CNBC’s senior personal finance correspondent Sharon Epperson speaks with high school students as part of Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee’s Finance Park financial literacy program.
Sam Wiseman
High schools are increasingly offering real-world financial lessons to students — and soon more than half of U.S. high schoolers will be required to take a personal finance course before graduation.
This week, Pennsylvania became the 25th state to guarantee a personal finance course for high school students. Starting in the fall of 2026, Pennsylvania schools will provide a mandatory course in personal financial literacy for students in the 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grades. On Wednesday, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed into law an omnibus bill that included this provision.
“As a result of this legislation, more than half of high school students in the U.S. — 53% — will have guaranteed access to a standalone personal finance course,” said Yanely Espinal, Director of Educational Outreach at Next Gen Personal Finance, a non-profit financial education advocacy organization. Eight states currently guarantee that students will take a personal finance course and 17 states are implementing these policies.
The momentum for financial education in schools has picked up significant steam this year. Eight states have adopted policies in 2023 guaranteeing students will take a personal finance course before graduation.
Earlier this month, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed a bill that requires high…
