Are you looking for a list of all the states and their corresponding abbreviations? Many teachers begin introducing their students to US state abbreviations at the same time that they teach the list of states. It's much easier to memorize the information this way. The attached printable list of 50 state abbreviations can be used for your homeschooling classroom or to help your kids prep for their geography class at school!
List of Abbreviations for All 50 States
If you need help downloading the printable list, check out these helpful Adobe printable tips.
Here is a list of the 50 states and their proper abbreviations:
- Alabama: AL
- Alaska: AK
- Arizona: AZ
- Arkansas: AR
- California: CA
- Colorado: CO
- Connecticut: CT
- Delaware: DE
- Florida: FL
- Georgia: GA
- Hawaii: HI
- Idaho: ID
- Illinois: IL
- Indiana: IN
- Iowa: IA
- Kansas: KS
- Kentucky: KY
- Louisiana: LA
- Maine: ME
- Maryland: MD
- Massachusetts: MA
- Michigan: MI
- Minnesota: MN
- Mississippi: MS
- Missouri: MO
- Montana: MT
- Nebraska: NE
- Nevada: NV
- New Hampshire: NH
- New Jersey: NJ
- New Mexico: NM
- New York: NY
- North Carolina: NC
- North Dakota: ND
- Ohio: OH
- Oklahoma: OK
- Oregon: OR
- Pennsylvania: PA
- Rhode Island: RI
- South Carolina: SC
- South Dakota: SD
- Tennessee: TN
- Texas: TX
- Utah: UT
- Vermont: VT
- Virginia: VA
- Washington: WA
- West Virginia: WV
- Wisconsin: WI
- Wyoming: WY
The first state abbreviations list was published in 1831. It only had 28 states on it, three of which were still territories. This meant that their two or three-letter abbreviations were followed by the letter "T." It was not until 1963 that all states dropped down to two letters. This was done to make room for the zip code on the address line.
US Territory Abbreviations
There are also several locations that are US territories. The abbreviations for these are:
- American Samoa AS
- Marshall Islands MH
- Federated States of Micronesia FM
- Gaum GU
- Puerto Rico PR
-
Northern Mariana Islands MP
-
Virgin Islands VI
-
Palau PW
Use adjectives, rhyming words, or even create funny phrases or sentences to help kids remember the state abbreviations. Generate words using WordList Finder and make it fun. For example, kids can remember WY for Wyoming by comparing it to a 'wild yard' or the state with the 'wacky yaks.'
Using State Abbreviations
Abbreviations of the states are used for postal addresses and in data processing for the purpose of saving time and standardizing the appearance of addresses. This means:
- State abbreviations should not be used when writing formal correspondence or for school reports.
- When referring to a state, the full name should be spelled out.
- US state abbreviations should be used for address purposes. Place them after a city's name and before a zip code.
- These are also helpful when learning the locations of the different states on a map.
Learn and Reference State Abbreviations at Any Age
Whether you're helping teach your kids these abbreviations or you just need a handy reference, having a list of what the abbreviations are can be helpful to anyone. Have some fun learning the state capitals or state birds next!
