U.S. adults correctly answered only 49% of financial literacy questions in 2025, matching the same score recorded in 2017 [1].
This stagnation suggests that current educational initiatives and policy efforts have failed to improve the overall financial knowledge of the population over nearly a decade. The lack of progress is particularly concerning given the role financial literacy plays in long-term economic stability.
The findings come from the 2025 Personal Finance Index study conducted by the TIAA Institute and the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center (GFLEC) [1, 2]. According to the data, there has been zero progress in financial literacy over the last eight years [1].
Gender disparities also remain a significant factor in the study's results. Women score 10 points lower than men on financial literacy measures [3]. This gap indicates a persistent divide in how financial information is accessed or retained across different demographics.
Beyond the scores, the research highlights a direct link between knowledge and economic vulnerability. The study found that individuals with low financial literacy are three times more financially fragile than those with higher levels of knowledge [2]. This fragility often manifests as an inability to handle unexpected expenses, or a lack of adequate savings.
The Personal Finance Index tracks knowledge over time to determine if the public is becoming better equipped to manage their money. The 2025 wave of the study confirms that the baseline of understanding has not shifted, leaving millions of adults susceptible to poor financial decisions and instability [1, 2].
“U.S. adults answered only 49% of the financial‑literacy questions in 2025, the same score recorded in 2017.”
The stagnation of financial literacy scores suggests that traditional methods of financial education are not scaling or evolving to meet the needs of the general public. When combined with the finding that low literacy triples financial fragility, the data implies that a significant portion of the U.S. population remains at high risk for systemic economic shocks, regardless of broader economic growth.
