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

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 overall education 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 Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 224Math average scale score, grade 8: 256Reading average scale score, grade 4: 201Reading average scale score, grade 8: 245 49. Alaska Anchorage, Alaska. Wirestock/Getty Images Math average scale score, grade 4: 226Math average scale score, grade 8: 264Reading average scale score, grade 4: 202Reading average scale score, grade 8: 246 48. West Virginia Wheeling, West Virginia. Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 232Math average scale score, grade 8: 261Reading average scale score, grade 4: 206Reading average scale score, grade 8: 247 47. Oklahoma Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 233Math average scale score, grade 8: 264Reading average scale score, grade 4: 207Reading average scale score, grade 8: 249 46. Delaware Wilmington, Delaware. ChrisBoswell/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 233Math average scale score, grade 8: 263Reading average scale score, grade 4: 210Reading average scale score, grade 8: 249 45. Oregon Portland, Oregon. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 229Math average scale score, grade 8: 268Reading average scale score, grade 4: 207Reading average scale score, grade 8: 255 44. Arkansas Little Rock, Arkansas. ChrisBoswell/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 230Math average scale score, grade 8: 266Reading average scale score, grade 4: 210Reading average scale score, grade 8: 255 43. Arizona Phoenix, Arizona. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 232Math average scale score, grade 8: 270Reading average scale score, grade 4: 208Reading average scale score, grade 8: 254 42. Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada. f11photo/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 233Math average scale score, grade 8: 265Reading average scale score, grade 4: 213Reading average scale score, grade 8: 253 41. Alabama Birmingham, Alabama. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 236Math average scale score, grade 8: 262Reading average scale score, grade 4: 213Reading average scale score, grade 8: 250 40. California Los Angeles, California. choness/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 233Math average scale score, grade 8: 269Reading average scale score, grade 4: 212Reading average scale score, grade 8: 254 39. Maine Portland, Maine. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 233Math average scale score, grade 8: 273Reading average scale score, grade 4: 210Reading average scale score, grade 8: 255 38. Michigan Detroit, Michigan. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 235Math average scale score, grade 8: 270Reading average scale score, grade 4: 209Reading average scale score, grade 8: 255 37. Missouri St. Louis, Missouri. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 235Math average scale score, grade 8: 270Reading average scale score, grade 4: 212Reading average scale score, grade 8: 255 36. South Carolina Charleston, South Carolina. Kruck20/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 238Math average scale score, grade 8: 268Reading average scale score, grade 4: 215Reading average scale score, grade 8: 254 35. Texas Dallas, Texas. travelview/Getty Images Math average scale score, grade 4: 241Math average scale score, grade 8: 269Reading average scale score, grade 4: 212Reading average scale score, grade 8: 252 34. Louisiana New Orleans, Louisiana. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 235Math average scale score, grade 8: 267Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216Reading average scale score, grade 8: 257 32 (tie). Vermont Burlington, Vermont. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 235Math average scale score, grade 8: 276Reading average scale score, grade 4: 213Reading average scale score, grade 8: 257 32 (tie). Kansas Wichita, Kansas. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 237Math average scale score, grade 8: 274Reading average scale score, grade 4: 213Reading average scale score, grade 8: 255 31. Maryland Baltimore, Maryland. SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 234Math average scale score, grade 8: 268Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216Reading average scale score, grade 8: 258 30. New York New York, New York. f11photo/Getty Images Math average scale score, grade 4: 234Math average scale score, grade 8: 271Reading average scale score, grade 4: 215Reading average scale score, grade 8: 257 29. Georgia Atlanta, Georgia. f11photo/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 236Math average scale score, grade 8: 269Reading average scale score, grade 4: 214Reading average scale score, grade 8: 259 28. North Carolina Charlotte, North Carolina. Kruck20/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 239Math average scale score, grade 8: 276Reading average scale score, grade 4: 213Reading average scale score, grade 8: 255 27. Virginia Richmond, Virginia. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 238Math average scale score, grade 8: 275Reading average scale score, grade 4: 214Reading average scale score, grade 8: 256 26. Mississippi Jackson, Mississippi. SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 239Math average scale score, grade 8: 269Reading average scale score, grade 4: 219Reading average scale score, grade 8: 253 25. Nebraska Omaha, Nebraska. Sean Pavone/Getty Images Math average scale score, grade 4: 238Math average scale score, grade 8: 280Reading average scale score, grade 4: 212Reading average scale score, grade 8: 256 23 (tie). Rhode Island Providence, Rhode Island. Sanghwan Kim/Getty Images Math average scale score, grade 4: 237Math average scale score, grade 8: 270Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216Reading average scale score, grade 8: 258 23 (tie). Florida Orlando, Florida. Kruck20/Getty Images Math average scale score, grade 4: 243Math average scale score, grade 8: 267Reading average scale score, grade 4: 218Reading average scale score, grade 8: 253 22. Iowa Des Moines, Iowa. Sean Pavone/Getty Images Math average scale score, grade 4: 237Math average scale score, grade 8: 275Reading average scale score, grade 4: 215Reading average scale score, grade 8: 261 21. Washington Seattle, Washington. photosvit/Getty Images Math average scale score, grade 4: 238Math average scale score, grade 8: 274Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216Reading average scale score, grade 8: 259 20. Kentucky Louisville, Kentucky. alexeys/Getty Images Math average scale score, grade 4: 238Math average scale score, grade 8: 271Reading average scale score, grade 4: 218Reading average scale score, grade 8: 258 18 (tie). Illinois Chicago, Illinois. marchello74/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 236Math average scale score, grade 8: 277Reading average scale score, grade 4: 214Reading average scale score, grade 8: 262 18 (tie). Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii. okimo/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 239Math average scale score, grade 8: 270Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216Reading average scale score, grade 8: 257 17. Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. f11photo/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 238Math average scale score, grade 8: 276Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216Reading average scale score, grade 8: 259 16. Tennessee Nashville, Tennessee. Kruck20/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 240Math average scale score, grade 8: 276Reading average scale score, grade 4: 215Reading average scale score, grade 8: 259 14 (tie). South Dakota Rapid City, South Dakota. GummyBone/Getty Images Math average scale score, grade 4: 240Math average scale score, grade 8: 281Reading average scale score, grade 4: 214Reading average scale score, grade 8: 260 14 (tie). Idaho Boise, Idaho. Ben White/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 238Math average scale score, grade 8: 278Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216Reading average scale score, grade 8: 261 13. North Dakota Fargo, North Dakota. Sanghwan Kim/Getty Images Math average scale score, grade 4: 241Math average scale score, grade 8: 280Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216Reading average scale score, grade 8: 257 12. Montana Billings, Montana. George Dodd/Getty Images Math average scale score, grade 4: 238Math average scale score, grade 8: 279Reading average scale score, grade 4: 217Reading average scale score, grade 8: 261 11. Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jon Mattrisch/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 239Math average scale score, grade 8: 283Reading average scale score, grade 4: 215Reading average scale score, grade 8: 260 10. Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sean Pavone/Getty Images Math average scale score, grade 4: 241Math average scale score, grade 8: 282Reading average scale score, grade 4: 214Reading average scale score, grade 8: 260 9. Ohio Columbus, Ohio. Sean Reid/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 239Math average scale score, grade 8: 279Reading average scale score, grade 4: 216Reading average scale score, grade 8: 260 8. Connecticut Hartford, Connecticut. SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 239Math average scale score, grade 8: 277Reading average scale score, grade 4: 219Reading average scale score, grade 8: 263 7. Colorado Denver, Colorado. RoschetzkyIstockPhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 239Math average scale score, grade 8: 278Reading average scale score, grade 4: 221Reading average scale score, grade 8: 265 6. Indiana Indianapolis, Indiana. Nicholas Klein/Getty Images Math average scale score, grade 4: 240Math average scale score, grade 8: 278Reading average scale score, grade 4: 220Reading average scale score, grade 8: 262 5. Wyoming Casper, Wyoming. GummyBone/Getty Images Math average scale score, grade 4: 243Math average scale score, grade 8: 278Reading average scale score, grade 4: 222Reading average scale score, grade 8: 260 4. Utah Salt Lake City, Utah. Vadym Terelyuk/Getty Images Math average scale score, grade 4: 242Math average scale score, grade 8: 282Reading average scale score, grade 4: 219Reading average scale score, grade 8: 261 3. New Hampshire Concord, New Hampshire. Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images Math average scale score, grade 4: 242Math average scale score, grade 8: 280Reading average scale score, grade 4: 221Reading average scale score, grade 8: 264 2. New Jersey Newark, New Jersey. Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 240Math average scale score, grade 8: 282Reading average scale score, grade 4: 222Reading average scale score, grade 8: 266 1. Massachusetts Boston, Massachusetts. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Math average scale score, grade 4: 246Math average scale score, grade 8: 283Reading average scale score, grade 4: 225Reading average scale score, grade 8: 268