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Preprimary, Elementary, and Secondary Education

International Comparisons: Reading, Mathematics, and Science Literacy of 15-Year-Old Students

Last Updated: May 2024
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This indicator also appears under International Comparisons.
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In 2022, there were 5 PISA-participating education systems with higher average reading literacy scores for 15-year-olds than the United States, 25 with higher mathematics literacy scores, and 9 with higher science literacy scores.
The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), coordinated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), has measured the performance of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics, and science literacy every 3 years since 2000, except for a 1-year delay in the current cycle (from 2021 to 2022) due to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2022, PISA was administered in 81 countries and education systems,1 including 37 member countries of the OECD.
PISA 2022 results in this indicator are reported by average scale scores, which range from 0 to 1,000.2 In addition to reporting overall scores, this indicator also presents international comparisons of achievement scores by student gender.3
In 2022, there were 5 education systems with higher average reading literacy scores for 15-year-olds than the United States, 25 with higher mathematics literacy scores, and 9 with higher science literacy scores. On average in the United States, female students scored 22 points higher than male students on the reading literacy scale and male students scored 13 points higher than female students on the mathematics literacy scale. The male–female average score gaps in reading and mathematics in the United States were not measurably different from the OECD average score gaps. There was no measurable difference between the average science scores of male and female students in the United States or on average across the participating OECD education systems.

Select a subgroup characteristic from the drop-down menu below to view relevant text and figures.

International
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All available findings Sex or gender
Table 1. Average scores and differences from U.S. average score of 15-year-old students on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) reading literacy scale, by education system: 2022
Education system Average score Difference from U.S average score    Education system Average score Difference from U.S average score
OECD average 476 -28    Greece 438 -65
Singapore 543 39    Iceland 436 -68
Ireland 516 12 !    Uruguay 430 -74
Japan 516 12 !    Brunei Darussalam 429 -75
Korea, Republic of 515 11 !    Romania 428 -75
Chinese Taipei 515 11 !    Ukraine (18 of 27 Regions)¹ 428 -76
Estonia 511       Qatar 419 -85
Macau (China) 510       United Arab Emirates 417 -87
Canada 507       Mexico¹ 415 -89
United States 504          Costa Rica 415 -89
New Zealand 501       Moldova, Republic of 411 -93
Hong Kong (China) 500       Brazil 410 -94
Australia 498       Jamaica¹ 410 -94
United Kingdom 494       Colombia¹ 409 -95
Finland 490 -14 !    Peru 408 -96
Denmark 489 -15 !    Montenegro, Republic of 405 -99
Poland 489 -15 !    Bulgaria 404 -100
Czech Republic 489 -15 !    Argentina 401 -103
Sweden 487 -17    Panama¹ 392 -112
Switzerland 483 -21    Malaysia¹ 388 -116
Italy 482 -22    Kazakhstan 386 -118
Austria 480 -24    Saudi Arabia 383 -121
Germany 480 -24    Cyprus 381 -123
Belgium 479 -25    Thailand¹ 379 -125
Portugal 477 -27    Mongolia 378 -126
Norway 477 -27    Guatemala² 374 -130
Croatia 475 -28    Georgia 374 -130
Latvia 475 -29    Paraguay¹ 373 -131
Spain 474 -30    Baku (Azerbaijan)¹ 365 -139
France 474 -30    El Salvador¹ 365 -139
Israel 474 -30    Indonesia 359 -145
Hungary 473 -31    North Macedonia 359 -145
Lithuania 472 -32    Albania 358 -146
Slovenia 469 -35    Dominican Republic¹ 351 -153
Vietnam¹ 462 -42    Palestinian Authority 349 -155
Netherlands 459 -45    Philippines 347 -157
Türkiye¹ 456 -48    Kosovo 342 -162
Chile 448 -56    Jordan 342 -162
Slovak Republic 447 -57    Morocco 339 -165
Malta 445 -59    Uzbekistan 336 -168
Serbia 440 -64    Cambodia² 329 -175

Average score is higher than U.S. average score at the .05 level of statistical significance.

Average score is lower than U.S. average score at the .05 level of statistical significance.

Average score is not measurably different from U.S. average score at the .05 level of statistical significance.

! Interpret with caution. Estimate is unstable because the standard error is between 30 and 50 percent of the estimate.

1 At least 50 percent but less than 75 percent of the 15-year-old population is covered by the PISA sample.

2 Less than 50 percent of the 15-year-old population is covered by the PISA sample.

NOTE: Scores are reported on a scale from 0 to 1,000. Differences were computed using unrounded numbers. Education systems are ordered by their average scores in 2022. Italics indicate non-OECD countries and education systems. Education systems are marked as OECD countries if they were OECD members in 2022. All OECD members except for Luxembourg participated in the PISA 2022 cycle. The OECD average is the average of the national averages of the participating OECD member countries, with each country weighted equally. One or more PISA sampling standards were not met in the following countries: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong (China), Ireland, Jamaica, Latvia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, United Kingdom, and United States. Caution is required when comparing estimates for Vietnam based on PISA 2022 with other jurisdictions as a strong linkage to the international PISA reading scale could not be established. Some apparent differences between estimates may not be statistically significant.

Student Assessment (PISA), 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2023, from Highlights of PISA 2022 U.S. Results, table R1.

In reading literacy, average scores in 2022 ranged from 329 in Cambodia to 543 in Singapore. The U.S. average reading literacy score (504) was higher than the OECD average score (476). Compared with the 80 other education systems in PISA 2022, the U.S. average reading literacy score was
  • higher than the average in 68 education systems;
  • lower than the average in 5 education systems; and
  • not measurably different from the average in 7 education systems.
Figure 1. Differences in average scores of 15-year-old male and female students on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) reading literacy scale, by education system: 2022
Figure 1. Differences in average scores of 15-year-old male and female students on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) reading literacy scale, by education system: 2022

The difference in average scores of 15-year-old male and female students is not measurably different (p < .05) at the .05 level of statistical significance.

! Interpret data with caution. Estimate is unstable due to high coefficient of variation (>30 percent and =50 percent).

* The difference in average scores of 15-year-old male and female students is measurably different (p < .05) at the .05 level of statistical significance.

1 At least 50 percent but less than 75 percent of the 15-year-old population is covered by the PISA sample.

2 Less than 50 percent of the 15-year-old population is covered by the PISA sample.

NOTE: Scores are reported on a scale from 0 to 1,000. Differences were computed using unrounded numbers. The graphic shows education systems ordered by the absolute male–female difference in 2022 average scores. Italics indicate non-OECD countries and education systems. Education systems are marked as OECD countries if they were OECD members in 2022. All OECD members except for Luxembourg participated in the PISA 2022 cycle. The OECD average is the average of the national averages of the participating OECD member countries, with each country weighted equally. One or more PISA sampling standards were not met in the following countries: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong (China), Ireland, Jamaica, Latvia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, United Kingdom, and United States. Caution is required when comparing estimates for Vietnam based on PISA 2022 with other jurisdictions as a strong linkage to the international PISA reading scale could not be established. Some apparent differences between estimates may not be statistically significant. Figures are plotted based on unrounded data.

SOURCE: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2024, from Highlights of PISA 2022 U.S. Results, figure R6.

In the United States, the average reading literacy scores were 515 for female students and 493 for male students. The U.S. female–male score difference (22 points) was not measurably different from the OECD average score difference. Among the 81 education systems participating in PISA,
  • female students scored higher, on average, in 79 education systems, with score gaps ranging from 8 points in Mexico and Peru to 54 points in Cyprus; and
  • there was no measurable difference in the average scores between male and female students in 2 education systems (Costa Rica and Chile).
[Sex or gender]
Table 2. Average scores and differences from U.S. average score of 15-year-old students on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) mathematics literacy scale, by education system: 2022
Education system Average score Difference from U.S average score    Education system Average score Difference from U.S average score
OECD average 472     Ukraine (18 of 27 Regions)¹ 441 -24
Singapore 575 110   Serbia 440 -25
Macau (China) 552 87   United Arab Emirates 431 -34
Chinese Taipei 547 82   Greece 430 -35
Hong Kong (China) 540 75   Romania 428 -37
Japan 536 71   Kazakhstan 425 -39
Korea, Republic of 527 62   Mongolia 425 -40
Estonia 510 45   Cyprus 418 -47
Switzerland 508 43   Bulgaria 417 -48
Canada 497 32   Moldova, Republic of 414 -51
Netherlands 493 28   Qatar 414 -51
Ireland 492 27   Chile 412 -53
Belgium 489 25   Uruguay 409 -56
Denmark 489 24   Malaysia 409 -56
United Kingdom 489 24   Montenegro, Republic of 406 -59
Poland 489 24   Baku (Azerbaijan)¹ 397 -68
Austria 487 22   Mexico¹ 395 -70
Australia 487 22   Thailand¹ 394 -71
Czech Republic 487 22   Peru 391 -74
Slovenia 485 20   Georgia 390 -75
Finland 484 19   Saudi Arabia 389 -76
Latvia 483 18   North Macedonia 389 -76
Sweden 482 17   Costa Rica 385 -80
New Zealand 479 14 !   Colombia¹ 383 -82
Lithuania 475 10 !   Brazil 379 -86
Germany 475 10 !!   Argentina 378 -87
France 474     Jamaica¹ 377 -87
Spain 473     Albania 368 -97
Hungary 473     Palestinian Authority 366 -99
Portugal 472     Indonesia 366 -99
Italy 471     Morocco 365 -100
Vietnam¹ 469     Uzbekistan 364 -101
Norway 468     Jordan 361 -104
Malta 466     Panama¹ 357 -108
United States 465       Kosovo 355 -110
Slovak Republic 464     Philippines 355 -110
Croatia 463     Guatemala² 344 -121
Iceland 459     El Salvador¹ 343 -121
Israel 458     Dominican Republic¹ 339 -126
Türkiye¹ 453 -12 !   Paraguay¹ 338 -127
Brunei Darussalam 442 -23   Cambodia² 336 -128

Average score is higher than U.S. average score at the .05 level of statistical significance.

Average score is lower than U.S. average score at the .05 level of statistical significance.

Average score is not measurably different from U.S. average score at the .05 level of statistical significance.

! Interpret data with caution. Estimate is unstable because the standard error is between 30 and 50 percent of the estimate.

!! Interpret data with caution. Estimate is unstable because the standard error represents more than 50 percent of the estimate.

1 At least 50 percent but less than 75 percent of the 15-year-old population is covered by the PISA sample.

2 Less than 50 percent of the 15-year-old population is covered by the PISA sample.

NOTE: Scores are reported on a scale from 0 to 1,000. Differences were computed using unrounded numbers. Education systems are ordered by their average scores in 2022. Italics indicate non-OECD countries and education systems. Education systems are marked as OECD countries if they were OECD members in 2022. All OECD members except for Luxembourg participated in the PISA 2022 cycle. The OECD average is the average of the national averages of the participating OECD member countries, with each country weighted equally. One or more PISA sampling standards were not met in the following countries: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong (China), Ireland, Jamaica, Latvia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, United Kingdom, and United States. Some apparent differences between estimates may not be statistically significant.

SOURCE: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2023, from Highlights of PISA 2022 U.S. Results, table M1.

In mathematics literacy, average scores in 2022 ranged from 336 in Cambodia to 575 in Singapore. The U.S. average mathematics literacy score (465) was not measurably different from the OECD average score. Compared with the 80 other education systems in PISA 2022, the U.S. average mathematics literacy score was
  • higher than the average in 43 education systems;
  • lower than the average in 25 education systems; and
  • not measurably different from the average in 12 education systems.
Figure 2. Differences in average scores of 15-year-old male and female students on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) mathematics literacy scale, by education system: 2022
Figure 2. Differences in average scores of 15-year-old male and female students on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) mathematics literacy scale, by education system: 2022

The difference in average scores of 15-year-old male and female students is not measurably different (p < .05) at the .05 level of statistical significance.

! Interpret data with caution. Estimate is unstable due to high coefficient of variation (>30 percent and =50 percent).

!! Interpret data with caution. Estimate is unstable because the standard error represents more than 50 percent of the estimate.

* The difference in average scores of 15-year-old male and female students is measurably different (p < .05) at the .05 level of statistical significance.

1 Less than 50 percent of the 15-year-old population is covered by the PISA sample.

2 At least 50 percent but less than 75 percent of the 15-year-old population is covered by the PISA sample.

NOTE: Scores are reported on a scale from 0 to 1,000. Differences were computed using unrounded numbers. The graphic shows education systems ordered by the absolute male–female difference in 2022 average scores. Italics indicate non-OECD countries and education systems. Education systems are marked as OECD countries if they were OECD members in 2022. All OECD members except for Luxembourg participated in the PISA 2022 cycle. The OECD average is the average of the national averages of the participating OECD member countries, with each country weighted equally. One or more PISA sampling standards were not met in the following countries: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong (China), Ireland, Jamaica, Latvia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, United Kingdom, and United States. Some apparent differences between estimates may not be statistically significant. Figures are plotted based on unrounded data.

SOURCE: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2024, from Highlights of PISA 2022 U.S. Results, figure M6.

In the United States, the average mathematics literacy scores were 471 for male students and 458 for female students. The U.S. male–female score difference (13 points) was not measurably different from the OECD average score difference. Among the 81 education systems participating in PISA,
  • male students scored higher, on average, in 40 education systems, with score gaps ranging from 5 points in Lithuania to 21 points in Italy;
  • female students scored higher, on average, in 17 education systems, with score gaps ranging from 4 points in the Dominican Republic and Morocco to 19 points in Albania; and
  • there was no measurable difference in the average scores between male and female students in 24 education systems.
    • [Sex or gender]
Table 3. Average scores and differences from U.S. average score of 15-year-old students on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) science literacy scale, by education system: 2022
Education system Average score Difference from U.S average score    Education system Average score Difference from U.S average score
OECD average 485 -15   Iceland 447 -52
Singapore 561 62   Brunei Darussalam 446 -54
Japan 547 47   Chile 444 -56
Macau (China) 543 44   Greece 441 -59
Chinese Taipei 537 38   Uruguay 435 -64
Korea, Republic of 528 28   Qatar 432 -67
Estonia 526 26   United Arab Emirates 432 -67
Hong Kong (China) 520 21   Romania 428 -72
Canada 515 16 !   Kazakhstan 423 -76
Finland 511 12 !   Bulgaria 421 -78
Australia 507     Moldova, Republic of 417 -83
New Zealand 504     Malaysia¹ 416 -83
Ireland 504     Mongolia 412 -87
Switzerland 503     Colombia¹ 411 -88
Slovenia 500     Costa Rica 411 -88
United Kingdom 500     Cyprus 411 -89
United States 499       Mexico¹ 410 -90
Poland 499     Thailand¹ 409 -90
Czech Republic 498     Peru 408 -92
Latvia 494     Argentina 406 -93
Denmark 494     Montenegro, Republic of 403 -96
Sweden 494     Brazil 403 -96
Germany 492     Jamaica¹ 403 -96
Austria 491     Saudi Arabia 390 -109
Belgium 491     Panama¹ 388 -112
Netherlands 488     Georgia 384 -115
France 487 -12 !   Indonesia 383 -117
Hungary 486 -14 !   Baku (Azerbaijan)¹ 380 -119
Spain 485 -15 !   North Macedonia 380 -120
Lithuania 484 -15 !   Albania 376 -123
Portugal 484 -15 !   Jordan 375 -125
Croatia 483 -17   El Salvador¹ 373 -126
Norway 478 -21   Guatemala² 373 -126
Italy 477 -22   Palestinian Authority 369 -131
Türkiye¹ 476 -23   Paraguay¹ 368 -131
Vietnam¹ 472 -27   Morocco 365 -134
Malta 466 -34   Dominican Republic¹ 360 -139
Israel 465 -35   Kosovo 357 -142
Slovak Republic 462 -37   Philippines 356 -143
Ukraine (18 of 27 Regions)¹ 450 -49   Uzbekistan 355 -145
Serbia 447 -52   Cambodia² 347 -152

Average score is higher than U.S. average score at the .05 level of statistical significance.

Average score is lower than U.S. average score at the .05 level of statistical significance.

Average score is not measurably different from U.S. average score at the .05 level of statistical significance.

! Interpret data with caution. Estimate is unstable because the standard error is between 30 and 50 percent of the estimate.

1 At least 50 percent but less than 75 percent of the 15-year-old population is covered by the PISA sample.

2 Less than 50 percent of the 15-year-old population is covered by the PISA sample.

NOTE: Scores are reported on a scale from 0 to 1,000. Differences were computed using unrounded numbers. Education systems are ordered by their average scores in 2022. Italics indicate non-OECD countries and education systems. Education systems are marked as OECD countries if they were OECD members in 2022. All OECD members except for Luxembourg participated in the PISA 2022 cycle. The OECD average is the average of the national averages of the participating OECD member countries, with each country weighted equally. One or more PISA sampling standards were not met in the following countries: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong (China), Ireland, Jamaica, Latvia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, United Kingdom, and United States. Some apparent differences between estimates may not be statistically significant.

SOURCE: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2023, from Highlights of PISA 2022 U.S. Results, table S1.

In science literacy, average scores in 2022 ranged from 347 in Cambodia to 561 in Singapore. The U.S. average science literacy score (499) was higher than the OECD average score (485). Compared with the 80 other education systems in PISA 2022, the U.S. average science literacy score was
  • higher than the average in 56 education systems;
  • lower than the average in 9 education systems; and
  • not measurably different from the average in 15 education systems.
Figure 3. Differences in average scores of 15-year-old male and female students on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) science literacy scale, by education system: 2022
Figure 3. Differences in average scores of 15-year-old male and female students on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) science literacy scale, by education system: 2022

The difference in average scores of 15-year-old male and female students is not measurably different (p < .05) at the .05 level of statistical significance.

! Interpret data with caution. Estimate is unstable due to high coefficient of variation (>30 percent and =50 percent).

!! Interpret data with caution. Estimate is unstable because the standard error represents more than 50 percent of the estimate.

* The difference in average scores of 15-year-old male and female students is measurably different (p < .05) at the .05 level of statistical significance.

1 At least 50 percent but less than 75 percent of the 15-year-old population is covered by the PISA sample.

2 Less than 50 percent of the 15-year-old population is covered by the PISA sample.

NOTE: Scores are reported on a scale from 0 to 1,000. Differences were computed using unrounded numbers. The graphic shows education systems ordered by the absolute male–female difference in 2022 average scores. Italics indicate non-OECD countries and education systems. Education systems are marked as OECD countries if they were OECD members in 2022. All OECD members except for Luxembourg participated in the PISA 2022 cycle. The OECD average is the average of the national averages of the participating OECD member countries, with each country weighted equally. One or more PISA sampling standards were not met in the following countries: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong (China), Ireland, Jamaica, Latvia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, United Kingdom, and United States. Some apparent differences between estimates may not be statistically significant. Figures are plotted based on unrounded data.

SOURCE: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2024, from Highlights of PISA 2022 U.S. Results, figure S6.

In the United States, the average science literacy scores did not differ measurably between male and female students. There was also no measurable difference in science literacy scores between male and female students in OECD countries, on average. Among the 81 education systems participating in PISA,
  • female students scored higher, on average, in 33 education systems, with score gaps ranging from 5 points in Kazakhstan to 33 points in Jordan;
  • male students scored higher, on average, in 15 education systems, with score gaps ranging from 5 points in Spain and Brazil to 15 points in Costa Rica; and
  • there was no measurable difference in the average scores between male and female students in 33 education systems, including the United States.
[Sex or gender]

1 In this indicator, “education systems” refer to all entities participating in PISA, including countries as well as subnational entities (e.g., cities or provinces).

2 PISA results are also reported by the percentage of students reaching particular proficiency levels. For more information, see Highlights of PISA 2022 U.S. Results.

3 For general technical notes related to data analysis, data interpretation, rounding, and other considerations, please refer to the Reader’s Guide.

Supplemental Information

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Table M1. (PISA 2022 First Look Report table): Average scores of 15-year-old students on the PISA mathematics literacy scale, by education system: 2022
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Table M6. (PISA 2022 First Look Report table): Average scores of 15-year-old male and female students on the PISA mathematics literacy scale, by education system: 2022
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Table R1. (PISA 2022 First Look Report table): Average scores of 15-year-old students on the PISA reading literacy scale, by education system: 2022
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Table R6. (PISA 2022 First Look Report table): Average scores of 15-year-old male and female students on the PISA reading literacy scale, by education system: 2022
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Table S1. (PISA 2022 First Look Report table): Average scores of 15-year-old students on the PISA science literacy scale, by education system: 2022
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Table S6. (PISA 2022 First Look Report table): Average scores of 15-year-old male and female students on the PISA science literacy scale, by education system: 2022
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Suggested Citation

National Center for Education Statistics. (2024). International Comparisons: Reading, Mathematics, and Science Literacy of 15-Year-Old Students. Condition of Education. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved [date], from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cnu.
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