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World Bank Group · Harmonized Test Scores
Harmonized test scores by country
How much are students learning, on one scale for every country?
Singapore placed first of the 172 countries compared in 2020, at 575.27, and Niger last, at 304.92. In the middle country the figure was 414.32. Among the 107 countries measured in every edition since 2010, the middle one moved from 440.93 to 441.09.
Part ofEducation & Knowledge
Harmonized test scores · 2020
Context statistic
Highest of 172Singapore
575.27012020 · position · derived
Who leads
The three countries at the highest end of 172 compared, the three at the other end, and the first on each continent.
1Photo: Khairul Nizam . · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
2Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3Photo: Base64 and Derivative work by Globe-trotter · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
02Every measured country
Harmonized test scores on a map
Each country is shaded by its value, in five groups holding the same number of countries. Hover a country for its value, or select it to open its profile. Below the map, each continent’s middle country.
Darker is a higher value — the better end.
- 304.92–368.56
- 368.73–399.00
- 399.75–434.13
- 434.62–492.99
- 495.48–575.27
- No reading in 2020
- Europe
497.68
the middle country, of 39 measured · 49 members
Estonia543.21
North Macedonia413.62Highest and lowest reading in Europe.
- Asia
424.07
the middle country, of 46 measured · 52 members
Singapore575.27
Yemen321.33Highest and lowest reading in Asia.
- Americas
408.62
the middle country, of 28 measured · 48 members
Canada534.00
Haiti337.82Highest and lowest reading in Americas.
- Oceania
379.90
the middle country, of 13 measured · 21 members
New Zealand519.75
Tuvalu346.50Highest and lowest reading in Oceania.
- Africa
373.66
the middle country, of 46 measured · 55 members
Mauritius472.77
Niger304.92Highest and lowest reading in Africa.
- Every region
22 sub-regions, highest middle country first
- Eastern Asia
537.47
the middle country, of 6 measured · 8 members
Macau560.61
Mongolia434.62Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Asia.
- Northern Europe
518.62
the middle country, of 10 measured · 13 members
Estonia543.21
Lithuania495.89Highest and lowest reading in Northern Europe.
- Western Europe
515.14
the middle country, of 7 measured · 9 members
Netherlands519.63
Luxembourg492.85Highest and lowest reading in Western Europe.
- Eastern Europe
486.75
the middle country, of 10 measured · 10 members
Poland530.09
Moldova438.62Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Europe.
- Southern Europe
471.54
the middle country, of 12 measured · 17 members
Slovenia520.81North Macedonia413.62Highest and lowest reading in Southern Europe.
- South-eastern Asia
426.60
the middle country, of 11 measured · 11 members
Singapore575.27
Philippines361.65Highest and lowest reading in South-eastern Asia.
- Western Asia
423.51
the middle country, of 17 measured · 19 members
Cyprus502.16Yemen321.33Highest and lowest reading in Western Asia.
- South America
415.03
the middle country, of 9 measured · 12 members
Chile452.22
Guyana346.37Highest and lowest reading in South America.
- Central America
405.26
the middle country, of 7 measured · 8 members
El Salvador435.92
Panama376.86Highest and lowest reading in Central America.
- Caribbean
399.27
the middle country, of 10 measured · 24 members
Trinidad and Tobago458.29Haiti337.82Highest and lowest reading in Caribbean.
- Southern Africa
392.91
the middle country, of 5 measured · 5 members
Eswatini440.30
South Africa342.76Highest and lowest reading in Southern Africa.
- Eastern Africa
388.48
the middle country, of 15 measured · 19 members
Mauritius472.77
South Sudan335.59Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Africa.
- Northern Africa
379.63
the middle country, of 5 measured · 6 members
Tunisia384.08
Egypt355.99Highest and lowest reading in Northern Africa.
- Southern Asia
377.65
the middle country, of 8 measured · 9 members
Iran432.11
Pakistan338.66Highest and lowest reading in Southern Asia.
- Middle Africa
368.73
the middle country, of 7 measured · 9 members
Gabon456.13
DR Congo310.20Highest and lowest reading in Middle Africa.
- Western Africa
347.50
the middle country, of 14 measured · 16 members
Senegal412.45Niger304.92Highest and lowest reading in Western Africa.
- Australia and New Zealand
2 of 2 measured — too few for a middle: Australia, New Zealand.
New Zealand519.75
Australia515.69Highest and lowest reading in Australia and New Zealand.
- Central Asia
4 of 5 measured — too few for a middle: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan474.08
Tajikistan390.57Highest and lowest reading in Central Asia.
- Melanesia
4 of 5 measured — too few for a middle: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu.
Fiji383.34
Vanuatu347.69Highest and lowest reading in Melanesia.
- Micronesia
4 of 7 measured — too few for a middle: Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau.
Palau463.21
Marshall Islands375.03Highest and lowest reading in Micronesia.
- Northern America
2 of 4 measured — too few for a middle: Canada, United States.
Canada534.00
United States511.80Highest and lowest reading in Northern America.
- Polynesia
3 of 7 measured — too few for a middle: Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu.
Tonga385.96Tuvalu346.50Highest and lowest reading in Polynesia.
03The whole field at once
The spread
172 countries, one dot each, on one scale — further right is a higher value. Half the countries are above 414.32; a quarter are above 474.17, and a quarter below 378.37. The bar in each row marks that continent’s middle country.
04All 172 ever measured
Every country
In order, highest value first. “=” marks a position shared with another country. World Bank Group ranks nobody on this measure; the position is derived here by ordering the published values. Countries took different tests, and the common scale is the World Bank’s own linking between them, so small gaps between neighbouring countries are within the error of that conversion. This score is also one of the two factors in learning-adjusted years of school; the two pages are not independent evidence.
Showing 25 of 172 countries
Values for 2020. The change column compares 2020 with 2018 only; the sparkline covers the recent editions.
052010–2020 · 4 editions
Over time
Four editions only — 2010, 2017, 2018 and 2020 — and the series is closed. Each edition uses a country’s most recent test, so a point can describe pupils tested several years earlier.
- the middle country
- the middle half of countries
- the middle of the 107 countries measured every time
- each continent’s middle country
The same, year by year
| Year | Countries | Middle country | Middle half | Measured every time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 172 | 414.32 | 378.37 – 474.17 | 441.09 |
| 2018 | 166 | 416.27 | 373.45 – 495.32 | 454.96 |
| 2017 | 156 | 423.50 | 373.75 – 500.00 | 455.00 |
| 2010 | 107 | 440.93 | 400.57 – 506.68 | 440.93 |
062018 → 2020
Who rose and fell
The biggest changes in value between the two newest editions. Places are shown second, because they also move when other countries do.
Improved most
before → after
Micronesia327.94 → 379.90 · 158th → 127th+51.96- Marshall Islands332.34 → 375.03 · 155th → 131st+42.69
- North Macedonia381.59 → 413.62 · 121st → 87th+32.02
Samoa341.35 → 369.91 · 150th → 136th+28.55
Kiribati383.09 → 411.48 · 120th → 91st+28.40
Declined most
before → after
Kazakhstan537.32 → 416.15 · 10th → 83rd−121.16
Serbia521.25 → 457.45 · 24th → 50th−63.80
Bulgaria497.61 → 441.09 · 41st → 60th−56.52
Azerbaijan472.28 → 415.95 · 47th → 85th−56.33- Tajikistan444.44 → 390.57 · 61st → 114th−53.88
166 countries were measured in both 2018 and 2020. The field changed from 166 to 172 countries, so a place can move for reasons that have nothing to do with the country itself.
07Across every edition
Harmonized test scores in records
The extremes of the statistic. A record reached by more than one country names none of them.
Highest reading on record
581.00
Harmonized test score (TIMSS-equivalent points; 300 = minimum, 625 = advanced attainment)
Lowest reading on record
304.92
Harmonized test score (TIMSS-equivalent points; 300 = minimum, 625 = advanced attainment)
Biggest improvement between editions
+124.92
412.08 → 537.00
Biggest decline between editions
−121.16
537.32 → 416.15
Most improved since first measured
+73.92
362.00 → 435.92
At the top most often
3 of 4
editions, alone at the first-listed end
08The measure
About harmonized test scores
Harmonized test scores put the results of different international and regional student assessments onto one scale, so that learning can be compared across most of the world. 300 marks minimum attainment and 625 advanced attainment.
What the number is: Harmonized test score (TIMSS-equivalent points; 300 = minimum, 625 = advanced attainment).
What it does not measure
Countries took different tests in different years, and the common scale is a statistical conversion between them, not one sitting of one exam.
09Where it fits
Connections
Its part in the Country Index, the statistics whose values line up most closely with it across countries, and others on the same subject.
In the Country Index
Context, with no vote
This statistic is published in full under Education & Knowledge, but does not help decide any Country Index standing.
Moves with
Where harmonized test scores is higher, these tend to be higher too.
- Learning-Adjusted Years of SchoolWorld Bank Group · 172 countries in commonρ 0.91
- Human Capital IndexWorld Bank Group · 172 countries in commonρ 0.90
- Inequality-adjusted Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 157 countries in commonρ 0.85
Moves against
Where harmonized test scores is higher, these tend to be lower.
- Learning PovertyWorld Bank Group and UNESCO Institute for Statistics · 107 countries in commonρ −0.86
- Gender Inequality IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 157 countries in commonρ −0.84
- Under-Five Mortality RateKeyUN IGME · 170 countries in commonρ −0.81
Rank correlation (ρ, from −1 to 1) across countries, on each statistic’s newest edition, out of 186 statistics sharing at least 80 countries with this one. Two statistics that move together do not cause each other.
10Keep reading
Explore further
The subject
The data, edition by edition
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- All statistics
11Questions
Harmonized test scores: questions and answers
Which country has the highest harmonized test scores?
Singapore, at 575.27, among the 172 countries compared in 2020.
Which country has the lowest harmonized test scores?
Niger, at 304.92, among the 172 countries compared in 2020.
How many countries does the Harmonized Test Scores cover?
172 in 2020. The number measured varies from 107 to 172 between editions.
What is the world average harmonized test scores?
This site does not calculate a world average, which would depend on how countries are weighted. In the middle country of the 172 compared in 2020, the figure was 414.32.
Is this World Bank Group’s own ranking?
No. World Bank Group publishes the values but ranks nobody; the position on this page is derived by Nations Inquiry by ordering the published values, and equal values share a position.
How often is the Harmonized Test Scores published?
This site holds 4 editions, describing 2010 to 2020.
Where does the data come from, and can I download it?
From World Bank Group, under CC BY 4.0. The World Bank’s Human Capital Index, through its indicator API (HD.HCI.HLOS), covering 107 to 172 countries across the four editions. Every edition is on this site’s Datasets pages as a full table, and downloads as a CSV file with every value unrounded.
12Method
Sources, method and citation
Source
Harmonized Test Scores — World Bank Group
The World Bank’s Human Capital Index, through its indicator API (HD.HCI.HLOS), covering 107 to 172 countries across the four editions.
Newest edition
Report year 2020Data year 2020
Cite the source as: World Bank. The Human Capital Index. Washington, DC: World Bank Group. Method: Patrinos, H. A. and Angrist, N. (2018), Global Dataset on Education Quality: A Review and Update (2000–2017), Policy Research Working Paper 8592.
Licence: CC BY 4.0, checked 2026-09-26.
How this page reads the numbers
- World Bank Group ranks nobody on this measure. The position is derived by Nations Inquiry by ordering the published values; equal values share a position.
- Which end is better follows the publisher’s own reading of the measure.
- A country is named at an end only when it holds that value alone. Where several share it, the page says how many and names none first.
- Values are stored exactly as published and trimmed only for display. “The middle country” is the median of the countries measured, not a world average.
The file itself, column by column — where it came from, what each column holds, and every edition as a CSV — is on its dataset page.
Photographs
The countries at the top of this statistic, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Singapore — Khairul Nizam ., CC BY 2.0
- Macau — Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hong Kong — Base64 and Derivative work by Globe-trotter, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Harmonized test scores by country: Harmonized Test Scores, data from World Bank Group. https://nationsinquiry.com/statistics/harmonized-test-scores