Focused comparison
States with a personal finance graduation requirement
Verified diploma requirements, with delivery model and covered cohort shown instead of implied.
Current totals reflect verified coverage, not a claim that all other states lack a requirement.
| State | Credit / duration | Stand-alone? | Effective / cohort |
|---|---|---|---|
 Alabama | Financial literacy instruction is completed through an approved course; Career Preparedness is a 1-credit diploma requirement | No | 2028 |
 Arizona | 0.5 credit in economics including financial literacy and personal financial management | No | Statutory amendment effective August 27, 2019; no first covered school year is stated |
 Arkansas | Credit in a grade 9-12 course containing the Personal and Family Finance Standards; the current diploma framework includes 0.5 credit of Economics with Personal Finance, while other approved implementing courses carry 0.5 to 1.5 credits | No | 2017-18 entering grade-9 cohort |
 California | One semester | Yes | 2030–31 |
 Colorado | Completion of one locally designated graduation-required course containing all high-school financial literacy standards; no statewide credit amount specified | No | 2025-26 |
 Connecticut | 0.5 credit | No | 2027 |
 Delaware | 0.5 credit | No | Students entering grade 9 in 2026-27 and later |
 Florida | 0.5 credit | No | 2023–24 |
 Georgia | At least 0.5 credit | No | 2024-25 |
 Hawaii | No separate personal-finance credit; completion is documented through the required 0.5-credit Personal Transition Plan | No | Class of 2030 |
 Idaho | 1 Idaho credit in economics and financial literacy within the 5-credit social-studies requirement | No | 2023-24 |
 Indiana | 1 Indiana credit in an approved personal finance course; the Class of 2028 may alternatively complete a two-course, two-credit finance pathway | Yes | 2028 |
 Kansas | 0.5 unit | Yes | 2028 |
 Kentucky | 1 elective credit for students entering grade 9 on or after July 1, 2025; earlier covered cohorts complete one or more standards-aligned courses or programs | No | 2025-26 entering grade-9 cohort |
 Louisiana | 1 unit of Financial Literacy | Yes | 2024-25 entering grade-9 cohort |
 Maine | Personal finance is included within 2 years of social studies and history; no separate statewide personal-finance credit | No | — |
 Michigan | 0.5 credit | No | Students entering grade 8 in 2023 and later |
 Minnesota | Course for locally determined credit; no statewide credit amount | Yes | 2024-25 entering grade-nine cohort |
 Mississippi | Beginning with the class of 2032: 0.5 Carnegie unit in personal finance, or 1.0 Carnegie unit in a course where at least half the standards concern financial literacy | No | 2032 |
 Missouri | 0.5 unit of personal finance | No | 2010 |
 Montana | 0.5 unit of economics or financial literacy | No | 2026 statewide; 2027 in Billings under an approved variance |
 Nebraska | At least five Nebraska high school credit hours (at least one semester) | No | 2024 |
 Nevada | 0.5 credit in Economics and Financial Literacy for standard and advanced diplomas beginning with the class of 2029; earlier current cohorts require 0.5 credit in Economics | No | 2029 |
 New Hampshire | 0.5 financial literacy credit for students entering high school in 2026-27 or later; earlier cohorts have 0.5 credit in economics including personal finance | No | 2026-27 for students entering high school |
 New Jersey | At least 2.5 credits | No | High school: grade-nine class of 2010-11; middle school: 2019-20 |
 New Mexico | Within four social studies credits: 0.5 credit of Economics with Personal Financial Literacy, or a full-credit approved combined government, civics, economics, and personal-finance alternative | No | 2029 |
 North Carolina | 1 credit | Yes | Students entering grade 9 in 2020-21; continued for later cohorts by State Board graduation policy |
 Ohio | 0.5 unit; at least 60 hours of instruction | No | Class of 2026 |
 Oklahoma | Required course or coursework; districts may embed the content or offer a separate 0.5-unit elective | No | 2029 |
 Oregon | 0.5 credit in Personal Financial Education within the 24-credit diploma minimum | Yes | 2027 |
 Pennsylvania | At least 0.5 credit; qualifying rigorous embedded courses may satisfy the mandate under Section 1551(b.1)(5.1) | No | 2027 |
 Rhode Island | — | No | 2024 |
 South Carolina | 0.5 credit in financial literacy within the 24-credit diploma total | No | 2023-24 entering freshman cohort |
 South Dakota | 0.5 unit of personal finance or economics | No | — |
 Tennessee | 0.5 credit in Personal Finance or an approved substitute course | No | 2013 |
 Texas | At least 0.5 credit | No | Class of 2030 (students entering grade 9 in 2026–27) |
 Utah | 0.5 credit in General Financial Literacy | No | 2008 |
 Virginia | 1 standard credit | No | Students entering grade 9 in fall 2011 and later |
 Wisconsin | At least 0.5 credit of personal financial literacy | No | 2028 |