Every state ranked by its math and reading test scores, from worst to best

National Assessment of Educational Progress assessment data is released every two years.
Known as The Nation's Report Card, it shows how fourth- and eighth-grade students performed in reading and math.
Business Insider ranked the US states based on their performance across the four assessments.

At a time when education is under scrutiny because of concerns over AI, a perceived literacy crisis, and learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic, test scores can provide a snapshot of student performance.

But that performance can vary widely across state lines.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is a federal program that the National Assessment Governing Board called "the gold standard assessment" for gauging students' knowledge in the US. Known as The Nation's Report Card, the assessments are given to representative samples of public school students in each state, and results are released every two years for grades four and eight.

The most recent state-by-state data, released in January 2025, shows how students in the two grades performed in math and reading assessments in 2024 based on average scale scores ranging from 0 to 500, per the National Center for Education Statistics.

The NCES notes that scores can't be directly compared across grades and subjects. Instead, Business Insider ranked each state separately on the four assessments: fourth-grade reading, eighth-grade reading, fourth-grade math, and eighth-grade math. We then averaged each state's four rankings to produce an overall ranking of all states.

For some states, there is a correlation between test scores and rankings in overalleducation performance. Massachusetts, which was previously ranked the most educated state in a WalletHub report, had the highest average NAEP scores. Second-ranked Vermont, however, landed at No. 32 on our list for its average scores.

See how each state ranked based on its performance across the four assessments.

50. New Mexico

Math average scale score, grade 4: 224

Math average scale score, grade 8: 256

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 201

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 245

49. Alaska

Houses and buildings in Anchorage, Alaska.

Math average scale score, grade 4: 226

Math average scale score, grade 8: 264

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 202

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 246

48. West Virginia

Math average scale score, grade 4: 232

Math average scale score, grade 8: 261

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 206

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 247

47. Oklahoma

Math average scale score, grade 4: 233

Math average scale score, grade 8: 264

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 207

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 249

46. Delaware

Math average scale score, grade 4: 233

Math average scale score, grade 8: 263

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 210

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 249

45. Oregon

Math average scale score, grade 4: 229

Math average scale score, grade 8: 268

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 207

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 255

44. Arkansas

Math average scale score, grade 4: 230

Math average scale score, grade 8: 266

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 210

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 255

43. Arizona

Math average scale score, grade 4: 232

Math average scale score, grade 8: 270

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 208

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 254

42. Nevada

Math average scale score, grade 4: 233

Math average scale score, grade 8: 265

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 213

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 253

41. Alabama

Math average scale score, grade 4: 236

Math average scale score, grade 8: 262

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 213

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 250

40. California

Math average scale score, grade 4: 233

Math average scale score, grade 8: 269

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 212

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 254

39. Maine

Math average scale score, grade 4: 233

Math average scale score, grade 8: 273

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 210

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 255

38. Michigan

Math average scale score, grade 4: 235

Math average scale score, grade 8: 270

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 209

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 255

37. Missouri

Math average scale score, grade 4: 235

Math average scale score, grade 8: 270

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 212

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 255

36. South Carolina

Math average scale score, grade 4: 238

Math average scale score, grade 8: 268

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 215

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 254

35. Texas

Math average scale score, grade 4: 241

Math average scale score, grade 8: 269

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 212

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 252

34. Louisiana

Math average scale score, grade 4: 235

Math average scale score, grade 8: 267

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 257

32 (tie). Vermont

Homes and buildings in Burlington, Vermont.

Math average scale score, grade 4: 235

Math average scale score, grade 8: 276

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 213

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 257

32 (tie). Kansas

Math average scale score, grade 4: 237

Math average scale score, grade 8: 274

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 213

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 255

31. Maryland

Math average scale score, grade 4: 234

Math average scale score, grade 8: 268

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 258

30. New York

Aerial view of buildings in New York, New York.

Math average scale score, grade 4: 234

Math average scale score, grade 8: 271

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 215

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 257

29. Georgia

Math average scale score, grade 4: 236

Math average scale score, grade 8: 269

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 214

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 259

28. North Carolina

Math average scale score, grade 4: 239

Math average scale score, grade 8: 276

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 213

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 255

27. Virginia

Math average scale score, grade 4: 238

Math average scale score, grade 8: 275

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 214

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 256

26. Mississippi

Government building in Jackson, Mississippi.

Math average scale score, grade 4: 239

Math average scale score, grade 8: 269

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 219

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 253

25. Nebraska

Math average scale score, grade 4: 238

Math average scale score, grade 8: 280

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 212

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 256

23 (tie). Rhode Island

Waterway next to buildings in Providence, Rhode Island.

Math average scale score, grade 4: 237

Math average scale score, grade 8: 270

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 258

23 (tie). Florida

Lake surrounded by buildings in Orlando, Florida.

Math average scale score, grade 4: 243

Math average scale score, grade 8: 267

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 218

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 253

22. Iowa

Math average scale score, grade 4: 237

Math average scale score, grade 8: 275

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 215

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 261

21. Washington

Space Needle and buildings in Seattle, Washington.

Math average scale score, grade 4: 238

Math average scale score, grade 8: 274

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 259

20. Kentucky

Buildings next to water in Louisville, Kentucky.

Math average scale score, grade 4: 238

Math average scale score, grade 8: 271

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 218

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 258

18 (tie). Illinois

Math average scale score, grade 4: 236

Math average scale score, grade 8: 277

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 214

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 262

18 (tie). Hawaii

Buildings on coastline in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Math average scale score, grade 4: 239

Math average scale score, grade 8: 270

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 257

17. Pennsylvania

Statue and buildings in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Math average scale score, grade 4: 238

Math average scale score, grade 8: 276

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 259

16. Tennessee

Bridges in front of Nashville, Tennessee, skyline.

Math average scale score, grade 4: 240

Math average scale score, grade 8: 276

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 215

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 259

14 (tie). South Dakota

Math average scale score, grade 4: 240

Math average scale score, grade 8: 281

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 214

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 260

14 (tie). Idaho

Math average scale score, grade 4: 238

Math average scale score, grade 8: 278

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 261

13. North Dakota

Buildings at sunset in Fargo, North Dakota.

Math average scale score, grade 4: 241

Math average scale score, grade 8: 280

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 257

12. Montana

Math average scale score, grade 4: 238

Math average scale score, grade 8: 279

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 217

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 261

11. Wisconsin

Buildings next to waterway in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Math average scale score, grade 4: 239

Math average scale score, grade 8: 283

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 215

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 260

10. Minnesota

Bridge over water leading to buildings in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Math average scale score, grade 4: 241

Math average scale score, grade 8: 282

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 214

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 260

9. Ohio

Math average scale score, grade 4: 239

Math average scale score, grade 8: 279

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 260

8. Connecticut

Math average scale score, grade 4: 239

Math average scale score, grade 8: 277

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 219

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 263

7. Colorado

Math average scale score, grade 4: 239

Math average scale score, grade 8: 278

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 221

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 265

6. Indiana

Homes and buildings in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Math average scale score, grade 4: 240

Math average scale score, grade 8: 278

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 220

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 262

5. Wyoming

Math average scale score, grade 4: 243

Math average scale score, grade 8: 278

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 222

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 260

4. Utah

Math average scale score, grade 4: 242

Math average scale score, grade 8: 282

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 219

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 261

3. New Hampshire

Math average scale score, grade 4: 242

Math average scale score, grade 8: 280

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 221

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 264

2. New Jersey

Math average scale score, grade 4: 240

Math average scale score, grade 8: 282

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 222

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 266

1. Massachusetts

Math average scale score, grade 4: 246

Math average scale score, grade 8: 283

Reading average scale score, grade 4: 225

Reading average scale score, grade 8: 268

The post Every state ranked by its math and reading test scores, from worst to best appeared first on Business Insider

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Every state ranked by its math and reading test scores, from worst to best

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