course to Graduate (as of Sept 2025)
State | Delivery Style |
Alabama | Standalone course integrated into Career Preparedness (includes PF) |
California | Standalone semester course (Class of 2031) |
Colorado | Standalone course (Class around 2030) |
Connecticut | Standalone half-credit (Class of 2027) |
Florida | Standalone half-credit |
Georgia | Standalone half-credit |
Indiana | Standalone half-credit |
Iowa | Standalone course (Class of 2023) |
Kansas | Standalone course |
Kentucky | Standalone full-credit |
Louisiana | Standalone course (Class of 2027) |
Michigan | Standalone half-credit (Class of 2028) |
Minnesota | Standalone half-credit (Class of 2028) |
Mississippi | Embedded (College & Career Readiness course includes PF) |
Missouri | Standalone half-credit |
Nebraska | Standalone half-credit |
New Hampshire | Standalone half-credit (Class of 2027) |
North Carolina | Standalone year-long Economic & Personal Finance course |
Ohio | Standalone half-credit |
Oregon | Standalone course (half-credit PF + half “future planning”) |
Pennsylvania | Standalone half-credit (Class of 2030) |
Rhode Island | Flexibility—proficiency via course, project, or exam |
South Carolina | Standalone half-credit |
Tennessee | Standalone half-credit (since 2013) |
Texas | Standalone half-credit (Class of 2030) |
Utah | Standalone half-credit (long-time requirement) |
Virginia | Standalone full-credit (Econ & PF course) |
West Virginia | Standalone half-credit (Class of 2028) |
Wisconsin | Standalone half-credit (Class of 2028) |
A Few Fun Highlights
Rhode Island isn’t forcing a particular class. Instead, schools can let students show what they’ve learned via a course, project, or test. Nice flexibility.
Mississippi mixes personal finance into a broader required course; no standalone title, but the content is there.
States like Virginia go big with a full-credit Economics & Personal Finance class—pretty thorough.
Why This Matters for Schools and Parents
Remember freshman year when you thought algebra would never leave your brain? Turns out personal finance is one of those rare subjects you actually use. Imagine knowing how to budget right out of high school, choosing a bank account with fewer fees, or understanding how to use credit wisely—not after college, but before you step into the real world.
Studies show students with personal-finance instruction often rely less on credit cards, are more likely to earn scholarships, and avoid payday-loan traps. Teachers also say students are more engaged when lessons connect directly to their daily lives—which makes class feel less like homework and more like life skill prep.
This shift isn’t slowing down. If anything, the list will keep growing. Whether you’re an educator scrambling to meet state mandates, a parent trying to prepare your kids, or a district looking for scalable solutions, the demand for high-quality financial literacy resources is only getting stronger.
But here’s the challenge: not all schools have the time, tools, or curriculum ready to go. That’s where technology and platforms like KidVestors can make all the difference.
How KidVestors Helps You Meet State Financial Literacy Requirements
KidVestors is a gamified, interactive learning platform designed to make personal finance fun and easy to teach. Whether your state requires a stand-alone course or allows financial literacy to be embedded in other subjects, we’ve built KidVestors to help schools, parents, and districts hit every standard without starting from scratch.
With KidVestors, students:
Develop financial skills aligned to Jump$tart National Financial Education Standards and Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for math
Learn by doing through budgeting, investing, real estate, and entrepreneurship simulations
Earn rewards with KV Bucks that can convert into real cash or matched stock
Track progress with built-in assessments
Prepare for life after graduation with real-world money skills
And for educators, KidVestors makes implementation simple:
Pre-made, standards-aligned lesson plans
Automated grading and student dashboards
Track progress with built-in assessments
Flexible delivery that works for both stand-alone and embedded courses
In short, we take the heavy lifting off your plate so you can focus on what matters most: helping students thrive.
Make Financial Literacy Fun and Accessible
Financial literacy isn’t just another box to check for graduation but is a life skill every student deserves. With 29 states already on board and more joining the list each year, there’s no better time to give kids the tools to manage, grow, and invest their money wisely.
If your state requires financial education or if you just want to prepare your students for a brighter financial future KidVestors can help you meet every requirement while keeping students engaged.
Get started today and make financial literacy fun, engaging and rewarding! Learn more at KidVestors.co
FINANCIAL EDUCATION & INVESTING FOR KIDS AND TEENS
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