California's Math Scores: How Our Student's Rank Nationally

CALIFORNIA, CA — California's students who tested for the SATs merely reached the benchmark in math scores in 2021, according to results from College Board, the organization which runs the national testing program. With math being the core of most Science, Technology, Engineering and Math programs (STEM), the study shows that California's students ranked "middle of the road" nationally when it comes to math testing.

"Understanding the broad disciplines of math is not easy in any capacity, yet math scores can determine the course of any given student’s future path," Learner.com researcher Michael Brown wrote in the study. The study reviewed the average SAT math scores —as reported by College Board— from 2021. They compiled results to see which percentage of students from each state had the highest or lowest math scores across the nation.

California students scored exactly at the 530 benchmark expectation, according to College Board's 2021 results, ranking 30th in the nation with their ability to comprehend and test for the highest math scores on the SATs, according results compiled on Learner.com.

Read: California State University Ditches SAT, ACT For Admissions

Who scores highest in math? According to the College Board results, states which ranked highest in math testing scores included Minnesota, North Dakota and Kansas in the 1, 2 and 3 spots, respectively.

The states with the highest math scores are:

1. Minnesota
2. North Dakota
3. Kansas
4. Iowa
5. Nebraska
6. Utah
7. Wisconsin
8. South Dakota
9. Montana
10. Wyoming

While Minnesota hit the highest average math score in the nation at 636—106 points above the benchmark score of 530—Florida students attained the lowest math score in the U.S. at 50 points below the benchmark, with an average score of 480. That is 156 points less than the national benchmark.

The states with the lowest math scores in the nation:

1. Florida
2. Idaho
3. Delaware
4. West Virginia
5. District of Columbia
6. New Mexico
7. Rhode Island
8. Texas
9. Illinois
10. South Carolina
11. Oklahoma

Although Minnesota has the highest average score overall, North Dakota has a higher percentage of students meeting the math benchmark for the SAT, the report says.

California, since the pandemic, has removed the necessity for SAT testing, which may have played a factor in the study. According to the survey, 48-percent of all students who took the SAT reached that mean score, which is the exact national benchmark, Brown reports. Many California high school Juniors and Seniors have declined to take the SAT, as the California State University system has removed those scores from determining acceptance. SAT or ACT scores will now only be used as one of the measures to place you in the proper mathematics and English courses," the university said on its website.

With 23 campuses across California and about 485,000 students, the California State University system is the nation's most extensive four-year public university program.

Steve Relyea, acting chancellor of Cal State Northridge University, said the decision to remove SAT and ACT scores from admissions requirements aligns with the school's efforts to "level the playing field" and improve access to a high-quality college education for all students.

"In essence, we are eliminating our reliance on a high-stress, high-stakes test that has shown negligible benefit and providing our applicants with greater opportunities to demonstrate their drive, talents and potential for college success," Relyea said in a released statement.

The university suspended the use of standardized test scores for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 academic years. That decision was due to hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and as an attempt to mitigate what it called harmful impacts on prospective applicants.

Related:

California State University Ditches SAT, ACT For Admissions

Judge Bans UC System From Use Of ACT And SAT Scores In Admissions