Preply mapped out the dominant learning style in all 50 states, and the result is a country that studies differently depending on where you live. No single approach dominated in every state; however, social learning took a clear lead. 40% of Americans say this is their preferred learning style, topping the list in 20 different states. So, what does this say culturally? Perhaps we as a nation prefer to learn alongside others rather than alone. Visual learning ranked second as the most popular learning style, particularly in the West.
There are a few different regional patterns the map reveals. The West skews toward visual learning while the East is a patchwork of styles. Verbal learning leads in Massachusetts and Vermont, but social learning leads in Connecticut and New York. A charming detail emerges in Mississippi and Indiana, where auditory learning leads. The Preply team half-jokingly suggested this is due to the states’ musical roots as the birthplace of the blues and of Michael Jackson, respectively.
A lone outlier is West Virginia, the only state to favor intrapersonal solitary learning, which is the least popular style nationwide. It’s curious to see one state buck a near-universal preference for study buddies.
The team emphasizes the importance of recognizing that they measured search interest in learning styles, not evidence of how our brains work or how we retain information. So, this study is less about neuroscience and more a cultural snapshot of how Americans prefer to learn. While we might prefer certain learning styles, there is no evidence that a specific learning style that “matches” us makes us retain more information. Whatever the science says about styles, the map captures something real: studying is personal, regional, and shaped by culture as much as our cognition.
