Minnesota Math Scores Trail Only Massachusetts And Utah, New Report Finds

ST. PAUL, MN — Minnesota's public school system ranks No. 23 in the country, according to a new report from personal finance website WalletHub.

The state earned a total score of 53.58 points out of 100, based on 32 metrics measuring both academic quality and school safety. Minnesota placed No. 18 in the quality category and No. 32 for safety.

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But Minnesota tied for the No. 3 spot nationally in math test scores among fourth and eighth graders, trailing only Massachusetts and Utah.

WalletHub also grouped Minnesota among states delivering a strong school system despite relatively low spending, placing it in a "low spending and strong school system" category alongside Wisconsin, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, Tennessee, and Utah.

Massachusetts topped the overall rankings, followed by Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin. New Mexico ranked last at No. 51.

WalletHub says the rankings are based on data collected as of June 22, 2026, from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Department of Education, and the National Center for Education Statistics.

New Mexico ranked last overall at No. 51, with Alaska, Oklahoma, Oregon and West Virginia rounding out the bottom five. New Mexico also posted the lowest math test scores nationally, while the District of Columbia had the highest dropout rate among all states and D.C.

Check out the full study here.