North Dakota requires either one unit of Problems and Democracy or one-half unit of US Government with one-half unit of Economics with embedded personal finance consepts for high school graduation. 2009 North Dakota Chapter 175 (House Bill 1400) requires that “each school district shall ensure that its curriculum for either economics or problems of democracy includes the exposure of students to concepts of personal finance.” A school district may “select courses other than economics or problems of democracy for purposes of exposing students to the concepts of personal finance,” provided as many or more students are being exposed to personal finance instruction through the alternate class. There are no specific standards available online for the required courses. There is a Personal Finance Curriculum Resource Guide by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction which provides links to lessons and curriculum corresponding to the concepts of personal finance required by House Bill 1400. 

North Dakota approved new social studies economic standards August 2019. The new standards did not include any personal finance standards for K-5 and there is only one Personal Finance standard with five benchmarks within the Economics standard. However, in July 2025, newly developed financial literacy content standards were released for each grade level. The State Superintendent stated in the forward that these standards were a step toward “equipping our students with the knowledge and skills to manage their personal finances with confidence and clarity.” 

In 2025, North Dakota passed House Bill 1533 which “requires each student to complete one - half unit of financial literacy or ensure that its curriculum for either economics or problems of democracy includes the exposure of students to concepts of personal finance” While this is huge progress, it still does not mandate a specific course specifically on financial literacy. 

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North Dakota receives a “B” for ensuring financial literacy instruction in all grade levels and requiring personal finance be taught either through a stand-alone course or integrated into the high school curriculum. North Dakota must make the high school financial literacy requirement a stand-alone course in order to raise its grade to an “A.”