The United States has a pretty bad reputation in regard to language education. And honestly, the criticism is valid. In total, only 20% of American students are learning a second language, compared to an average of 92% of students in European countries. This isn’t to poke fun at the United States — in fact, Babbel found language learners in the United States are some of the most motivated in the world — but instead to point out that at least in schools, languages are not being taught as frequently as in other places in the world.
That being said, some U.S. states are better than others when it comes to language education. A report published by the American Councils for International Education reveals the percentage of K-12 students enrolled in a foreign language class. The results vary widely from state to state, ranging from over half to less than 10% of the student population learning a language. Read on to find out where your state falls in language education enrollment.
States With Highest Language Education Enrollment
5. Vermont
Foreign language enrollment: 35.03%
Top 3 languages: Spanish, French, Latin
4. Maryland
Foreign language enrollment: 35.23%
Top 3 languages: Spanish, French, Chinese
3. Wisconsin
Foreign language enrollment: 36.29%
Top 3 languages: Spanish, French, German
2. Washington, D.C.
Foreign language enrollment: 47.17%
Top 3 languages: Spanish, French, Chinese (but Russian was a close 4th)
1. New Jersey
Foreign language enrollment: 51.18%
Top 3 languages: Spanish, French, Chinese
States With Lowest Language Education Enrollment
46. Oregon
Foreign language enrollment: 10.83%
Top 3 languages: Spanish, French, Chinese
47. Montana
Foreign language enrollment: 10.11%
Top 3 languages: Spanish, French, Chinese
48. Arkansas
Foreign language enrollment: 9.09%
Top 3 languages: Spanish, French, German
49. Arizona
Foreign language enrollment: 9.08%
Top 3 languages: Spanish, French, Chinese
50. New Mexico
Foreign language enrollment: 8.50%
Top 3 languages: Spanish, French, Chinese
K-12 Foreign Language Enrollment By State
- New Jersey — 51.18%
- Washington, D.C. — 47.17%
- Wisconsin — 36.29%
- Maryland — 35.23%
- Vermont — 35.03%
- Delaware — 32.34%
- Connecticut — 28.26%
- New Hampshire — 27.47%
- New York — 27.21%
- Massachusetts — 26.43%
- Michigan — 22.50%
- Rhode Island — 22.45%
- Georgia — 22.23%
- Tennessee — 22.08%
- North Dakota — 21.88%
- Utah — 21.06%
- Florida — 20.88%
- South Carolina — 20.74%
- Minnesota — 20.26%
- Wyoming — 20.05%
- Virginia — 20.03%
- Pennsylvania — 19.94%
- North Carolina — 19.71%
- Indiana — 19.57%
- Maine — 19.01%
- Texas — 18.91%
- South Dakota — 18.63%
- Hawaii — 18.61%
- Ohio — 18.11%
- Nebraska — 17.73%
- Alabama — 17.41%
- Alaska — 16.52%
- Missouri — 15.48%
- Kansas — 15.27%
- Iowa — 15.23%
- Washington — 14.71%
- California — 13.91%
- Mississippi — 13.32%
- Louisiana — 13.27%
- Illinois — 13.05%
- West Virginia — 13.03%
- Colorado — 12.38%
- Nevada — 12.20%
- Idaho — 12.19%
- Oklahoma — 12.16%
- Kentucky — 11.20%
- Oregon — 10.83%
- Montana — 10.11%
- Arkansas — 9.09%
- Arizona — 9.08%
- New Mexico — 8.50%