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 2019, at 273 NAEP scale score (0 to 500). District of Columbia had the lowest, at 250 NAEP scale score (0 to 500). The median was 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500) and the figure for the United States was 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500). Source: National Center for Education Statistics.

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Highest273Massachusetts
Lowest250District of Columbia
Median26351 states
United States262History

Map of states, 2019

Alabama: 253 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alaska: 252 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arizona: 259 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arkansas: 259 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)California: 259 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Colorado: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Connecticut: 270 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Delaware: 260 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)District of Columbia: 250 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Florida: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Georgia: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Hawaii: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Idaho: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Illinois: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Indiana: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Iowa: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kansas: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kentucky: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Louisiana: 257 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maine: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maryland: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Massachusetts: 273 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Michigan: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Minnesota: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Mississippi: 256 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Missouri: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Montana: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nebraska: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nevada: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Hampshire: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Jersey: 270 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Mexico: 252 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New York: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Carolina: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Dakota: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Ohio: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oklahoma: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oregon: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Pennsylvania: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Rhode Island: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Carolina: 259 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Dakota: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Tennessee: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Texas: 256 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Utah: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Vermont: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Virginia: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Washington: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)West Virginia: 256 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wisconsin: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wyoming: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)
  • Under 260
  • 260 to 270
  • 270 and over
NAEP scale score (0 to 500), 2019. 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, 2019

Massachusetts: 273 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Massachusetts273New Jersey: 270 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Jersey270Connecticut: 270 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Connecticut270Vermont: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Vermont268New Hampshire: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Hampshire268Utah: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Utah267Wisconsin: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wisconsin267Colorado: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Colorado267Ohio: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Ohio267Idaho: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Idaho266Washington: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Washington266Indiana: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Indiana266Maine: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maine265Montana: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Montana265Illinois: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Illinois265Wyoming: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wyoming265Maryland: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maryland264Pennsylvania: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Pennsylvania264Nebraska: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nebraska264Minnesota: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Minnesota264Oregon: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oregon264Florida: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Florida263Missouri: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Missouri263North Dakota: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Dakota263Kentucky: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kentucky263Kansas: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kansas263South Dakota: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Dakota263Michigan: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Michigan263North Carolina: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Carolina263Tennessee: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Tennessee262Georgia: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Georgia262Iowa: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Iowa262Rhode Island: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Rhode Island262Virginia: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Virginia262New York: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New York262Delaware: 260 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Delaware260Arizona: 259 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arizona259South Carolina: 259 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Carolina259California: 259 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)California259Arkansas: 259 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arkansas259Oklahoma: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oklahoma258Hawaii: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Hawaii258Nevada: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nevada258Louisiana: 257 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Louisiana257Mississippi: 256 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Mississippi256Texas: 256 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Texas256West Virginia: 256 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)West Virginia256Alabama: 253 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alabama253Alaska: 252 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alaska252New Mexico: 252 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Mexico252District of Columbia: 250 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)District of Columbia250Massachusetts: 273 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Massachusetts273New Jersey: 270 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Jersey270Connecticut: 270 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Connecticut270Vermont: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Vermont268New Hampshire: 268 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Hampshire268Utah: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Utah267Wisconsin: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wisconsin267Colorado: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Colorado267Ohio: 267 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Ohio267Idaho: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Idaho266Washington: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Washington266Indiana: 266 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Indiana266Maine: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maine265Montana: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Montana265Illinois: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Illinois265Wyoming: 265 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Wyoming265Maryland: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Maryland264Pennsylvania: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Pennsylvania264Nebraska: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nebraska264Minnesota: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Minnesota264Oregon: 264 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oregon264Florida: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Florida263Missouri: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Missouri263North Dakota: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Dakota263Kentucky: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kentucky263Kansas: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Kansas263South Dakota: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Dakota263Michigan: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Michigan263North Carolina: 263 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)North Carolina263Tennessee: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Tennessee262Georgia: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Georgia262Iowa: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Iowa262Rhode Island: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Rhode Island262Virginia: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Virginia262New York: 262 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New York262Delaware: 260 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Delaware260Arizona: 259 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arizona259South Carolina: 259 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)South Carolina259California: 259 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)California259Arkansas: 259 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Arkansas259Oklahoma: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Oklahoma258Hawaii: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Hawaii258Nevada: 258 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Nevada258Louisiana: 257 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Louisiana257Mississippi: 256 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Mississippi256Texas: 256 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Texas256West Virginia: 256 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)West Virginia256Alabama: 253 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alabama253Alaska: 252 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)Alaska252New Mexico: 252 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)New Mexico252District of Columbia: 250 NAEP scale score (0 to 500)District of Columbia250
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

RankStates2019
NAEP scale score (0 to 500)
1Massachusetts273
2New Jersey270
3Connecticut270
4Vermont268
5New Hampshire268
6Utah267
7Wisconsin267
8Colorado267
9Ohio267
10Idaho266
11Washington266
12Indiana266
13Maine265
14Montana265
15Illinois265
16Wyoming265
17Maryland264
18Pennsylvania264
19Nebraska264
20Minnesota264
21Oregon264
22Florida263
23Missouri263
24North Dakota263
25Kentucky263
26Kansas263
27South Dakota263
28Michigan263
29North Carolina263
30Tennessee262
31Georgia262
32Iowa262
33Rhode Island262
34Virginia262
35New York262
36Delaware260
37Arizona259
38South Carolina259
39California259
40Arkansas259
41Oklahoma258
42Hawaii258
43Nevada258
44Louisiana257
45Mississippi256
46Texas256
47West Virginia256
48Alabama253
49Alaska252
50New Mexico252
51District of Columbia250

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, 2019) [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, 2019. 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=2019. 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, 2019. 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=2019.

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, 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ndecore/xplore/NDE, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/naep-reading-grade-8/us-states?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{national_us_states_by_naep_2019,
  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, 2019}},
  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=2019. 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, 2019
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=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/naep-reading-grade-8/us-states?period=2019.
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 2019, according to National Center for Education Statistics.

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

District of Columbia, with 250 NAEP scale score (0 to 500) in 2019.

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