Data / Rankings / NAEP average score, reading, grade 8 / US states

US states by NAEP average score, reading, grade 8

Massachusetts had the highest NAEP average score, reading, grade 8 of 51 states in 2003, at 273 NAEP scale score (0 to 500). District of Columbia had the lowest, at 239 NAEP scale score (0 to 500). The median was 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500) and the figure for the United States was 261 NAEP scale score (0 to 500). Source: National Center for Education Statistics.

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Highest273Massachusetts
Lowest239District of Columbia
Median26451 states
United States261History

Map of states, 2003

Alabama: 253 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alaska: 256 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arizona: 255 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arkansas: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)California: 251 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Colorado: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Connecticut: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Delaware: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)District of Columbia: 239 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Florida: 257 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Georgia: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Hawaii: 251 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Idaho: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Illinois: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Indiana: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Iowa: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kansas: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kentucky: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Louisiana: 253 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maine: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maryland: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Massachusetts: 273 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Michigan: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Minnesota: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Mississippi: 255 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Missouri: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Montana: 270 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nebraska: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nevada: 252 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Hampshire: 271 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Jersey: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Mexico: 252 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New York: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Carolina: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Dakota: 270 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Ohio: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oklahoma: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oregon: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Pennsylvania: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Rhode Island: 261 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Carolina: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Dakota: 270 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Tennessee: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Texas: 259 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Utah: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Vermont: 271 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Virginia: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Washington: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)West Virginia: 260 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wisconsin: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wyoming: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)
  • Under 260
  • 260 to 270
  • 270 and over
NAEP scale score (0 to 500), 2003. Source: NCES, NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 8, all students, public schools, states and nation. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2003

Massachusetts: 273 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Massachusetts273New Hampshire: 271 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Hampshire271Vermont: 271 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Vermont271South Dakota: 270 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Dakota270Montana: 270 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Montana270North Dakota: 270 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Dakota270Maine: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maine268Virginia: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Virginia268New Jersey: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Jersey268Minnesota: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Minnesota268Colorado: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Colorado268Iowa: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Iowa268Missouri: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Missouri267Connecticut: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Connecticut267Wyoming: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wyoming267Ohio: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Ohio267Wisconsin: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wisconsin266Illinois: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Illinois266Nebraska: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nebraska266Kentucky: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kentucky266Kansas: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kansas266New York: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New York265Indiana: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Indiana265Delaware: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Delaware265Washington: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Washington264Idaho: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Idaho264Michigan: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Michigan264Utah: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Utah264Pennsylvania: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Pennsylvania264Oregon: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oregon264Oklahoma: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oklahoma262North Carolina: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Carolina262Maryland: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maryland262Rhode Island: 261 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Rhode Island261West Virginia: 260 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)West Virginia260Texas: 259 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Texas259Tennessee: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Tennessee258South Carolina: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Carolina258Arkansas: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arkansas258Georgia: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Georgia258Florida: 257 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Florida257Alaska: 256 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alaska256Arizona: 255 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arizona255Mississippi: 255 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Mississippi255Louisiana: 253 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Louisiana253Alabama: 253 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alabama253Nevada: 252 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nevada252New Mexico: 252 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Mexico252Hawaii: 251 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Hawaii251California: 251 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)California251District of Columbia: 239 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)District of Columbia239Massachusetts: 273 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Massachusetts273New Hampshire: 271 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Hampshire271Vermont: 271 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Vermont271South Dakota: 270 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Dakota270Montana: 270 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Montana270North Dakota: 270 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Dakota270Maine: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maine268Virginia: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Virginia268New Jersey: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Jersey268Minnesota: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Minnesota268Colorado: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Colorado268Iowa: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Iowa268Missouri: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Missouri267Connecticut: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Connecticut267Wyoming: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wyoming267Ohio: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Ohio267Wisconsin: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wisconsin266Illinois: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Illinois266Nebraska: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nebraska266Kentucky: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kentucky266Kansas: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kansas266New York: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New York265Indiana: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Indiana265Delaware: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Delaware265Washington: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Washington264Idaho: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Idaho264Michigan: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Michigan264Utah: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Utah264Pennsylvania: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Pennsylvania264Oregon: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oregon264Oklahoma: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oklahoma262North Carolina: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Carolina262Maryland: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maryland262Rhode Island: 261 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Rhode Island261West Virginia: 260 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)West Virginia260Texas: 259 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Texas259Tennessee: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Tennessee258South Carolina: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Carolina258Arkansas: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arkansas258Georgia: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Georgia258Florida: 257 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Florida257Alaska: 256 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alaska256Arizona: 255 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arizona255Mississippi: 255 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Mississippi255Louisiana: 253 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Louisiana253Alabama: 253 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alabama253Nevada: 252 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nevada252New Mexico: 252 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Mexico252Hawaii: 251 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Hawaii251California: 251 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)California251District of Columbia: 239 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)District of Columbia239
NAEP scale score (0 to 500). Source: NCES, NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 8, all students, public schools, states and nation. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2003
NAEP scale score (0 to 500)
1Massachusetts273
2New Hampshire271
3Vermont271
4South Dakota270
5Montana270
6North Dakota270
7Maine268
8Virginia268
9New Jersey268
10Minnesota268
11Colorado268
12Iowa268
13Missouri267
14Connecticut267
15Wyoming267
16Ohio267
17Wisconsin266
18Illinois266
19Nebraska266
20Kentucky266
21Kansas266
22New York265
23Indiana265
24Delaware265
25Washington264
26Idaho264
27Michigan264
28Utah264
29Pennsylvania264
30Oregon264
31Oklahoma262
32North Carolina262
33Maryland262
34Rhode Island261
35West Virginia260
36Texas259
37Tennessee258
38South Carolina258
39Arkansas258
40Georgia258
41Florida257
42Alaska256
43Arizona255
44Mississippi255
45Louisiana253
46Alabama253
47Nevada252
48New Mexico252
49Hawaii251
50California251
51District of Columbia239

Other periods

About this ranking

Average scale score of public school students in reading, grade 8 on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP, the Nation's Report Card), on a scale of 0 to 500, from the National Center for Education Statistics. The year is the year of the assessment, given from January to March.

NAEP tests a sample of students, so each score has a margin of error and a difference of a few points between states or years is often not statistically significant. States are tested every two years (2003 to 2019, then 2022 and 2024). The national value is for public schools only, the group NCES compares states with. Scores are on the same scale across years and states but cannot be compared with state test results.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 8, all students, public schools, states and nation. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

National Center for Education Statistics. (2026). NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 8, all students, public schools, states and nation (US states by NAEP average score, reading, grade 8, 2003) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE

MLA 9

NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 8, all students, public schools, states and nation, US states by NAEP average score, reading, grade 8, 2003. National Center for Education Statistics, 12 Oct. 2026, https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/naep-reading-grade-8/us-states?period=2003. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

National Center for Education Statistics. 2026. NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 8, all students, public schools, states and nation. US states by NAEP average score, reading, grade 8, 2003. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/naep-reading-grade-8/us-states?period=2003.

Harvard

National Center for Education Statistics (2026) NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 8, all students, public schools, states and nation, US states by NAEP average score, reading, grade 8, 2003 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/naep-reading-grade-8/us-states?period=2003 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{national_us_states_by_naep_2003,
  author = {{National Center for Education Statistics}},
  title = {{NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 8, all students, public schools, states and nation: US states by NAEP average score, reading, grade 8, 2003}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/naep-reading-grade-8/us-states?period=2003. Publisher attribution: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 8, all students, public schools, states and nation. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - National Center for Education Statistics
TI  - NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 8, all students, public schools, states and nation: US states by NAEP average score, reading, grade 8, 2003
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/12
PB  - National Center for Education Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/naep-reading-grade-8/us-states?period=2003
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/naep-reading-grade-8/us-states?period=2003.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 8, all students, public schools, states and nation. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank US states by NAEP average score, reading, grade 8 using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which state has the highest NAEP average score, reading, grade 8?

Massachusetts, with 273 NAEP scale score (0 to 500) in 2003, according to National Center for Education Statistics.

Which state has the lowest NAEP average score, reading, grade 8?

District of Columbia, with 239 NAEP scale score (0 to 500) in 2003.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Service: average scale score, reading, grade 8, all students, public schools, states and nation. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

US states: more rankings