The Connection between Financial Literacy and Numeracy: A Case Study from India

Making financial decisions involves mathematical calculations, both simple and complex. It is a well-documented fact that financial literacy levels among young people all over the world are quite low and that these low levels contribute to various undesirable outcomes with respect to personal financial well-being and the economy as a whole. This study explores the relationship between financial literacy and numeracy by measuring and modeling the relationship between financial literacy and numeracy levels among high school students (N = 586) in India. The results show a strong relationship between numeracy and financial literacy skills. Low numeracy is associated with a 4.8% reduction in financial literacy, while a high level of numeracy is associated with a 5.6% increase. This relationship is robust and held even when controlling for factors including gender, grade, education stream, level of financial education, language of instruction, parental involvement, parental education, family income, and future education plans. Because there is a strong relationship between numeracy and financial literacy, educational policy should consider increasing numeracy skills as one of the means of improving financial literacy. In particular numeracy as it relates to financial literacy (e.g., interest calculations, chart/data comparisons, and interpretations) should be promoted as part of the curriculum.