Chapter 6: International Comparisons of Education

This chapter offers a broad perspective on education across the nations of the world. It also provides an international context for examining the condition of education in the United States. Insights into the educational practices and outcomes of the United States are obtained by comparing them with those of other countries. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) carries out a variety of activities in order to provide statistical data for international comparisons of education.

This chapter presents data drawn from materials prepared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD); and the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). Basic summary data on enrollments, teachers, enrollment ratios, and finances were synthesized from information appearing in Education at a Glance, published by OECD, and from data collected by UNESCO. Even though their tabulations are carefully prepared, international data users should be cautioned about the many problems of definition and reporting involved in the collection of data about the educational systems of the world (see the OECD and UNESCO entries in Appendix A: Guide to Sources).

Also presented in this chapter are data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), carried out under the aegis of IEA and supported by NCES. This survey was formerly known as the Third International Mathematics and Science Study. TIMSS, conducted every 4 years, is an assessment of fourth- and eighth-graders in mathematics and science. In 1995, TIMSS collected data for both grade 4 and grade 8. In 1999, TIMSS collected data for grade 8 only. In 2003 and 2007, data were again collected at both grade levels. TIMSS offers comparisons of mathematics and science achievement between years for those countries that participated in more than one of the grade 4 data collection years (1995, 2003, and 2007) or more than one of the grade 8 data collection years (1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007).

This chapter includes additional information on performance scores of 15-year-olds in the areas of reading, mathematics, and science literacy from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). PISA also measures general, or cross-curricular, competencies such as learning strategies. While this study focuses on OECD countries, data from some non-OECD countries are also provided. Further information on survey methodologies is in Appendix A: Guide to Sources and in the publications cited in the table source notes.

Population

Among the reporting OECD countries in 2007, Mexico had the largest percentage of its population made up of young people ages 5 to 14 (21 percent), followed by Turkey (19 percent) (table 405). Countries with relatively small percentages of people in this age group included Italy, Japan, and Spain (all at 9 percent) and the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, and Portugal (all at 10 percent). In the United States, the proportion of 5- to 14-year-olds was 13 percent, which was higher than in most of the other OECD countries.

Enrollments

In 2008, about 1.4 billion students were enrolled in schools around the world (table 403). Of these students, 696 million were in elementary-level programs, 526 million were in secondary programs, and 159 million were in postsecondary programs. From 2000 to 2008, enrollment changes varied from region to region. Changes in elementary enrollment ranged from increases of 41 percent in Africa, 2 percent in Asia, and 2 percent in Oceania to decreases of 11 percent in Europe, 3 percent in Central and South America, and 2 percent in Northern America (defined in UNESCO tabulations as including the United States, Canada, Greenland, Bermuda, St. Pierre, and Miquelon) (table F, table 403, and figure 26). Over the same period, enrollments generally increased at the secondary level. Secondary enrollment increased by 44 percent in Africa, 24 percent in Asia, 9 percent in Northern America, 8 percent in Central and South America, and 3 percent in Oceania, but decreased by 15 percent in Europe.

Table F. Population and enrollment at different levels in major areas of the world: 2000 and 2008

At the postsecondary level, enrollments increased in all major areas of the world from 2000 to 2008 (table F, table 403, and figure 26). Postsecondary enrollment rose by 86 percent in Asia, 77 percent in Central and South America, 47 percent in Africa, 36 percent in Northern America, 33 percent in Oceania, and 32 percent in Europe. These increases are due to both growth in the percentages of people attending postsecondary institutions and population increases.

In 2007, the reporting OECD country with the highest proportion of 22- to 25-year-olds enrolled in postsecondary education was Finland (39 percent), followed by Denmark and the Republic of Korea (both at 34 percent), Poland (31 percent), Sweden (30 percent), and Norway (29 percent) (table 406). The United States’ proportion of enrolled 22- to 25-year-olds was 24 percent. Also in 2007, the reporting OECD country with the highest proportion of 18- to 21-year-olds enrolled in postsecondary education was the Republic of Korea (69 percent), followed by Greece (47 percent), the United States (45 percent), and Belgium (43 percent). Postsecondary enrollment varied among countries due partially to differences in how postsecondary education is defined and the age at which postsecondary education begins. For example, programs classified as postsecondary education in some countries may be classified as long-duration secondary education in other countries.

Achievement

On the 2007 TIMSS mathematics assessment, U.S. fourth-graders’ average score (529) was higher than the average mathematics scores of fourth-graders in 23 of the 35 other participating educational systems, lower than the scores in 8 educational systems, and not measurably different from the scores in the remaining 4 educational systems (table 412). (Average scale scores from the TIMSS assessment are based on a range of possible scores from 0 to 1,000. Most participating educational systems represent countries; however, some represent subnational entities with separate educational systems, such as Hong Kong SAR.¹ ) The educational systems that outperformed the United States in fourth-grade mathematics—namely, Chinese Taipei, England, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, the Russian Federation, and Singapore—were all located in Asia or Europe. In 2007, U.S. eighth-graders’ average mathematics score (508) was higher than the average scores of eighth-graders in 37 of the 47 other participating educational systems, lower than the scores in 5 educational systems, and not measurably different from the scores in the remaining 5 educational systems (table 413). All of the educational systems that outperformed the United States in eighth-grade mathematics were in Asia (Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore).

On the 2007 TIMSS science assessment, U.S. fourth-graders’ average score (539) was higher than the average science scores of fourth-graders in 25 of the 35 other participating educational systems, lower than the scores in 4 educational systems (all of them located in Asia), and not measurably different from the scores in the remaining 6 educational systems (table 417). The educational systems that outperformed the United States in fourth-grade science were Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, and Singapore. In 2007, U.S. eighth-graders’ average science score (520) was higher than the average scores of eighth-graders in 35 of the 47 other educational systems, lower than the scores in 9 educational systems (all located in Asia or Europe), and not measurably different from the scores in the remaining 3 educational systems (table 418). The educational systems that outperformed the United States in eighth-grade science were Chinese Taipei, the Czech Republic, England, Hungary, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, Slovenia, and Singapore.

On the 2009 PISA, U.S. 15-year-olds’ average score in reading literacy was 500, which was not measurably different from the OECD average of 493 (table 408). (Possible scores on PISA assessments range from 0 to 1,000.) The average reading literacy score in the United States was lower than the average score in 6 of the 33 other OECD countries, higher than the average score in 13 of the other OECD countries, and not measurably different from the average score in 14 of the OECD countries. Comparable reading literacy results were also reported for 31 non-OECD jurisdictions, 3 of which had higher average scores than the United States. In all participating OECD countries and non-OECD jurisdictions, girls outperformed boys in reading. The U.S. gender gap in reading (25 points) was smaller than the OECD average gap (39 points) and smaller than the gaps in 24 of the OECD countries and 21 of the non-OECD jurisdictions.

In mathematics literacy, U.S. 15-year-olds’ average score of 487 on the 2009 PISA was lower than the OECD average score of 496. The average mathematics literacy score in the United States was lower than the average score in 17 of the 33 other OECD countries, higher than the average score in 5 of the other OECD countries, and not measurably different from the average score in 11 of the OECD countries. In 6 of the 31 non-OECD jurisdictions, the mathematics literacy scores of 15-year-olds were higher than the average score in the United States. In science literacy, the average score of 15-year-olds in the United States was not measurably different from the OECD average score. The U.S. average science literacy score was lower than the average score in 12 of the 33 other OECD countries, higher than the average score in 9 of the other OECD countries, and not measurably different from the average score in 12 of the OECD countries. In 6 of the 31 non-OECD jurisdictions, the science literacy scores of 15-year-olds were higher than the average score in the United States.

Educational Attainment

In 2008, the percentage of 25- to 64-year-olds who had completed high school varied among reporting OECD countries (table 420). Countries with relatively high percentages included the Czech Republic (91 percent), the Slovak Republic (90 percent), and the United States (89 percent). Relatively low percentages of 25- to 64-year-olds were high school completers in Portugal (28 percent), Turkey (30 percent), and Mexico (34 percent).

In 2008, OECD countries reporting relatively high percentages of 25- to 64-year-olds with a bachelor’s or higher degree included Norway (34 percent), the United States (32 percent), and the Netherlands (30 percent) (table 421). Countries with relatively low percentages of 25- to 64-year-olds who had attained a bachelor’s or higher degree included Austria (11 percent) and Turkey (12 percent).

Degrees

In OECD countries, the number of bachelor’s degrees conferred per 100 people at the typical age at graduation in 2007 ranged from 15 in Chile, 17 in Turkey, and 18 in Mexico to 61 in Australia and 63 in Iceland (table 422 and figure 27). In the United States, the number was 37 degrees per 100 people. In 28 of the 30 OECD countries reporting data in 2007, the number was higher for women than for men.

The percentages of undergraduate degrees awarded in mathematics and science fields—including natural sciences, mathematics and computer science, and engineering—varied across the 30 reporting OECD countries in 2007 (table 423). Two of the reporting OECD countries awarded more than 30 percent of their undergraduate degrees in mathematics and science fields: the Republic of Korea (36 percent) and Portugal (33 percent). Four of the countries awarded 15 percent or less of their undergraduate degrees in mathematics and science fields: Norway and Iceland (13 percent each), the Netherlands (14 percent), and Hungary (15 percent). In 2007, the United States awarded 16 percent of its undergraduate degrees in mathematics and science fields, a lower percentage than most other reporting countries. The percentages of graduate degrees awarded in mathematics and science fields also ranged widely across countries in 2007 (table 424). Nine of the reporting OECD countries awarded more than 29 percent of their graduate degrees in mathematics and science fields: Japan (48 percent), Austria (47 percent), Portugal and the Republic of Korea (39 percent each), Finland (35 percent), Germany and the Slovak Republic (32 percent each), Switzerland (31 percent), and France (30 percent). Seven OECD countries awarded 15 percent or less of their graduate degrees in mathematics and science fields: Hungary (8 percent); Chile, Iceland, and Poland (11 percent each); the United States and Mexico (13 percent each); and the Netherlands (15 percent).

Finances

In 2007, per student expenditures at the elementary level of education were over $8,500 in 7 of the 28 OECD countries reporting finance data (table 425). Specifically, Luxembourg spent $14,000 per student at the elementary education level; the United States spent $10,200; Norway spent $9,900; Iceland spent $9,600; Denmark and Switzerland each spent $9,200; and Austria spent $8,700. At the secondary level, six countries had expenditures of over $10,000 per student: Luxembourg ($17,900); Switzerland ($14,000); Norway ($12,000); the United States ($11,300); Austria ($10,600); and the Netherlands ($10,200). At the higher education level, the following eight countries had expenditures of at least $15,000 per student in 2007: the United States ($27,000); Switzerland ($20,900); Sweden ($18,400); Norway ($17,100); Denmark ($16,500); the Netherlands ($16,000); the United Kingdom ($15,500); and Austria ($15,000). These expenditures were adjusted to U.S. dollars using the purchasing-power-parity (PPP) index. This index is considered more stable and comparable than indexes using currency exchange rates.

A comparison of public direct expenditures on education as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) in reporting OECD countries shows that national investment in education in 2007 ranged from 3.1 percent in Chile, 3.3 percent in Japan, and 3.4 percent in the Slovak Republic to 7.0 percent in Iceland, 6.6 percent in Denmark, and 6.1 percent in Sweden (table 426 and figure 28). Among reporting OECD countries, the average public investment in education in 2007 was 4.8 percent of GDP. In the United States, the public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP was 5.0 percent.

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