National Survey: High School Graduates Rank Financial Education Above Most Core Academic Subjects

The NFEC surveyed 1,281 high school graduates age 18 and older and asked them to compare financial education to 13 core academic subjects using the prompt:

“On a scale of importance for real-world adult success, financial education is:”

The survey was conducted from February 26 to March 3, 2026. The results were decisive.

Financial education was rated as more important or of equal importance than all core academic subjects tested. No subject outperformed financial education.

Methodology

Data was collected by Prodege, a consumer insights firm, via the Pollfish platform using targeted demographic criteria, stratified sampling, and randomized real-time recruitment across mobile apps and websites. The sample was limited to individuals who had graduated from high school. Prodege ensures data quality through AI-driven screening, fraud-detection protocols, and a rigorous validation process, thereby supporting high standards of accuracy and reliability.

students discussing or reviewing something

High School Graduates Say Financial Education is More Important Than Other Subjects

Schools today treat science, math, social studies, English, and foreign language as more important than financial education. Yet nearly 9 out of 10 high school graduates say financial education is as important – or more important – than these subjects.

The NFEC surveyed 1,281 high school graduates (age 18+) through a third-party, stratified sampling process, asking them to compare financial education with 13 core academic subjects using the prompt:

“On a scale of importance for real-world adult success, financial education is:”

The results were decisive: financial education was rated as equal to or more important than every subject tested. No subject outperformed it.

Rated Financial Education Equal or More Important

More Important

Equally Important

Less Important

Full Survey Data

Financial Education Received Strong “More Important” Ratings

Across multiple core subjects, most graduates rated financial education as more important for adult success:

Financial Education Received Few “Less Important” Ratings

Science: In science courses, only 3.98% said chemistry was more important than financial education. Only 7.75% said biology was more important.

Math: Just 7.77% rated algebra 1 as more important, 9.37% rated algebra 2 as more important, and 9.90% rated geometry as more important.

Social Studies: Only 10.93% rated world geography as more important, 14.28% rated U.S. history as more important, 12.00% rated world history as more important, and 16.79% rated civics/government as more important. 9.14% said economics was more important.

English: In 9th–10th grade English, only 21.07% said English was more important. In English Literature 11.01%.

Financial Education Received 3 “About Equally Important” Results

Only three subjects were mostly rated as “about equally important.” And one of the three subjects, Economics, includes aspects of financial education.

57%

English (57.26%)

51%

Civics / American Government (51.59%)

67%

Economics (67.43%)

“The data reveals a clear perception gap between how our education system prioritizes subjects and what adults say actually matters in real life.”

— Vince Shorb, CEO of the National Financial Educators Council

“Across all subjects tested, financial education was rated as equal to or more important 88.77% of the time. Only 11.23% of respondents believed traditional core subjects were more important for real-world adult success. When nearly nine out of ten graduates place financial education at or above other core disciplines, it signals that our curriculum priorities may not fully reflect lived adult experience.”