Congratulations to our 2026 National Economic Challenge Finalists!

The National Economics Challenge (NEC) provides a platform for high school students of economics to compete with their peers on a national scale and make themselves and their schools proud. Each year, close to 10,000 students from across the nation take the chance to shine while being tested on key micro and macroeconomic principles, as well as their knowledge of the world economy. We can’t wait to see the top teams compete in Atlanta, GA: May 28-29, 2026.

Top scorers from each state are invited to compete for the national title at finals. The competition runs in two divisions:

Adam Smith Division – for AP, International Baccalaureate, and honors economics students
David Ricardo Division – for first-time competitors who have taken no more than one economics course

Adam Smith Division Finalists

• Eastlake High School, Washington
• Fairview High School, Colorado
• The Bishop’s School, California
• Farmington High School, Connecticut
• Hunter College High School, New York
• Milton Academy, Massachusetts
• Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Virginia
• Lambert High School, Georgia

David Ricardo Division Finalists

• Lambert High School, Georgia
• Skyline High School, Washington
• Bridgewater-Raritan High School, New Jersey
• Hamilton High School, Arizona
• Langley High School, Virginia
• International Language Center Boston, Massachusetts
• Afficient Academy, North Carolina
• Hunter College High School, New York

We congratulate all these outstanding teams and look forward to seeing them compete in Atlanta!

About the Council for Economic Education

The Council for Economic Education’s (CEE’s) mission is to equip K–12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics so that they can make better decisions for themselves, their families and their communities. We carry out our mission in three ways. We advocate to require financial and economic education in every state. We provide training, tools and resources — online and live through over 180 affiliates nationwide — to more than 40,000 teachers annually, who in turn bring the highest quality economics and personal finance instruction to over 4 million students. We deepen knowledge and introduce high school students to critical career capabilities through our national competitions and Invest in Girls program. Learn more at CouncilForEconEd.org and on LinkedIn and on Facebook.

Media contact: 

CEE: press@councilforeconed.org