U.S. Adults Score on Par With International Average in Literacy Skills, Below International Average in Numeracy and Problem-Solving Skills in Survey of Adult Skills

December 10, 2024

Average literacy and numeracy scores of U.S. adults lower in 2023 than in 2017

WASHINGTON (December 10, 2024) — The literacy skills of working-age U.S. adults were on par with the international average in the latest round of a major international study of basic cognitive and workplace skills, according to new data released today by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The data, from the 2023 Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), show that the average U.S. literacy score was not measurably different from the international average. The average U.S. scores in numeracy and adaptive problem solving were lower than the international averages.

“When you look at the average skills in the U.S. population compared with our economic peers, we appear to be better in reading literacy. Our international rankings in numeracy and problem solving are lower than in literacy,” said NCES Commissioner Peggy G. Carr. “However, the picture is more positive across subjects when we compare our highest skilled adults with the rest of the world. In fact, in numeracy, historically the weakest area for the U.S., the percentage of American adults reaching the very top level of proficiency has risen over the past decade and the percentage reaching that highest level is comparable with some of the top-performing economies in the world.”

The United States was tied for 14th in literacy skills among the 31 countries and subnational economies that participated in the study in 2023; 13 participants had higher average scores, 14 had lower scores, and 3 were not measurably different from the United States. In numeracy, the United States was among the lower half of participants, with an average score below 23 other countries, not measurably different from 4 countries, and higher than 3 countries. In adaptive problem solving, the United States ranked 15th along with 5 other countries.

“There is a ‘dwindling middle’ in the U.S. in terms of skills,” Commissioner Carr explained. “Over time, we’re seeing more Americans clustered at the bottom levels of proficiency. The result has been a widening skills gap between adults at the higher and lower skill levels compounded by a growing number of very low-skilled adults. In fact, the U.S. gap in numeracy between the highest and lowest skilled adults is the widest among all countries.”

PIAAC assesses the cognitive and workplace skills necessary for social and economic participation in an advanced economy and offers a complete picture of human capital to policymakers in the participating countries.

Key findings for the United States include:

Literacy:

  • The U.S. average score for literacy (258) was 12 points lower than in 2017 (271) but was not statistically significantly different from the international average (260). Average scores were higher in 13 countries, lower in 14 countries, and not statistically significantly different in 3 countries. Finland (296) and Japan (289) had the highest average literacy scores.
  • The percentage of low-performing adults (scoring Level 1 or below) in the U.S. increased, from 19 percent in 2017 to 28 percent in 2023.
  • The percentage of high-performing adults (scoring at Level 3 or above) in the U.S. decreased, from 48 percent in 2017 to 44 percent in 2023.

Numeracy:

  • The U.S. average score for numeracy (249) was lower than in 2017 (255) and 2012 (257) and was below the international average (263). Average scores were higher in 23 countries, lower in 3 countries, and not statistically significantly different in 4 countries. Finland (294) and Japan (291) had the highest average numeracy scores.
  • The percentage of low-performing adults (scoring Level 1 or below) in the U.S. increased, from 29 percent in 2017 to 34 percent in 2023.
  • The percentage of high-performing adults (scoring at Level 3 or above) in the U.S. was not measurably different from 2017.

Adaptive Problem-Solving:

  • The U.S. average score for adaptive problem-solving (247) was below the international average (251). Average scores were higher in 14 countries, not statistically significantly different in 5 countries, and lower in 11 countries. Finland (276) and Japan (276) had the highest average adaptive problem-solving scores.
  • Thirty-two percent of U.S. adults scored below the baseline proficiency level (Level 2) in adaptive problem-solving skills. The OECD defines Level 2 as the minimum proficiency level for successfully participating in contemporary society.

The full report is available at http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac.

Technical Note

Statistics from sample-based surveys and assessments are subject to sampling and non-sampling error. All comparisons in this statistical press release have been tested and found to be statistically significant unless otherwise noted. NCES statistical tests are generally conducted at a 95 percent level of confidence.

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The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, is the statistical center of the U.S. Department of Education and the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. and other nations. NCES fulfills a congressional mandate to collect, collate, analyze, and report complete statistics on the condition and progress of American education; conduct and publish reports; and review and report on education activities internationally.

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NCES coordinated with other countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to create the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), a large-scale study of adult skills and life experience focusing on education and employment, which compares the skills of adults around the world to measure literacy in the digital age. PIAAC directly assesses key information-processing skills: literacy, numeracy, and problem solving. By providing a direct measure of key cognitive skills, PIAAC offers a far complete and nuanced picture of the stock of human capital than has yet been available to policymakers in most participating countries, including data on:

  • the level of skills proficiency among adults;
  • how adults with different levels of education compare;
  • the extent and distribution of skills use and skills mismatch in the labor market;
  • how key information-processing skills are developed and maintained over a lifetime; and
  • how key information-processing skills translate into better economic and social outcomes.

CONTACT:
James Elias, (202) 706-7416, jelias@hagersharp.com