Does your state require
personal finance?

New York Must be taught; the district chooses how

New York requires schools to teach personal finance. It is not a separate diploma course: high school students must get the instruction by the end of grade 12, starting in the 2026-27 school year, and each district chooses how, inside required courses, as a standalone course, or through an approved career and technical program.

Topics the law lists

Budgeting and money management; Credit and debt management; Earning income; Risk management; Saving and investing

Source

N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 8, § 100.2(c)(13) State regulation

“Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year and thereafter, such instruction shall be provided to middle school students by the end of grade 8 and high school students by the end of grade 12.”

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Alabama Required inside another course

Students who entered grade 9 in 2024-25 or later (the Class of 2028) must complete personal financial literacy instruction and a state exam, taught inside the required Career Preparedness course.

Credit

1 credit (the required Career Preparedness course, which must include the financial literacy instruction and state exam)

Topics the law lists

types of bank accounts, opening and managing a bank account, and assessing services provided by a depository institution; balancing a checking account; basic principles of money management, including spending, credit, credit scores, and managing debt, including retail and credit card debt; evaluating types of loans; basic principles of personal insurance policies; understanding percentages as relating to taxation; computing interest rates by various mechanisms; simple contracts; types of savings and investments

Source

Ala. Code § 16-40-12 (Act 2023-179, § 1); Ala. Admin. Code r. 290-3-1-.02(8), (22)(c) State law

“Beginning with public school students entering ninth grade in the 2024-2025 school year, each student shall complete a course in personal financial literacy and money management before graduation from high school.”

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Alaska No statewide requirement

We found no statewide requirement. Alaska's graduation minimums do not include personal finance, and bills to add it stayed in committee.

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

4 AAC 06.075 State regulation

“before graduation, a student must have completed at least the following: (1) language arts - four units of credit; (2) social studies - three units of credit; ...”

Check: Our search covered graduation rules and education laws, not the state's standards.

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Arizona Required inside another course

Students must earn a half credit in economics that includes financial literacy and personal financial management.

Credit

0.5 credit of economics, which must include financial literacy and personal financial management

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-701.01(A)(2) (economics language added by Laws 2019, ch. 84 [SB 1184], approved Apr. 11, 2019) State law

“The state board shall require at least one-half of a course credit in economics, which shall include financial literacy and personal financial management.”

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Arkansas Required inside another course

Students must earn a credit in a course that includes the state's personal and family finance standards, a requirement since the ninth-grade class of 2017-18.

Credit

Statute: a credit in any course that includes the personal and family finance standards. DESE's chart also lists 0.5 credit 'ADE-Approved Economics with Personal Finance' within social studies

Topics the law lists

income, including taxes; money management: household budget creation, banking practices (savings and checking), insurance, charitable giving, long-term financial planning; spending and credit: basic consumer finance, identity fraud and theft, home ownership, debt management, credit management, bankruptcy, consumer protection; saving and investing: methods of saving and investing, retirement planning, risk and return, regulation of savings and investment; preparing for employment: employment choices, job seeking (resume, interview), understanding paychecks (I-9, W-4, income tax deductions), employment benefits, soft job skills, salaried vs. hourly, overtime

Source

Ark. Code Ann. § 6-16-135(b)–(c) (as amended by Act 480 of 2017, § 1); DESE Standards for Accreditation 1-C.2.4 Law as enacted

“…each public high school student shall be required before graduation to earn a credit in a course taken in grade ten (10), grade eleven (11), or grade twelve (12) that includes the personal and family finance standards.”

Check: The 2017 law says grades 10 to 12; the state education department's pages say grades 9 to 12.

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California Standalone course required

Students graduating in 2030-31 or later (the Class of 2031) must complete a separate one-semester personal finance course. Every high school must offer it starting in 2027-28.

Credit

One-semester stand-alone course. The statute sets the length, not a credit value. CDE says it may also be offered as a year-long course.

Topics the law lists

banking basics: savings, checking, minimizing fees; budgeting for independent living; employment and factors that affect net income; uses and effects of credit, credit scores, debt and interest; loans, including student loans and loan forgiveness; insurance: home, auto, health, life; taxes: effect on income, filing, reading tax forms and pay stubs; investing and building wealth: pensions, 401(k)s, IRAs, stocks, bonds, mutual and index funds; consumer protection: scams, fraud, identity theft; paying for college, community college, CTE pathways and apprenticeships, including the California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program; how psychology affects financial well-being; charitable giving; other topics directly relevant to personal finance

Source

Cal. Educ. Code § 51225.3(a)(1)(H) (Stats. 2024, ch. 37 [AB 2927], approved June 29, 2024); topics: § 51284.5(a)(1)–(13); curriculum guide: § 51226.8 State law

“Commencing with pupils graduating in the 2030–31 school year, including for pupils enrolled in a charter school, a separate, stand-alone one-semester course in personal finance, that shall not be combined with any other course.”

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Colorado Required inside another course

Districts must teach all of the state's personal financial literacy standards inside a course required for graduation. A standalone course is allowed but not required.

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 22-32-135(4)(a), as amended by H.B. 25-1192, 2025 Colo. Sess. Laws ch. 239, § 3, p. 1205 (approved May 23, 2025); ICAP: § 22-2-136(2)(d) Law as enacted

“Each school district board of education shall incorporate all the financial literacy standards described in section 22-7-1005 (2.8) into a course that is required for high school graduation.”

Check: The citation is the 2025 session law; the official statute site required a click-through.

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Connecticut Standalone course required

Students must earn a half credit in personal financial management and financial literacy to graduate, starting with the Class of 2027.

Credit

0.5 credit

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-221a(d)(6) (P.A. 23-21) State law

“Commencing with classes graduating in 2027 ... no local or regional board of education shall permit any student to graduate ... who has not ... satisfactorily completed ... (6) one-half credit in personal financial management and financial literacy”

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Delaware Standalone course required

Students who enter grade 9 in 2026-27 or later (the Class of 2030) must complete a half credit in financial literacy to graduate.

Credit

0.5 credit (counts toward social studies or elective credits)

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

Del. Code Ann. tit. 14, § 4152 (85 Del. Laws c. 224) State law

“Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2026 through 2027 school year, students must successfully complete a ½ credit in financial literacy as part of the social studies or elective credits required to receive a high school diploma ...”

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District of Columbia Standards only, not required

No graduation requirement. DC adopted financial literacy standards in 2024 for an optional high school elective.

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

DC Financial Literacy Standards (State Board of Education vote, Mar. 20, 2024; resolution number not verified); D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 5-A, § 2203 (graduation requirements) State education agency

“intended to be implemented as a standalone, elective course for high school students”

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Florida Standalone course required

Students must earn a half credit in personal financial literacy and money management to graduate, starting with students who entered grade 9 in 2023-24 (the Class of 2027).

Credit

0.5 credit

Topics the law lists

types of bank accounts, opening and managing a bank account, and assessing a depository institution's services; balancing a checkbook; basic money management: spending, credit, credit scores, and managing debt, including retail and credit card debt; completing a loan application; receiving an inheritance and related implications; basic principles of personal insurance policies; computing federal income taxes; local tax assessments; computing interest rates by various mechanisms; simple contracts; contesting an incorrect billing statement; types of savings and investments; state and federal laws concerning finance; costs of postsecondary education: cost of attendance, FAFSA, scholarships and grants, student loans

Source

Fla. Stat. § 1003.4282(3)(h) (2026) State law

“Beginning with students entering grade 9 in the 2023-2024 school year, each student must earn one-half credit in personal financial literacy and money management.”

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Georgia Required inside another course

Since 2024-25, students must complete at least a half-credit course in financial literacy in grade 11 or 12 to graduate. The law lets it be taught inside existing courses.

Credit

at least 0.5 credit, completed in grade 11 or 12

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

O.C.G.A. § 20-2-149.4(a)–(b) (added by Ga. SB 220 (2022), § 1-1) Law as enacted

“Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, each local board of education shall require all students, as a condition of graduation, during their eleventh or twelfth grade years to complete at least a half-credit course in financial literacy…”

Check: We read the law as passed in 2022 (SB 220); check the current code for later changes.

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Hawaii No statewide requirement

We found no statewide requirement in Hawaii's graduation rules or education laws. Bills to add one did not pass.

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

Haw. Bd. of Educ. Policy 102-15, High School Graduation Requirements and Commencement (amended Feb. 12, 2026) State education agency

“Social Studies 4.0 credits including U.S. History and Government (1 credit), World History and Culture (1 credit), Modern History of Hawaii (0.5 credit) and Participation in a Democracy (0.5 credit) and 1 credit of standards based social studies elective”

Check: Our search covered graduation rules and education laws, not the state's standards.

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Idaho Required inside another course

Students must earn one credit in economics and financial literacy, as one combined course or two separate courses, a requirement since 2023-24. Every district must offer a personal finance course.

Credit

1 credit of 'economics and financial literacy', as one combined course or as separate economics and financial literacy courses (in Idaho, 1 credit = 60 hours)

Topics the law lists

how money influences behavior; types of bank accounts; investment options and calculating net worth; types of credit and how credit ratings are set; paying for college; insurance for independent living; purpose of the tax system and how it relates to income; a budget for independent living; modern consumer skills, tools and practices

Source

Idaho Code § 33-1615 (2023 Idaho Sess. Laws ch. 50 [H.B. 92], enacted as § 33-1614; renumbered by 2024 ch. 16, § 11); IDAPA 08.02.03.105.01.g State law

“shall provide to all students in grades 9 through 12 one (1) or more courses in personal financial literacy and money management. ... Completing this course will fulfill the financial literacy component of the high school graduation requirement.”

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Illinois Must be taught; the district chooses how

High school students must study consumer education, which covers personal finance topics. A state rule sets it at nine weeks of instruction, with no separate credit.

Credit

No credit amount; ISBE rule requires 50 minutes per day for nine weeks (one quarter) in grades 9-12

Topics the law lists

Consumer debt and installment purchasing (credit scoring, managing credit debt, completing a loan application); Budgeting; Savings and investing; Banking (balancing a checkbook, opening a deposit account, use of interest rates); Understanding simple contracts; State and federal income taxes; Personal insurance policies; Comparison of prices; Higher education student loans; Identity-theft security; Homeownership (obtaining a mortgage; fixed and adjustable rate mortgages; subprime loans; predatory lending); Roles of consumers interacting with agriculture, business, labor unions, and government in the mixed free enterprise system

Source

105 ILCS 5/27-305(a) (formerly 105 ILCS 5/27-12.1); 23 Ill. Adm. Code 1.440(b)(3) State law

“Pupils in the public schools in grades 9 through 12 shall be taught and be required to study courses which include instruction in the area of consumer education”

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Indiana Standalone course required

Students in the Class of 2028 and later must complete personal financial responsibility instruction as a separate subject to graduate.

Credit

Statute sets none; IDOE: course 4540 is one semester, one credit

Topics the law lists

Money management: spending and saving; types of bank accounts; opening and managing a bank account; assessing a depository institution's services; Debt management; Receiving an inheritance and related implications; Savings, retirement, and investment accounts; Federal and state income tax returns; Local tax assessments; Personal insurance policies; Loan applications; Interest rate computations; Credit and credit scores; Simple contracts

Source

Ind. Code § 20-30-5-19(b)-(d); Ind. Code § 20-32-4-17 (P.L. 168-2023, SEA 35) State law

“Beginning in 2028, an individual to whom this subsection applies must successfully complete instruction on personal financial responsibility, as described in subsection (b), as a separate subject to be eligible to graduate from high school.”

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Iowa Standards only, not required

No graduation requirement since 2023. Schools must still offer and teach a half unit of personal finance literacy, but students are not required to take it.

Credit

0.5 unit must be offered and taught; students are not required to complete it

Topics the law lists

Savings, including emergency fund, purchases, and wealth building; Understanding investments; Wealth building and college planning; Credit and debt; Consumer awareness of marketing; reading and correcting a credit report; building a credit score; Fair Debt Collection Practices Act; Financial responsibility and money management (written budget, checkbook, negotiating); Insurance, risk management, income, and career decisions; Types of insurance coverage and insurance terms; Buying, selling, and renting real estate, including mortgage types

Source

Iowa Code § 256.11(5)(k) (2026), as amended by 2023 Iowa Acts ch. 90 (S.F. 391), § 20; Iowa Admin. Code r. 281-12.5(5) State law

“One-half unit of personal finance literacy, which may be offered and taught through dedicated units of coursework or through units of coursework that also meet the requirements of the coursework required under paragraph “a”, “b”, “c”, “d”, “e”, or “h”.”

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Kansas Standalone course required

Students must complete a half unit of financial literacy to graduate, starting with the Class of 2028.

Credit

0.5 unit (KSDE: one-semester course)

Topics the law lists

Earning income; Spending; Saving; Investing; Managing credit; Managing risk

Source

Kan. Admin. Regs. § 91-31-35(a)(7) (amended eff. July 5, 2024 and May 30, 2025) State regulation

“Each governing body shall adopt a written policy specifying that pupils are eligible for graduation only after completion of at least the following graduation requirements ... (7) one-half unit of financial literacy;”

Check: We read the rule in the Kansas Register; the official rules site blocked automated reading.

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Kentucky Standalone course required

Students who enter grade 9 on or after July 1, 2025 (the Class of 2029 on a four-year path) must complete a one-credit financial literacy course to graduate.

Credit

1 credit

Topics the law lists

budgeting; saving and investing; credit and debt; insurance and risk management, including personal insurance policies; taxes; the necessity of critical review and understanding of documents before signing, and the ability to provide a signature in cursive

Source

Ky. Rev. Stat. § 158.1411(2)–(5), (10) (as amended by 2025 Ky. Acts ch. 58 (HB 342), eff. June 27, 2025) State law

“For students entering grade nine (9) on or after July 1, 2025, successful completion of a one (1) credit course in financial literacy shall be a Kentucky public high school graduation requirement.”

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Louisiana Standalone course required

Students who entered grade 9 in 2024-25 or later (the Class of 2028) must complete a one-unit Financial Literacy course to graduate.

Credit

1 unit

Topics the law lists

types of bank accounts, opening and managing a bank account, and assessing a depository institution's services; balancing a checkbook; basic money management: spending, credit, credit scores, and managing debt, including retail and credit card debt; completing a loan application; receiving an inheritance and related implications; basic principles of personal insurance policies; computing federal income taxes; local tax assessments; computing interest rates by various mechanisms; simple contracts; contesting an incorrect billing statement; types of savings and investments; state and federal laws concerning finance; scholarships, grants, and other financial opportunities to pay for postsecondary education

Source

La. R.S. 17:270(B) (as amended by 2023 La. Acts No. 267, §§ 1, 3, and 2025 La. Acts No. 48) State law

“Each student shall successfully complete a one-unit Financial Literacy course as a requirement for high school graduation.”

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Maine Must be taught; the district chooses how

Personal finance is part of the two years of social studies and history every diploma requires. Districts can teach it in a separate, integrated or applied program.

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 20-A, § 4722(2)(B) State law

“Instruction in the following subjects must be provided in separate, integrated or applied learning programs. ... Social studies and history, including American history, government, civics and personal finance--2 years or the equivalent in standards achievement”

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Maryland Must be taught; the district chooses how

Schools must teach personal financial literacy in elementary, middle and high school, but there is no separate graduation course.

Topics the law lists

Make informed, financially responsible decisions; Relate careers, education and income; Plan and manage money; Manage credit and debt; Create and build wealth; Manage risks and preserve wealth

Source

Md. Code Regs. 13A.04.06.01 State regulation

“Each local school system shall provide in public schools an instructional program in personal financial literacy in the elementary, middle, and high school learning years.”

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Massachusetts No statewide requirement

No statewide requirement. State law lets schools add financial literacy standards to their curriculum, and a bill to require it was pending when we checked.

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 69, § 1R State law

“A school district, charter school, approved private day or residential school or collaborative school may incorporate the financial literacy standards established pursuant to section 1D and subsection (a) into existing curriculum”

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Michigan Standalone course required

Students must complete a half-credit personal finance course to receive a diploma, starting with students who entered grade 8 in 2023 (the Class of 2028). State guidance says it can be built into other courses and need not last a full semester.

Credit

1/2 credit

Topics the law lists

PF1 Earning Income; PF2 Buying Goods and Services; PF3 Budgeting and Saving; PF4 Using Credit, incl. FAFSA, student loans, scholarships, work study and grants; PF5 Financial Investing; PF6 Protecting and Insuring; PF7 Paying Taxes

Source

Mich. Comp. Laws § 380.1278a(3), as amended by 2022 PA 105 (H.B. 5190, approved June 16, 2022, eff. Mar. 29, 2023) State law

“Beginning with pupils entering grade 8 in 2023, the board of a school district ... shall not award a high school diploma to a pupil unless the pupil completes a 1/2 credit course in personal finance”

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Minnesota Standalone course required

Students who began grade 9 in 2024-25 or later must complete a course for credit in personal finance in grade 10, 11 or 12.

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

Minn. Stat. § 120B.024, subd. 1(b) (Laws 2023, ch. 55, art. 2, sec. 7) State law

“Students who begin grade 9 in the 2024-2025 school year and later must successfully complete a course for credit in personal finance in grade 10, 11, or 12.”

Check: The law sets no credit amount or course length.

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Mississippi Required inside another course

Today personal finance is part of the required College and Career Readiness course. A 2026 law adds a half-unit personal finance requirement starting with the Class of 2032.

Credit

Now: 1 Carnegie unit College and Career Readiness (CCR) course. From the Class of 2032: a 0.5-unit personal finance course, or a 1-unit course where at least half the standards are financial literacy

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

Miss. SB 2294 (2026 Reg. Sess.), § 25(3) (J.P. Wilemon, Jr., Financial Literacy Act), approved Apr. 8, 2026, eff. July 1, 2026; also amends Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-7(1)(b) (eff. July 1, 2027) and § 37-7-301(rr) Law as enacted

“Beginning with the graduating class of 2032, each student … shall take and pass a one-half (1/2) Carnegie Unit course in personal finance or a full Carnegie Unit course where at least one-half (1/2) of the course standards concern financial literacy”

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Missouri Standalone course required

Students must earn a half unit of personal finance to graduate, a state rule since the Class of 2010.

Credit

0.5 unit

Topics the law lists

Financial Decision Making; Income; Buying Goods and Services; Saving; Using Credit; Protecting and Insuring; Financial Investing

Source

5 CSR 20-100.190(1) (Missouri Code of State Regulations; authority § 161.092, RSMo) State regulation

“Twenty-four (24) units of credit are required for graduation. The requirements are stated in terms of the number of units of credit that must be earned in each subject area: … Personal Finance .5”

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Montana No statewide requirement

No personal finance guarantee. Since the Class of 2026, students must earn a half unit of economics or financial literacy, so economics alone meets it.

Credit

0.5 unit of economics OR financial literacy, so personal finance is not guaranteed

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

Admin. R. Mont. 10.55.905(2)(h); effective date set by supplemental notice, 2023 Mont. Admin. Reg. p. 403 (Issue 8, Apr. 28, 2023) State regulation

“1/2 unit of economics or financial literacy within the 2 units of social studies, the 2 units of mathematics, or the 1 unit of career and technical education.”

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Nebraska Standalone course required

Students must complete at least one five-credit high school course in personal finance or financial literacy to graduate, a requirement since the 2023-24 school year.

Credit

One five-credit-hour high school course (5 of the 200 required credit hours)

Topics the law lists

Budget and financial record keeping; Banking; Taxes; Establishing, building, maintaining, and monitoring credit; Debt; Savings; Risk management; Insurance; Investment strategies

Source

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 79-3003; § 79-729(2)(a) (Laws 2021, LB 452; Laws 2022, LB 1112) State law

“Beginning with school year 2023-24, each school district ... shall ... require each student attending a public school to complete at least one five-credit high school course in personal finance or financial literacy prior to graduation.”

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Nevada Must be taught; the district chooses how

Schools must teach financial literacy inside economics, math or social studies courses. From July 1, 2028, the required half unit of economics becomes a half unit of economics and financial literacy.

Credit

No financial literacy credit today (0.5 unit of economics is required). From July 1, 2028: 0.5 unit of 'economics and financial literacy'.

Topics the law lists

financial responsibility: decisions, information sources, judging financial institutions, communication, protecting personal information, consumer protection laws; managing money: spending and saving plan, records, personal financial plan (from 2028 this adds budgeting for housing, transportation and health care); credit and debt: costs and benefits, managing debt, interest, compounding and loan terms, loan applications, payday, auto and student loans and mortgages, credit reports and borrower rights, consumer credit laws; saving and investing: compound interest, buying and selling investments, stocks and bonds, investor protection; identity theft and fraud; taxes; insurance; planning for college and careers: FAFSA, WICHE programs, Millennium Scholarship, Silver State Opportunity Grant, résumés, 529 and prepaid tuition plans

Source

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 389.074 (effective through June 30, 2028); § 389.018(2)(d)(3) (effective July 1, 2028, as amended by AB 274, Stats. 2023, ch. 29) State law

“shall ensure that instruction in financial literacy is provided to pupils enrolled in grades 3 to 12 ... Included within a course of study ... in economics, mathematics or social studies.”

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New Hampshire Standalone course required

Students who enter high school in 2026-27 or later must earn a half credit in financial literacy to graduate. Students who entered earlier take a half credit of economics that includes personal finance.

Credit

0.5 credit (Financial literacy), listed separately from 0.5 credit Economics

Topics the law lists

Earning income; Spending; Saving (including investing); Managing credit; Managing risk

Source

N.H. Code Admin. R. Ed 306.23(h) (Table 306-2); Ed 306.28(c); RSA 193-E:2-a, I(a)(10) State regulation

“Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year for those students entering high school, the following credits in Table 306-2 shall be the minimum required for high school graduation: ... Financial literacy ½ credit”

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New Jersey Required inside another course

Students must earn 2.5 credits in financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy to graduate. A standalone half-year personal finance course meets it, and so can approved electives that include the content.

Credit

2.5 credits in financial, economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy (NJDOE says a stand-alone half-year course meets it)

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:8-5.1(a)(1)(v); see also N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:35-4.34 (grades 6–8) State regulation

“At least 2.5 credits in financial, economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy;”

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New Mexico Required inside another course

Students who entered grade 9 in 2025-26 or later (the Class of 2029) learn personal financial literacy inside the required government and economics course.

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

N.M. Stat. Ann. § 22-13-1.1(O)(4), (O)(7) (Laws 2024, ch. 2, § 1 [HB 171], signed Feb. 9, 2024) State law

“four units in social science, which shall include United States history and geography, which course content contains New Mexico history; government and economics and personal financial literacy, which course content contains civics; and world history and geography;”

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North Carolina Required inside another course

Students must pass a full-credit Economics and Personal Finance course to graduate, starting with students who entered grade 9 in 2020-21 (the Class of 2024).

Credit

1 credit (full-credit Economics and Personal Finance course; passing grade required)

Topics the law lists

economic principles; at minimum the CEE Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics (2nd ed.) and 2013 National Standards for Financial Literacy; the true cost of credit; choosing and managing a credit card; borrowing money for an automobile or other large purchase; home mortgages; credit scoring and credit reports; planning and paying for postsecondary education; other relevant financial literacy issues

Source

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-81.65(b)–(c) (as amended by S.L. 2019-82, § 2) State law

“The State Board of Education shall require during the high school years the teaching of a full-credit course focused solely on Economics and Personal Finance (EPF). A passing grade in the course shall be required for graduation from high school.”

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North Dakota Must be taught; the district chooses how

Districts must either require a half unit of financial literacy or teach personal finance inside the required economics or problems of democracy course.

Credit

0.5 unit if the district picks the standalone route; otherwise no separate credit (content embedded in required economics or problems of democracy)

Topics the law lists

Budgeting and money management; Saving and investing; Credit and debt management; Banking and financial services; Taxation and income; Consumer skills and smart spending; Insurance and risk management; College and career financial planning; Retirement planning; Entrepreneurship and economic concepts

Source

N.D. Cent. Code § 15.1-21-21 (as amended by 2025 H.B. 1533) State law

“Each school district shall require each student to complete one-half unit of financial literacy or ensure that its curriculum for either economics or problems of democracy includes the exposure of students to concepts of personal finance”

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Ohio Standalone course required

Students must earn a half unit of financial literacy to graduate, starting with students who entered grade 9 on or after July 1, 2022 (the Class of 2026).

Credit

0.5 unit (one-half unit = at least 60 hours of instruction)

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

Ohio Rev. Code § 3313.603(C)(9) (version eff. Oct. 9, 2026, H.B. 455, 136th G.A.); see also R.C. 3319.238 State law

“(9)(a) Except as provided in division (C)(9)(b) of this section, for students who enter ninth grade for the first time on or after July 1, 2022, financial literacy, one-half unit.”

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Oklahoma Must be taught; the district chooses how

Students who entered grade 9 in 2025-26 or later (the Class of 2029) must complete a personal financial literacy course, or coursework covering the state's topics, in grades 10 to 12. Districts choose a standalone half unit or teach it inside other courses.

Credit

0.5 unit or set of competencies, taken in grades 10–12 (a standalone half-unit elective or built into other courses)

Topics the law lists

interest, credit card debt, and online commerce; renting or buying a home: down payments, mortgage payments, variable and fixed rates, types of mortgage loans, escrow; savings and investing; planning for retirement, including IRAs and 401(k) plans; bankruptcy; banking and financial services; managing a bank account, including online banking; credit scores and credit reports; FAFSA, loans and borrowing, including predatory lending and payday loans; insurance; identity fraud and theft; charitable giving; financial impact and consequences of gambling; earning an income; state and federal income taxes

Source

Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 11-103.6h(A)–(C) (as amended by 2024 Okla. Sess. Laws ch. 264 (HB 2158), eff. July 1, 2025); tit. 70, § 11-103.6 (as amended by HB 3021 (2026), eff. July 1, 2026) State law

“Beginning with students entering the ninth grade in the 2025-2026 school year, in order to graduate … students shall fulfill the requirement by satisfactorily completing a personal financial literacy course or coursework containing the areas of instruction for personal financial literacy”

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Oregon Standalone course required

Students who receive a diploma on or after January 1, 2027 (the Class of 2027) must earn a half credit of personal financial education.

Credit

0.5 credit (one half-credit) of personal financial education, within the 24-credit diploma

Topics the law lists

credit scores: building credit, costs and benefits of borrowing, long-term effects; investments, assets and debt: opening a bank account, account types, compound interest, total cost of repaying a loan, comparing investments, retirement account types; budgeting, tracking and changing spending, insurance, costs of renting vs. owning; taxes: tax credits, tax cycles, state and federal forms, federal/state/regional/local taxes; financial well-being: behavioral economics, psychology of money, financial health trends, consumer skills including fraud and identity-theft prevention

Source

Or. Rev. Stat. § 329.451(2)(a)(E) (Or. Laws 2023, ch. 564 [SB 3], §§ 1–2; operative Jan. 1, 2027); definition: § 329.007(11); OAR 581-022-2000(3)(a)(H) State law

“while in grades 9 through 12, must complete at least 24 total credits, which must include at least: ... (E) One half-credit of personal financial education.”

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Pennsylvania Standalone course required

Every school must provide a required personal finance course worth at least a half credit, beginning in the 2026-27 school year. Districts decide which graduating class it starts with (the state's examples run from 2027 to 2030), and some college-level courses with a personal finance focus now count.

Credit

At least 0.5 credit

Topics the law lists

Personal Finance Fundamentals; Income; Spending; Saving & Investing; Risk & Insurance; Credit

Source

24 P.S. § 15-1551(b.1) (Public School Code of 1949 § 1551(b.1), added by Act 35 of 2023; para. (5.1) added by Act 20 of 2026) State law

“Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year ... a school entity or nonpublic school shall provide a mandatory course in personal financial literacy with a value of at least one-half credit or half of a full credit.”

Check: State guidance written before the 2026 change still says integrated courses do not count.

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Rhode Island Must be taught; the district chooses how

Students must show proficiency in consumer education, which includes personal finance, to graduate, starting with the Class of 2024. A course is one way; districts may also use a project, a test or another approved route.

Topics the law lists

installment purchasing; budgeting; comparison of prices; credit and the law; employment and income; rights and responsibilities in the marketplace; money management; maintaining credit; saving; investing; protecting and insuring assets

Source

R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-22-13(g); 200-RICR-20-10-2, § 2.3.2(A)(3) State law

“Beginning with the graduating class of 2024, all students shall demonstrate proficiency in consumer education prior to graduating high school.”

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South Carolina Standalone course required

Students must earn a half credit in financial literacy to graduate, starting with freshmen in 2023-24 (the Class of 2027).

Credit

0.5 credit in financial literacy (1 credit of CATE Personal Finance also satisfies it)

Topics the law lists

opening a deposit account and assessing the quality of a depository institution's services; balancing a check book; spending, credit, credit scoring, and managing debt, including retail and credit card debt; completing a loan application; the implications of an inheritance; basic principles of personal insurance policies; computing state and federal income taxes; local tax assessments; computing interest rates by various mechanisms; understanding simple contracts; contesting an incorrect billing statement; savings and investing; state and federal laws concerning finance

Source

S.C. Code Ann. Regs. 43-234(I)(A), (II)(L) (amended SCSR 47-5, Doc. No. 5130, eff. May 26, 2023); S.C. Code Ann. §§ 59-29-165, 59-29-410(B) State regulation

“A student must earn one-half credit in financial literacy beginning with the freshman class of 2023–24. A student who earns one credit in CATE Personal Finance will be awarded one-half credit for Financial Literacy.”

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South Dakota Standards only, not required

Students must earn a half unit of personal finance or economics, so a student can graduate with economics alone.

Credit

0.5 unit of personal finance OR economics

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

S.D. Admin. R. 24:43:11:02(6) State regulation

“The units of credit required for high school graduation must include the following: ... (6) One-half unit of personal finance or economics;”

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Tennessee Standalone course required

Students must earn a half credit in Personal Finance to graduate, a requirement since students who entered grade 9 in 2009-10 (the Class of 2013).

Credit

0.5 credit (Personal Finance)

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-03-.06(2)(a), (15) State regulation

“Students must earn one-half (½) credit in Personal Finance. One (1) JROTC course may be substituted for one-half (½) credit of Personal Finance if the JROTC instructor attends the Personal Finance training conducted by the Department.”

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Texas Standalone course required

Students who enter grade 9 in 2026-27 or later (the Class of 2030) must earn a half credit in personal financial literacy as part of their social studies credits.

Credit

0.5 credit (counted within the 3 social studies credits)

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

Tex. Educ. Code § 28.025(b-1)(4), (b-23), (b-24) (as amended by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., ch. 911 (H.B. 27)); H.B. 27 § 3; 19 Tex. Admin. Code § 74.12(b)(4)(C) State law

“three credits in social studies under Section 28.002(a)(1)(D), including one credit in United States history, at least one-half credit in government and at least one-half credit in personal financial literacy, and one credit in economics, world geography, or world history”

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Utah Standalone course required

Students must earn a half credit in General Financial Literacy to graduate, a requirement since the Class of 2008.

Credit

0.5 units of credit (General Financial Literacy)

Topics the law lists

the financial and economic concepts listed in 53E-3-505(1)(b): budgeting; saving and investing; banking, including online banking; careers and earning income; renting vs. buying a home; retirement planning; loans, interest, credit card debt, predatory and payday lending; insurance; taxes; charitable giving; identity fraud and theft; the financial harm of gambling; bankruptcy; economic systems; supply and demand; monetary and fiscal policy; business plans; scarcity, opportunity cost, productivity, entrepreneurship, economic reasoning; college costs, student loans, scholarships, FAFSA; the financial benefits of concurrent enrollment; technology for banking, saving and financial products

Source

Utah Admin. Code R277-700-6(19) (rule effective Apr. 7, 2026); Utah Code § 53E-4-204(1)(c); § 53E-3-505(1)(b), (3) State regulation

“(19) General Financial Literacy (0.5 units of credit).”

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Vermont Standards only, not required

No statewide graduation requirement. Vermont adopted personal finance standards in 2018, and a proposed half-credit requirement was awaiting a State Board decision when we checked.

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

Vt. State Bd. of Educ. Rule 2120.5, Education Quality Standards (CVR 22-000-003) State regulation

“Each supervisory union board shall ensure the written and delivered curriculum within their supervisory union is aligned with the standards approved by the State Board of Education.”

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Virginia Required inside another course

Students must earn one credit in Economics and Personal Finance to graduate, a requirement since students who entered grade 9 in fall 2011 (the Class of 2015).

Credit

1 standard unit of credit in Economics and Personal Finance (full year; no verified/SOL-test credit required)

Topics the law lists

personal living and finances; personal and business money management skills; opening an account in a financial institution and judging the quality of its services; balancing a checkbook; completing a loan application; implications of and differences between employment arrangements (benefits, protections, long-term financial sustainability); implications of an inheritance; basics of personal insurance policies; consumer rights and responsibilities; dealing with salesmen and merchants; debt management; managing retail and credit card debt; evaluating the economic value of postsecondary studies (net cost of attendance, potential student loan debt, potential earnings); state and federal tax computation; local tax assessments; computation of interest rates by various mechanisms; understanding simple contracts; learning how to contest an incorrect bill

Source

8 Va. Admin. Code 20-132-51(B)(2), (C)(2); 8VAC20-132-50; Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-200.03(B) State regulation

“Beginning with the ninth-grade class of 2018–2019 and beyond, students shall earn the required standard and verified units of credit described in subdivision 2 of this subsection.”

The table in that subdivision lists Economics and Personal Finance: 1 credit.

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Washington Standards only, not required

No graduation requirement. Districts must give students in grades 9 to 12 the chance to learn the state's financial education standards.

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

Wash. Rev. Code § 28A.300.468(2) (2015 c 211 § 4) State law

“School districts shall provide all students in grades nine through twelve the opportunity to access the financial education standards ... School districts are encouraged to grant credit toward high school graduation to students who successfully complete financial education courses.”

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West Virginia Standalone course required

Students must complete a half-credit personal finance course to graduate, starting with students who entered grade 9 in 2024-25 (the Class of 2028). It can be taken in grades 8 to 12.

Credit

0.5 credit

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

W. Va. Code § 18-2-7c(c) State law

“Beginning with the class of students entering 9th grade in the 2024-2025 school year ... each high school student shall complete one-half credit course of study in personal finance ... as a requirement for high school graduation.”

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Wisconsin Standalone course required

Students must earn a half credit of personal financial literacy to graduate, starting with the Class of 2028.

Credit

0.5 credit

Topics the law lists

Financial mindset; Education and employment; Money management; Saving and investing; Credit and debt; Risk management and insurance

Source

Wis. Stat. § 118.33(1)(a)1.f. (created by 2023 Wis. Act 60; amended by 2025 Wis. Act 223); 2023 Wis. Act 60, § 2 (initial applicability) State law

“At least 0.5 credit of personal financial literacy that includes financial mindset, education and employment, money management, saving and investing, credit and debt, and risk management and insurance.”

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Wyoming Standards only, not required

No course requirement. Personal financial management skills are part of the state's content standards.

Topics

Set by the state's standards or left to the district; the law itself lists none.

Source

Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 21-9-101(b)(iii)(F); Wyo. Dep't of Educ. Rules ch. 31, § 4(a)(i)(D) State law

“Each school district within the state shall provide educational programs sufficient to meet uniform student content and performance standards ... Life skills, including personal financial management skills.”

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