Yes, you read that headline right. According to a new study, New Jersey is the third smartest state in the U.S.
This latest claim to fame is perhaps one of the more desirable superlatives bestowed upon the Garden State. (Remember when NJ took home the title of most moved-out state?) But do these findings come as a surprise?
Let us not forget that New Jersey is home to Ivy League institutions such as Princeton University. In addition, Stevens Institute of Technology and NJIT are leaders in the field of science and engineering. In fact, our state was also home to one of the greatest inventors in history, Thomas Edison.
Let’s take a closer look at how New Jersey ranked third among the smartest states in America. (And we’re not talking about what it means to have street smarts, either.)
Why New Jersey Is One of the Smartest States
The research was conducted by online typing tutor, Typing.com. The study analyzed the percentage of individuals 25 and older in each state who obtained a bachelor’s degree or professional degree; 2020-2021 SAT and ACT scores; the public high school graduation rate in 2019; and the I.Q. levels per state, among other factors.
So, how did New Jersey fair?
The estimated I.Q. score for NJ residents was listed as 102.8. To put things into perspective, anything below 119 is considered average. It was also reported that NJ has a 91 percent high school graduation rate and nearly one-quarter of adults have at least a bachelor’s degree. The average SAT score is 1125—a perfect score is 1600.
Close standouts were Connecticut and Massachusetts, which took second and first place. Although, New Jersey did have a higher percentage of adults with bachelor’s degrees at 24.8.
Map couresty of Typing.com
A spokesperson for Typing.com had this to say regarding the findings: “It’s fascinating to see how levels of academic achievement vary across America, and this list offers some interesting insights into a range of ways to measure levels of educational performance. The states in the top ten are home to some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, such as Harvard and MIT in Massachusetts, and it’s likely that the state’s reputation as a place for advanced learning and study helps attract high numbers of people likely to perform well in traditional measures of intelligence.”
Are you surprised that New Jersey was named the third smartest state in America? Let us know in the comments.
About the Author/s
Abby is The Digest's Managing Editor. She spends her time looking at dogs on Instagram and eating her way around Jersey City.
