- Surveys & Programs
- Data & Tools
- Fast Facts
- News & Events
- Publications & Products
- About Us
(551KB)| Table 602.40. | Average reading literacy, mathematics literacy, and science literacy scores of 15-year-old students, by sex and country or other education system: 2009 and 2012 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country or other education system | Reading literacy | Mathematics literacy | Science literacy | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | 2012 | 2009 | 2012 | 2009 | 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total | Male | Female | Total | Male | Female | Total | Male | Female | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | ||||||||||||
| OECD average1 | 493 | (0.5) | 496 | (0.5) | 478 | (0.6) | 515 | (0.5) | 496 | (0.5) | 494 | (0.5) | 499 | (0.6) | 489 | (0.5) | 501 | (0.5) | 501 | (0.5) | 502 | (0.6) | 500 | (0.5) |
| Australia | 515 | (2.3) | 512 | (1.6) | 495 | (2.3) | 530 | (2.0) | 514 | (2.5) | 504 | (1.6) | 510 | (2.4) | 498 | (2.0) | 527 | (2.5) | 521 | (1.8) | 524 | (2.5) | 519 | (2.1) |
| Austria | 470 | (2.9) | 490 | (2.8) | 471 | (4.0) | 508 | (3.4) | 496 | (2.7) | 506 | (2.7) | 517 | (3.9) | 494 | (3.3) | 494 | (3.2) | 506 | (2.7) | 510 | (3.9) | 501 | (3.4) |
| Belgium | 506 | (2.3) | 509 | (2.3) | 493 | (3.0) | 525 | (2.7) | 515 | (2.3) | 515 | (2.1) | 520 | (2.9) | 509 | (2.6) | 507 | (2.5) | 505 | (2.2) | 507 | (3.0) | 503 | (2.6) |
| Canada | 524 | (1.5) | 523 | (1.9) | 506 | (2.3) | 541 | (2.1) | 527 | (1.6) | 518 | (1.8) | 523 | (2.1) | 513 | (2.1) | 529 | (1.6) | 525 | (1.9) | 527 | (2.4) | 524 | (2.0) |
| Chile | 449 | (3.1) | 441 | (2.9) | 430 | (3.8) | 452 | (2.9) | 421 | (3.1) | 423 | (3.1) | 436 | (3.8) | 411 | (3.1) | 447 | (2.9) | 445 | (2.9) | 448 | (3.7) | 442 | (2.9) |
| Czech Republic | 478 | (2.9) | 493 | (2.9) | 474 | (3.3) | 513 | (3.4) | 493 | (2.8) | 499 | (2.9) | 505 | (3.7) | 493 | (3.6) | 500 | (3.0) | 508 | (3.0) | 509 | (3.7) | 508 | (3.5) |
| Denmark | 495 | (2.1) | 496 | (2.6) | 481 | (3.3) | 512 | (2.6) | 503 | (2.6) | 500 | (2.3) | 507 | (2.9) | 493 | (2.3) | 499 | (2.5) | 498 | (2.7) | 504 | (3.5) | 493 | (2.5) |
| Estonia | 501 | (2.6) | 516 | (2.0) | 494 | (2.4) | 538 | (2.3) | 512 | (2.6) | 521 | (2.0) | 523 | (2.6) | 518 | (2.2) | 528 | (2.7) | 541 | (1.9) | 540 | (2.5) | 543 | (2.3) |
| Finland | 536 | (2.3) | 524 | (2.4) | 494 | (3.1) | 556 | (2.4) | 541 | (2.2) | 519 | (1.9) | 517 | (2.6) | 520 | (2.2) | 554 | (2.3) | 545 | (2.2) | 537 | (3.0) | 554 | (2.3) |
| France | 496 | (3.4) | 505 | (2.8) | 483 | (3.8) | 527 | (3.0) | 497 | (3.1) | 495 | (2.5) | 499 | (3.4) | 491 | (2.5) | 498 | (3.6) | 499 | (2.6) | 498 | (3.8) | 500 | (2.4) |
| Germany | 497 | (2.7) | 508 | (2.8) | 486 | (2.9) | 530 | (3.1) | 513 | (2.9) | 514 | (2.9) | 520 | (3.0) | 507 | (3.4) | 520 | (2.8) | 524 | (3.0) | 524 | (3.1) | 524 | (3.5) |
| Greece | 483 | (4.3) | 477 | (3.3) | 452 | (4.1) | 502 | (3.1) | 466 | (3.9) | 453 | (2.5) | 457 | (3.3) | 449 | (2.6) | 470 | (4.0) | 467 | (3.1) | 460 | (3.8) | 473 | (3.0) |
| Hungary | 494 | (3.2) | 488 | (3.2) | 468 | (3.9) | 508 | (3.3) | 490 | (3.5) | 477 | (3.2) | 482 | (3.7) | 473 | (3.6) | 503 | (3.1) | 494 | (2.9) | 496 | (3.4) | 493 | (3.3) |
| Iceland | 500 | (1.4) | 483 | (1.8) | 457 | (2.4) | 508 | (2.5) | 507 | (1.4) | 493 | (1.7) | 490 | (2.3) | 496 | (2.3) | 496 | (1.4) | 478 | (2.1) | 477 | (2.7) | 480 | (2.9) |
| Ireland | 496 | (3.0) | 523 | (2.6) | 509 | (3.5) | 538 | (3.0) | 487 | (2.5) | 501 | (2.2) | 509 | (3.3) | 494 | (2.6) | 508 | (3.3) | 522 | (2.5) | 524 | (3.4) | 520 | (3.1) |
| Israel | 474 | (3.6) | 486 | (5.0) | 463 | (8.2) | 507 | (3.9) | 447 | (3.3) | 466 | (4.7) | 472 | (7.8) | 461 | (3.5) | 455 | (3.1) | 470 | (5.0) | 470 | (7.9) | 470 | (4.0) |
| Italy | 486 | (1.6) | 490 | (2.0) | 471 | (2.5) | 510 | (2.3) | 483 | (1.9) | 485 | (2.0) | 494 | (2.4) | 476 | (2.2) | 489 | (1.8) | 494 | (1.9) | 495 | (2.2) | 492 | (2.4) |
| Japan | 520 | (3.5) | 538 | (3.7) | 527 | (4.7) | 551 | (3.6) | 529 | (3.3) | 536 | (3.6) | 545 | (4.6) | 527 | (3.6) | 539 | (3.4) | 547 | (3.6) | 552 | (4.7) | 541 | (3.5) |
| Korea, Republic of | 539 | (3.5) | 536 | (3.9) | 525 | (5.0) | 548 | (4.5) | 546 | (4.0) | 554 | (4.6) | 562 | (5.8) | 544 | (5.1) | 538 | (3.4) | 538 | (3.7) | 539 | (4.7) | 536 | (4.2) |
| Luxembourg | 472 | (1.3) | 488 | (1.5) | 473 | (1.9) | 503 | (1.8) | 489 | (1.2) | 490 | (1.1) | 502 | (1.5) | 477 | (1.4) | 484 | (1.2) | 491 | (1.3) | 499 | (1.7) | 483 | (1.7) |
| Mexico | 425 | (2.0) | 424 | (1.5) | 411 | (1.7) | 435 | (1.6) | 419 | (1.8) | 413 | (1.4) | 420 | (1.6) | 406 | (1.4) | 416 | (1.8) | 415 | (1.3) | 418 | (1.5) | 412 | (1.3) |
| Netherlands | 508 | (5.1) | 511 | (3.5) | 498 | (4.0) | 525 | (3.5) | 526 | (4.7) | 523 | (3.5) | 528 | (3.6) | 518 | (3.9) | 522 | (5.4) | 522 | (3.5) | 524 | (3.7) | 520 | (3.9) |
| New Zealand | 521 | (2.4) | 512 | (2.4) | 495 | (3.3) | 530 | (3.5) | 519 | (2.3) | 500 | (2.2) | 507 | (3.2) | 492 | (2.9) | 532 | (2.6) | 516 | (2.1) | 518 | (3.2) | 513 | (3.3) |
| Norway | 503 | (2.6) | 504 | (3.2) | 481 | (3.3) | 528 | (3.9) | 498 | (2.4) | 489 | (2.7) | 490 | (2.8) | 488 | (3.4) | 500 | (2.6) | 495 | (3.1) | 493 | (3.2) | 496 | (3.7) |
| Poland. | 500 | (2.6) | 518 | (3.1) | 497 | (3.7) | 539 | (3.1) | 495 | (2.8) | 518 | (3.6) | 520 | (4.3) | 516 | (3.8) | 508 | (2.4) | 526 | (3.1) | 524 | (3.7) | 527 | (3.2) |
| Portugal | 489 | (3.1) | 488 | (3.8) | 468 | (4.2) | 508 | (3.7) | 487 | (2.9) | 487 | (3.8) | 493 | (4.1) | 481 | (3.9) | 493 | (2.9) | 489 | (3.7) | 488 | (4.1) | 490 | (3.8) |
| Slovak Republic | 477 | (2.5) | 463 | (4.2) | 444 | (4.6) | 483 | (5.1) | 497 | (3.1) | 482 | (3.4) | 486 | (4.1) | 477 | (4.1) | 490 | (3.0) | 471 | (3.6) | 475 | (4.3) | 467 | (4.2) |
| Slovenia | 483 | (1.0) | 481 | (1.2) | 454 | (1.7) | 510 | (1.8) | 501 | (1.2) | 501 | (1.2) | 503 | (2.0) | 499 | (2.0) | 512 | (1.1) | 514 | (1.3) | 510 | (1.9) | 519 | (1.9) |
| Spain | 481 | (2.0) | 488 | (1.9) | 474 | (2.3) | 503 | (1.9) | 483 | (2.1) | 484 | (1.9) | 492 | (2.4) | 476 | (2.0) | 488 | (2.1) | 496 | (1.8) | 500 | (2.3) | 493 | (1.9) |
| Sweden | 497 | (2.9) | 483 | (3.0) | 458 | (4.0) | 509 | (2.8) | 494 | (2.9) | 478 | (2.3) | 477 | (3.0) | 480 | (2.4) | 495 | (2.7) | 485 | (3.0) | 481 | (3.9) | 489 | (2.8) |
| Switzerland | 501 | (2.4) | 509 | (2.6) | 491 | (3.1) | 527 | (2.5) | 534 | (3.3) | 531 | (3.0) | 537 | (3.5) | 524 | (3.1) | 517 | (2.8) | 515 | (2.7) | 518 | (3.3) | 512 | (2.7) |
| Turkey | 464 | (3.5) | 475 | (4.2) | 453 | (4.6) | 499 | (4.3) | 445 | (4.4) | 448 | (4.8) | 452 | (5.1) | 444 | (5.7) | 454 | (3.6) | 463 | (3.9) | 458 | (4.5) | 469 | (4.3) |
| United Kingdom | 494 | (2.3) | 499 | (3.5) | 487 | (4.5) | 512 | (3.8) | 492 | (2.4) | 494 | (3.3) | 500 | (4.2) | 488 | (3.8) | 514 | (2.5) | 514 | (3.4) | 521 | (4.5) | 508 | (3.7) |
| United States | 500 | (3.7) | 498 | (3.7) | 482 | (4.1) | 513 | (3.8) | 487 | (3.6) | 481 | (3.6) | 484 | (3.8) | 479 | (3.9) | 502 | (3.6) | 497 | (3.8) | 497 | (4.1) | 498 | (4.0) |
| Non-OECD education systems | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Albania | 385 | (4.0) | 394 | (3.2) | 387 | (3.8) | 401 | (3.7) | 377 | (4.0) | 394 | (2.0) | 394 | (2.6) | 395 | (2.6) | 391 | (3.9) | 397 | (2.4) | 394 | (3.0) | 401 | (2.9) |
| Argentina | 398 | (4.6) | 396 | (3.7) | 377 | (4.5) | 414 | (3.6) | 388 | (4.1) | 388 | (3.5) | 396 | (4.2) | 382 | (3.4) | 401 | (4.6) | 406 | (3.9) | 402 | (4.5) | 409 | (4.0) |
| Brazil | 412 | (2.7) | 410 | (2.1) | 394 | (2.4) | 425 | (2.2) | 386 | (2.4) | 391 | (2.1) | 401 | (2.2) | 383 | (2.3) | 405 | (2.4) | 405 | (2.1) | 406 | (2.3) | 404 | (2.3) |
| Bulgaria | 429 | (6.7) | 436 | (6.0) | 403 | (6.3) | 472 | (5.6) | 428 | (5.9) | 439 | (4.0) | 438 | (4.7) | 440 | (4.2) | 439 | (5.9) | 446 | (4.8) | 437 | (5.6) | 457 | (4.6) |
| Chinese Taipei | — | (†) | 523 | (3.0) | 507 | (4.3) | 539 | (4.3) | — | (†) | 560 | (3.3) | 563 | (5.4) | 557 | (5.7) | — | (†) | 523 | (2.3) | 524 | (3.9) | 523 | (4.0) |
| Colombia | 413 | (3.7) | 403 | (3.4) | 394 | (3.9) | 412 | (3.8) | 381 | (3.2) | 376 | (2.9) | 390 | (3.4) | 364 | (3.2) | 402 | (3.6) | 399 | (3.1) | 408 | (3.4) | 390 | (3.6) |
| Connecticut-USA2 | — | (†) | 521 | (6.5) | 510 | (7.1) | 532 | (6.7) | — | (†) | 506 | (6.2) | 513 | (6.9) | 499 | (6.3) | — | (†) | 521 | (5.7) | 528 | (6.2) | 514 | (6.1) |
| Costa Rica | — | (†) | 441 | (3.5) | 427 | (3.9) | 452 | (3.5) | — | (†) | 407 | (3.0) | 420 | (3.6) | 396 | (3.1) | — | (†) | 429 | (2.9) | 436 | (3.5) | 424 | (3.2) |
| Croatia | 476 | (2.9) | 485 | (3.3) | 461 | (4.1) | 509 | (3.3) | 460 | (3.1) | 471 | (3.5) | 477 | (4.4) | 465 | (3.7) | 486 | (2.8) | 491 | (3.1) | 490 | (3.9) | 493 | (3.3) |
| Cyprus | — | (†) | 449 | (1.2) | 418 | (1.9) | 481 | (1.9) | — | (†) | 440 | (1.1) | 440 | (1.5) | 440 | (1.6) | — | (†) | 438 | (1.2) | 431 | (1.8) | 444 | (1.7) |
| Florida-USA2 | — | (†) | 492 | (6.1) | 481 | (7.0) | 503 | (5.9) | — | (†) | 467 | (5.8) | 474 | (6.3) | 460 | (6.0) | — | (†) | 485 | (6.4) | 491 | (7.4) | 478 | (6.2) |
| Hong Kong-China | 533 | (2.1) | 545 | (2.8) | 533 | (3.8) | 558 | (3.3) | 555 | (2.7) | 561 | (3.2) | 568 | (4.6) | 553 | (3.9) | 549 | (2.8) | 555 | (2.6) | 558 | (3.6) | 551 | (3.1) |
| Indonesia | 402 | (3.7) | 396 | (4.2) | 382 | (4.8) | 410 | (4.3) | 371 | (3.7) | 375 | (4.0) | 377 | (4.4) | 373 | (4.3) | 383 | (3.8) | 382 | (3.8) | 380 | (4.1) | 383 | (4.1) |
| Jordan | 405 | (3.3) | 399 | (3.6) | 361 | (5.5) | 436 | (3.1) | 387 | (3.7) | 386 | (3.1) | 375 | (5.4) | 396 | (3.1) | 415 | (3.5) | 409 | (3.1) | 388 | (5.4) | 430 | (2.9) |
| Kazakhstan | 390 | (3.1) | 393 | (2.7) | 374 | (3.4) | 411 | (2.6) | 405 | (3.0) | 432 | (3.0) | 432 | (3.4) | 432 | (3.3) | 400 | (3.1) | 425 | (3.0) | 420 | (3.4) | 429 | (3.2) |
| Latvia | 484 | (3.0) | 489 | (2.4) | 462 | (3.3) | 516 | (2.7) | 482 | (3.1) | 491 | (2.8) | 489 | (3.4) | 493 | (3.2) | 494 | (3.1) | 502 | (2.8) | 495 | (3.6) | 510 | (2.8) |
| Liechtenstein | 499 | (2.8) | 516 | (4.1) | 504 | (6.2) | 529 | (5.8) | 536 | (4.1) | 535 | (4.0) | 546 | (6.0) | 523 | (5.8) | 520 | (3.4) | 525 | (3.5) | 533 | (5.8) | 516 | (5.7) |
| Lithuania | 468 | (2.4) | 477 | (2.5) | 450 | (2.8) | 505 | (2.6) | 477 | (2.6) | 479 | (2.6) | 479 | (2.8) | 479 | (3.0) | 491 | (2.9) | 496 | (2.6) | 488 | (3.0) | 503 | (2.6) |
| Macao-China | 487 | (0.9) | 509 | (0.9) | 492 | (1.4) | 527 | (1.1) | 525 | (0.9) | 538 | (1.0) | 540 | (1.4) | 537 | (1.3) | 511 | (1.0) | 521 | (0.8) | 520 | (1.3) | 521 | (1.2) |
| Malaysia | — | (†) | 398 | (3.3) | 377 | (3.9) | 418 | (3.3) | — | (†) | 421 | (3.2) | 416 | (3.7) | 424 | (3.7) | — | (†) | 420 | (3.0) | 414 | (3.8) | 425 | (3.1) |
| Montenegro, Republic of | 408 | (1.7) | 422 | (1.2) | 391 | (2.3) | 453 | (1.5) | 403 | (2.0) | 410 | (1.1) | 410 | (1.6) | 410 | (1.6) | 401 | (2.0) | 410 | (1.1) | 402 | (1.6) | 419 | (1.6) |
| Peru | 370 | (4.0) | 384 | (4.3) | 373 | (4.0) | 395 | (5.4) | 365 | (4.0) | 368 | (3.7) | 378 | (3.6) | 359 | (4.8) | 369 | (3.5) | 373 | (3.6) | 376 | (3.5) | 370 | (4.6) |
| Massachusetts-USA2 | — | (†) | 527 | (6.1) | 511 | (6.2) | 542 | (6.6) | — | (†) | 514 | (6.2) | 518 | (6.3) | 509 | (7.1) | — | (†) | 527 | (6.0) | 529 | (6.1) | 526 | (6.8) |
| Qatar | 372 | (0.8) | 388 | (0.8) | 354 | (1.1) | 424 | (1.2) | 368 | (0.7) | 376 | (0.8) | 369 | (1.1) | 385 | (0.9) | 379 | (0.9) | 384 | (0.7) | 367 | (1.2) | 402 | (1.1) |
| Romania | 424 | (4.1) | 438 | (4.0) | 417 | (4.5) | 457 | (4.2) | 427 | (3.4) | 445 | (3.8) | 447 | (4.3) | 443 | (4.0) | 428 | (3.4) | 439 | (3.3) | 436 | (3.7) | 441 | (3.5) |
| Russian Federation | 459 | (3.3) | 475 | (3.0) | 455 | (3.5) | 495 | (3.2) | 468 | (3.3) | 482 | (3.0) | 481 | (3.7) | 483 | (3.1) | 478 | (3.3) | 486 | (2.9) | 484 | (3.5) | 489 | (2.9) |
| Serbia, Republic of | 442 | (2.4) | 446 | (3.4) | 423 | (3.9) | 469 | (3.8) | 442 | (2.9) | 449 | (3.4) | 453 | (4.1) | 444 | (3.7) | 443 | (2.4) | 445 | (3.4) | 443 | (4.0) | 447 | (3.8) |
| Shanghai-China | 556 | (2.4) | 570 | (2.9) | 557 | (3.3) | 581 | (2.8) | 600 | (2.8) | 613 | (3.3) | 616 | (4.0) | 610 | (3.4) | 575 | (2.3) | 580 | (3.0) | 583 | (3.5) | 578 | (3.1) |
| Singapore | 526 | (1.1) | 542 | (1.4) | 527 | (1.9) | 559 | (1.9) | 562 | (1.4) | 573 | (1.3) | 572 | (1.9) | 575 | (1.8) | 542 | (1.4) | 551 | (1.5) | 551 | (2.1) | 552 | (1.9) |
| Thailand | 421 | (2.6) | 441 | (3.1) | 410 | (3.6) | 465 | (3.3) | 419 | (3.2) | 427 | (3.4) | 419 | (3.6) | 433 | (4.1) | 425 | (3.0) | 444 | (2.9) | 433 | (3.3) | 452 | (3.4) |
| Tunisia | 404 | (2.9) | 404 | (4.5) | 388 | (5.0) | 418 | (4.4) | 371 | (3.0) | 388 | (3.9) | 396 | (4.3) | 381 | (4.0) | 401 | (2.7) | 398 | (3.5) | 399 | (3.9) | 398 | (3.6) |
| United Arab Emirates | — | (†) | 442 | (2.5) | 413 | (3.9) | 469 | (3.2) | — | (†) | 434 | (2.4) | 432 | (3.8) | 436 | (3.0) | — | (†) | 448 | (2.8) | 434 | (4.1) | 462 | (3.7) |
| Uruguay | 426 | (2.6) | 411 | (3.2) | 392 | (3.9) | 428 | (3.2) | 427 | (2.6) | 409 | (2.8) | 415 | (3.5) | 404 | (2.9) | 427 | (2.6) | 416 | (2.8) | 415 | (3.4) | 416 | (3.1) |
| Vietnam | — | (†) | 508 | (4.4) | 492 | (5.0) | 523 | (4.0) | — | (†) | 511 | (4.8) | 517 | (5.6) | 507 | (4.7) | — | (†) | 528 | (4.3) | 529 | (5.0) | 528 | (4.1) |
| —Not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1Refers to the mean of the data values for all Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, to which each country contributes equally regardless of the absolute size of the student population of each country. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2Results are for public school students only. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) scores are reported on a scale from 0 to 1,000. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), 2009 and 2012. (This table was prepared July 2014.) |
