Geography / 10-question mixed rounds
US state abbreviations quiz
Two letters can take you a long way.
Mixed rounds: about 3–5 minutes · No timer
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10 random questions per mixed round · 50 questions in the full bank below
Published by Quizpen · Explanations include linked supporting reading. See our source-checking process and review limits.
PRACTICE BY SKILL
Choose a focused round
Practice one part of this topic with every question in that skill. Focused practice is separate from ten-question mixed rounds.
Getting your round ready…
BEHIND THE ROUND
A little more about this quiz
Two letters can be surprisingly easy to mix up. This quiz focuses on US postal abbreviations, switching between naming a state from its code and choosing the code for a state. The bank covers all fifty states. Mixed rounds draw ten questions; focused practice offers twenty-five questions in each direction.
When two codes look alike, read the explanation before moving on: it points out the distinction in several of the trickier pairs. Use the US Postal Service reference below to check the complete list, then replay the round to see what stuck.
LEARN THE PATTERN
Learn the 50 postal abbreviations and practice both directions
Code-to-state practice tests twenty-five states; state-to-code practice tests the other twenty-five. Together the two groups cover all fifty. Use the complete reference table to practice any state in either direction.
All 50 states and their USPS postal abbreviations
Practice in both directions: give the two-letter abbreviation from the state, then name the state from the code. These are postal codes, not traditional editorial abbreviations.
| State | USPS abbreviation |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Write both letters in uppercase without periods: CA, not Calif. USPS also defines codes for the District of Columbia, territories, and other destinations; those do not add states to this fifty-state set.
Reference sources: USPS Publication 28, Appendix B: official two-letter codes
Check what you remember
Look away from the table. Try each question, then open it to check your answer.
Which codes distinguish Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, and Arkansas?Show answer
Alabama AL; Alaska AK; Arizona AZ; Arkansas AR.
Match Maine, Maryland, and Massachusetts with their codes.Show answer
Maine ME; Maryland MD; Massachusetts MA.
What is the difference between WA and DC?Show answer
WA is Washington state. DC is the District of Columbia and is outside this fifty-state question bank.
Learn the confusing families together
Compare AL–Alabama with AK–Alaska, and AR–Arkansas with AZ–Arizona. For the M states, separate ME–Maine, MD–Maryland, and MA–Massachusetts before adding MI, MN, MS, MO, and MT. The second letter carries much of the distinction.
Write the postal form exactly
USPS postal abbreviations use two uppercase letters without periods. California is CA; a traditional form such as Calif. belongs to a different style of abbreviation. Read whether a prompt gives you the state name or the code, then answer in the other direction.
Keep the fifty-state scope clear
Washington state is WA, while the District of Columbia is DC. USPS’s directory also includes territories and other destinations. Their valid postal codes do not make them extra states in this bank. The fifty rows here correspond to the fifty states tested.
Use a short error list for the next worksheet
After a round, write each missed state and code as a pair. Cover the code, recall it, then cover the state and reverse the exercise. Select those questions in the worksheet builder or pair them with the state-map quiz to connect a code, a name, and a location.
Put it into practice
Further reading: USPS Publication 28, Appendix B: official two-letter codes
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
US state abbreviations quiz: the full question sheet
A two-letter challenge across the United States. Can you tell Maine from Maryland and Alaska from Alabama?
By Quizpen · Updated
Browse the full question bank50 questions & answers
Which state uses the postal abbreviation AL?
Reveal answer
Alabama. Alabama is AL; Alaska is AK. Both names begin with “Al,” so the second letter of the postal code is the useful distinction.
Sources for this answer
What is the postal abbreviation for Alaska?
Reveal answer
AK. Alaska is AK. AL is Alabama, while AS is American Samoa; neither is an alternative abbreviation for Alaska.
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Which state uses AR?
Reveal answer
Arkansas. AR is Arkansas; Arizona is AZ.
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What is the postal abbreviation for Maine?
Reveal answer
ME. Maine uses ME. MA belongs to Massachusetts.
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Which state uses MD?
Reveal answer
Maryland. Maryland is MD, while Maine is ME and Massachusetts is MA. All three start with M, but their second letters identify different states.
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What is the postal abbreviation for Missouri?
Reveal answer
MO. Missouri uses MO. Mississippi uses MS.
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Which state uses NE?
Reveal answer
Nebraska. NE is Nebraska. Nevada uses NV.
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What is the postal abbreviation for Iowa?
Reveal answer
IA. Iowa is IA; Idaho is ID. The official codes use two letters, so the plausible-looking IO and IW are not Iowa’s postal abbreviation.
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Which state uses CT?
Reveal answer
Connecticut. Connecticut uses CT. Colorado uses CO.
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What is the postal abbreviation for West Virginia?
Reveal answer
WV. West Virginia uses WV; Virginia uses VA.
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Which state uses the postal abbreviation AZ?
Reveal answer
Arizona. Arizona is AZ; Arkansas is AR. Both begin with “Ar,” so AZ is the useful exception to remember.
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What is the postal abbreviation for California?
Reveal answer
CA. California is CA. Colorado is CO and Connecticut is CT; the second letter separates the three C-state codes.
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Which state uses the postal abbreviation CO?
Reveal answer
Colorado. Colorado is CO, using its first two letters. California is CA and Connecticut is CT.
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What is the postal abbreviation for Delaware?
Reveal answer
DE. Delaware is DE, using the first two letters of its name. It is the only state whose name starts with D.
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Which state uses the postal abbreviation FL?
Reveal answer
Florida. Florida is FL. It is the only state whose name starts with F, so the opening “Fl” is a straightforward memory cue.
Sources for this answer
What is the postal abbreviation for Georgia?
Reveal answer
GA. Georgia is GA. The code uses the name’s first and last letters as a memory cue; it is not GE.
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Which state uses the postal abbreviation HI?
Reveal answer
Hawaii. Hawaii is HI. HA and HW may look plausible, but neither is the USPS state abbreviation.
Sources for this answer
What is the postal abbreviation for Idaho?
Reveal answer
ID. Idaho is ID, using its first two letters. Iowa is IA, while Illinois and Indiana use IL and IN.
Sources for this answer
Which state uses the postal abbreviation IL?
Reveal answer
Illinois. Illinois is IL; Indiana is IN. Both begin with I, so look at the second letter before choosing.
Sources for this answer
What is the postal abbreviation for Indiana?
Reveal answer
IN. Indiana is IN; Illinois is IL. The first two letters of Indiana also give its postal code.
Sources for this answer
Which state uses the postal abbreviation KS?
Reveal answer
Kansas. Kansas is KS; Kentucky is KY. Neither uses KA, even though that looks like the start of Kansas.
Sources for this answer
What is the postal abbreviation for Kentucky?
Reveal answer
KY. Kentucky is KY; Kansas is KS. Remember the final Y in Kentucky to distinguish the two K-state codes.
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Which state uses the postal abbreviation LA?
Reveal answer
Louisiana. Louisiana is LA. In a state-code field, LA means Louisiana; the initials of Los Angeles do not change that.
Sources for this answer
What is the postal abbreviation for Massachusetts?
Reveal answer
MA. Massachusetts is MA. Maine is ME and Maryland is MD, two common sources of confusion among the M-state codes.
Sources for this answer
Which state uses the postal abbreviation MI?
Reveal answer
Michigan. Michigan is MI; Minnesota is MN, Mississippi is MS, and Missouri is MO. Each has a different second letter.
Sources for this answer
What is the postal abbreviation for Minnesota?
Reveal answer
MN. Minnesota is MN; Michigan is MI. Minnesota’s repeated N is a helpful memory cue for its second code letter.
Sources for this answer
Which state uses the postal abbreviation MS?
Reveal answer
Mississippi. Mississippi is MS; Missouri is MO. The shared “Miss” at the beginning does not make their postal codes interchangeable.
Sources for this answer
What is the postal abbreviation for Montana?
Reveal answer
MT. Montana is MT; Minnesota is MN and Missouri is MO. The T in Montana helps distinguish its code.
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Which state uses the postal abbreviation NV?
Reveal answer
Nevada. Nevada is NV; Nebraska is NE. The V in Nevada separates two states whose names both start with “Ne.”
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What is the postal abbreviation for New Hampshire?
Reveal answer
NH. New Hampshire is NH, using the first letter of each word. The other New states use NJ, NM, and NY.
Sources for this answer
Which state uses the postal abbreviation NJ?
Reveal answer
New Jersey. New Jersey is NJ, using the first letter of each word. NH means New Hampshire, while NM means New Mexico.
Sources for this answer
What is the postal abbreviation for New Mexico?
Reveal answer
NM. New Mexico is NM, using the two word initials. MN reverses those letters and means Minnesota.
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Which state uses the postal abbreviation NY?
Reveal answer
New York. New York is NY, using the first letter of each word. The code applies to the state, not only New York City.
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What is the postal abbreviation for North Carolina?
Reveal answer
NC. North Carolina is NC; South Carolina is SC. The first letter gives the direction and the second identifies Carolina.
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Which state uses the postal abbreviation ND?
Reveal answer
North Dakota. North Dakota is ND; South Dakota is SD. Both Dakota codes end in D and differ in the first letter.
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What is the postal abbreviation for Ohio?
Reveal answer
OH. Ohio is OH, using its first two letters. Oklahoma is OK and Oregon is OR.
Sources for this answer
Which state uses the postal abbreviation OK?
Reveal answer
Oklahoma. Oklahoma is OK, using its first two letters. Ohio is OH and Oregon is OR.
Sources for this answer
What is the postal abbreviation for Oregon?
Reveal answer
OR. Oregon is OR, using its first two letters. Oklahoma is OK and Ohio is OH.
Sources for this answer
Which state uses the postal abbreviation PA?
Reveal answer
Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is PA. The first and last letters of its name provide a memory cue; PE and PN are not its state code.
Sources for this answer
What is the postal abbreviation for Rhode Island?
Reveal answer
RI. Rhode Island is RI, using the first letter of each word. The entire state name is represented by these two letters.
Sources for this answer
Which state uses the postal abbreviation SC?
Reveal answer
South Carolina. South Carolina is SC; North Carolina is NC. The C distinguishes both from the Dakota codes, SD and ND.
Sources for this answer
What is the postal abbreviation for South Dakota?
Reveal answer
SD. South Dakota is SD; North Dakota is ND. The D distinguishes Dakota from Carolina in the two-letter code.
Sources for this answer
Which state uses the postal abbreviation TN?
Reveal answer
Tennessee. Tennessee is TN; Texas is TX. The N in Tennessee helps separate the two states whose names begin with T.
Sources for this answer
What is the postal abbreviation for Texas?
Reveal answer
TX. Texas is TX; Tennessee is TN. The distinctive X in Texas is a useful memory cue.
Sources for this answer
Which state uses the postal abbreviation UT?
Reveal answer
Utah. Utah is UT, using the first two letters of its name. It is the only state whose name begins with U.
Sources for this answer
What is the postal abbreviation for Vermont?
Reveal answer
VT. Vermont is VT; Virginia is VA. The final T in Vermont helps distinguish these two V-state codes.
Sources for this answer
Which state uses the postal abbreviation VA?
Reveal answer
Virginia. Virginia is VA; West Virginia is WV. West Virginia has its own code, rather than a three-letter variation of VA.
Sources for this answer
What is the postal abbreviation for Washington?
Reveal answer
WA. Washington is WA. Washington, DC uses DC and is a separate destination from Washington state.
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Which state uses the postal abbreviation WI?
Reveal answer
Wisconsin. Wisconsin is WI; Washington is WA and Wyoming is WY. The second letter matters for all three.
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What is the postal abbreviation for Wyoming?
Reveal answer
WY. Wyoming is WY, using its first two letters. Washington is WA and Wisconsin is WI.
Sources for this answer
Answer key
- Alabama. Alabama is AL; Alaska is AK. Both names begin with “Al,” so the second letter of the postal code is the useful distinction.
- AK. Alaska is AK. AL is Alabama, while AS is American Samoa; neither is an alternative abbreviation for Alaska.
- Arkansas. AR is Arkansas; Arizona is AZ.
- ME. Maine uses ME. MA belongs to Massachusetts.
- Maryland. Maryland is MD, while Maine is ME and Massachusetts is MA. All three start with M, but their second letters identify different states.
- MO. Missouri uses MO. Mississippi uses MS.
- Nebraska. NE is Nebraska. Nevada uses NV.
- IA. Iowa is IA; Idaho is ID. The official codes use two letters, so the plausible-looking IO and IW are not Iowa’s postal abbreviation.
- Connecticut. Connecticut uses CT. Colorado uses CO.
- WV. West Virginia uses WV; Virginia uses VA.
- Arizona. Arizona is AZ; Arkansas is AR. Both begin with “Ar,” so AZ is the useful exception to remember.
- CA. California is CA. Colorado is CO and Connecticut is CT; the second letter separates the three C-state codes.
- Colorado. Colorado is CO, using its first two letters. California is CA and Connecticut is CT.
- DE. Delaware is DE, using the first two letters of its name. It is the only state whose name starts with D.
- Florida. Florida is FL. It is the only state whose name starts with F, so the opening “Fl” is a straightforward memory cue.
- GA. Georgia is GA. The code uses the name’s first and last letters as a memory cue; it is not GE.
- Hawaii. Hawaii is HI. HA and HW may look plausible, but neither is the USPS state abbreviation.
- ID. Idaho is ID, using its first two letters. Iowa is IA, while Illinois and Indiana use IL and IN.
- Illinois. Illinois is IL; Indiana is IN. Both begin with I, so look at the second letter before choosing.
- IN. Indiana is IN; Illinois is IL. The first two letters of Indiana also give its postal code.
- Kansas. Kansas is KS; Kentucky is KY. Neither uses KA, even though that looks like the start of Kansas.
- KY. Kentucky is KY; Kansas is KS. Remember the final Y in Kentucky to distinguish the two K-state codes.
- Louisiana. Louisiana is LA. In a state-code field, LA means Louisiana; the initials of Los Angeles do not change that.
- MA. Massachusetts is MA. Maine is ME and Maryland is MD, two common sources of confusion among the M-state codes.
- Michigan. Michigan is MI; Minnesota is MN, Mississippi is MS, and Missouri is MO. Each has a different second letter.
- MN. Minnesota is MN; Michigan is MI. Minnesota’s repeated N is a helpful memory cue for its second code letter.
- Mississippi. Mississippi is MS; Missouri is MO. The shared “Miss” at the beginning does not make their postal codes interchangeable.
- MT. Montana is MT; Minnesota is MN and Missouri is MO. The T in Montana helps distinguish its code.
- Nevada. Nevada is NV; Nebraska is NE. The V in Nevada separates two states whose names both start with “Ne.”
- NH. New Hampshire is NH, using the first letter of each word. The other New states use NJ, NM, and NY.
- New Jersey. New Jersey is NJ, using the first letter of each word. NH means New Hampshire, while NM means New Mexico.
- NM. New Mexico is NM, using the two word initials. MN reverses those letters and means Minnesota.
- New York. New York is NY, using the first letter of each word. The code applies to the state, not only New York City.
- NC. North Carolina is NC; South Carolina is SC. The first letter gives the direction and the second identifies Carolina.
- North Dakota. North Dakota is ND; South Dakota is SD. Both Dakota codes end in D and differ in the first letter.
- OH. Ohio is OH, using its first two letters. Oklahoma is OK and Oregon is OR.
- Oklahoma. Oklahoma is OK, using its first two letters. Ohio is OH and Oregon is OR.
- OR. Oregon is OR, using its first two letters. Oklahoma is OK and Ohio is OH.
- Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is PA. The first and last letters of its name provide a memory cue; PE and PN are not its state code.
- RI. Rhode Island is RI, using the first letter of each word. The entire state name is represented by these two letters.
- South Carolina. South Carolina is SC; North Carolina is NC. The C distinguishes both from the Dakota codes, SD and ND.
- SD. South Dakota is SD; North Dakota is ND. The D distinguishes Dakota from Carolina in the two-letter code.
- Tennessee. Tennessee is TN; Texas is TX. The N in Tennessee helps separate the two states whose names begin with T.
- TX. Texas is TX; Tennessee is TN. The distinctive X in Texas is a useful memory cue.
- Utah. Utah is UT, using the first two letters of its name. It is the only state whose name begins with U.
- VT. Vermont is VT; Virginia is VA. The final T in Vermont helps distinguish these two V-state codes.
- Virginia. Virginia is VA; West Virginia is WV. West Virginia has its own code, rather than a three-letter variation of VA.
- WA. Washington is WA. Washington, DC uses DC and is a separate destination from Washington state.
- Wisconsin. Wisconsin is WI; Washington is WA and Wyoming is WY. The second letter matters for all three.
- WY. Wyoming is WY, using its first two letters. Washington is WA and Wisconsin is WI.