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

Massachusetts ranked No. 1 in all score categories: fourth-grade reading, fourth-grade math, eighth-grade reading, and eighth-grade math. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 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: 224 Math average scale score, grade 8: 256 Reading average scale score, grade 4: 201 Reading average scale score, grade 8: 245 49. Alaska Anchorage, Alaska. Wirestock/Getty Images 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 Wheeling, West Virginia. Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Wheeling, West Virginia. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Wilmington, Delaware. ChrisBoswell/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Portland, Oregon. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Little Rock, Arkansas. ChrisBoswell/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Phoenix, Arizona. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Las Vegas, Nevada. f11photo/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Birmingham, Alabama. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Los Angeles, California. choness/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Portland, Maine. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Detroit, Michigan. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 St. Louis, Missouri. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Charleston, South Carolina. Kruck20/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Dallas, Texas. travelview/Getty Images 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 New Orleans, Louisiana. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Burlington, Vermont. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Wichita, Kansas. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Baltimore, Maryland. SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 New York, New York. f11photo/Getty Images 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 Atlanta, Georgia. f11photo/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Charlotte, North Carolina. Kruck20/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Richmond, Virginia. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Jackson, Mississippi. SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Omaha, Nebraska. Sean Pavone/Getty Images 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 Providence, Rhode Island. Sanghwan Kim/Getty Images 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 Orlando, Florida. Kruck20/Getty Images 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 Des Moines, Iowa. Sean Pavone/Getty Images 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 Seattle, Washington. photosvit/Getty Images 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 Louisville, Kentucky. alexeys/Getty Images 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 Chicago, Illinois. marchello74/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Honolulu, Hawaii. okimo/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. f11photo/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Nashville, Tennessee. Kruck20/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Rapid City, South Dakota. GummyBone/Getty Images 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 Boise, Idaho. Ben White/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Fargo, North Dakota. Sanghwan Kim/Getty Images 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 Billings, Montana. George Dodd/Getty Images 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 Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jon Mattrisch/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sean Pavone/Getty Images 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 Columbus, Ohio. Sean Reid/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Hartford, Connecticut. SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Denver, Colorado. RoschetzkyIstockPhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Indianapolis, Indiana. Nicholas Klein/Getty Images 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 Casper, Wyoming. GummyBone/Getty Images 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 Salt Lake City, Utah. Vadym Terelyuk/Getty Images 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 Concord, New Hampshire. Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images 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 Newark, New Jersey. Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Boston, Massachusetts. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto 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 Read the original article on Business Insider