- Surveys & Programs
- Data & Tools
- Fast Facts
- News & Events
- Publications & Products
- About Us
Contact Us
- IAP Home
- PIAAC
PIAAC ResultsAbout PIAACAnalyzing PIAAC Data
- Publications & Products
- Staff
- What is PIAAC?
- PIAAC Data Explorer
- Current PIAAC Household Results
-
Previous PIAAC Results
- 2012/2014 Household Results
- 2014 Prison Results
- Interactive PIAAC Results Portal
- Snapshots and Tables
- What does PIAAC measure?
- How is PIAAC administered?
- Background Questionnaires
- Cognitive Assessments
- Data Files
- Sample items
- History of International Adult Literacy Assessments
- Schedule and Plans
- Participating Countries
- Partners
- PIAAC International Site
- Frequently Asked Questions
Join NewsFlash
PIAAC 2012/2014 Results
Below are results from the 2012/2014 U.S. PIAAC Household Studies from adults ages 16 to 65 in the U.S. and 21 other countries1 in literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving in technology-rich environments.
- View and print a copy of the PIAAC First Look Report.
- View and download a copy of the Commissioner's Statement and presentation of results.
- View, download, and print additional results with standard errors from the 2012/2014 PIAAC assessment by various sample groups and variables at the PIAAC Interactive Data Portal.
Glenn
Phillip
How Do Adults in the United States Compare on the PIAAC Literacy Scale to Their Peers in Other Countries/Regions?
- Compared with the PIAAC international average distribution of literacy skills, the United States had a larger percentage of adults performing at both the top and bottom of the distribution. Thirteen percent of U.S. adults age 16-65 performed at the highest proficiency level (4/5) on the PIAAC literacy scale, which was higher than the international average of 12 percent. Eighteen percent of U.S. adults performed at the lowest level of the PIAAC literacy scale (at or below Level 1), which was higher than the international average of 16 percent.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), U.S. PIAAC 2012/2014; Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, PIAAC 2012.
- Average scores on the PIAAC literacy scale for adults age 16 to 65 ranged from 250 in Italy to 296 in Japan. The U.S. average score was 272, which was not significantly different from the PIAAC international average score. Compared with the U.S. average score, average scores in 7 countries were higher, in 6 countries they were lower, and in 8 countries they were not significantly different.
Average scores on the PIAAC literacy scale for adults age 16 to 65, by participating country and region: 2012 and 2014
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), U.S. PIAAC 2012/2014; Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, PIAAC 2012.
Have Adults in the United States Made Progress in Literacy?
- On the literacy scale, the average score for adults age 16 to 65 in the United States on the PIAAC (2012/14) was significantly higher than the score on ALL (2003-08) but was not significantly different than the score on IALS (1994-98).
Average scores on the IALS, ALL, and PIAAC literacy scales for adults in the United States age 16 to 65: Various years, 1994-2014
* Significantly different (p < .05) from PIAAC 2012/14.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Statistics Canada and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), 1994-98; Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey (ALL), 2003-08; and Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), U.S. PIAAC 2012/2014.
1 Data from Australia are not shown due to national restrictions on the use of their data.