Carrie Johnson, associate professor and Extension personal and family finance specialist, is featured in an Oct. 28 WalletHub article, “2020’s States with the Highest and Lowest Credit Scores,” by financial writer Adam McCann.
According to the article, North Dakotans have an average credit score of 709, tied with Hawaii and Washington for second place. Minnesota tops the list with an average credit score of 720. Mississippi ranks 50th, with an average score of 657.
Johnson offered this advice for persons trying to improve their credit score: “If your goal is to increase your credit score, one tip is to not take on new credit/debt. Paying off your current credit accounts will increase your score,” she said in the article. “One tip would also be to not close old revolving accounts even if you no longer use them. This can decrease your score in two ways. First, accounts that are 10-years-old or older help your credit score. Second, if the account is paid in full it adds to your available credit thus decreasing the percentage of credit used.”
Johnson was one of 20 experts from across the country who were interviewed for the story.
She earned her bachelor’s degree at Dakota State University, Madison, South Dakota; master’s degree in family and consumer sciences at South Dakota State University, Brookings; and her doctorate in family and consumer science education at Iowa State University, Ames.
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