by Kandiss Edwards
May 17, 2025
A poll by the National Endowment for Financial Education shows, adults are calling for financial literacy courses in higher education.
A strong majority of U.S. adults believe financial education should be a mandatory part of the high school curriculum, according to new national polling from the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE).
Eighty-three percent of respondents say their state should require a semester or year-long course focused on personal finance as a graduation requirement. An identical percentage of those who attended high school say they wish they had been required to take such a course when they were students.
The data, collected by NEFE in partnership with SurveyUSA, reflects consistent findings from similar polling conducted three years ago. It comes as more state legislatures weigh or adopt policies to make personal finance a core part of high school graduation requirements.
“This latest poll reinforces long-standing support for financial education, with four out of five U.S. adults agreeing on its importance,” said Billy Hensley, Ph.D., president and CEO of NEFE. “These sentiments are a testament to the states that have committed to requiring and implementing financial education curricula, thereby empowering today’s students with the knowledge many adults wish they had received while in school.”
The poll also revealed a generational gap in access; only 44% of respondents aged 18–34 said their school lacked a personal finance class, compared to 77% of those aged 65 and older.
Hensley applauded the growing number of states that have enacted K–12 financial education mandates, calling the movement “a step toward equity and economic empowerment.”
This push for financial literacy is especially critical in Black communities, where economic disparities are compounded by historic and systemic exclusion from generational wealth-building opportunities. According to a 2023 Brookings Institution report, in 2022, for every $100 in wealth held by white households, Black households held only $15, highlighting a persistent and widening racial wealth gap.
Additionally, while African Americans are more likely to pursue higher education in a desire for upward mobility, they also bear a disproportionate share of student debt, often without the financial tools to manage it.
According to the report, experts say early, standardized access to personal finance education in high schools, particularly in underserved communities, could be a powerful tool to help close these gaps. Advocates urge lawmakers to prioritize equitable implementation, ensuring that students of all backgrounds are equipped with the skills to manage credit, save effectively, and plan for long-term financial health.
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