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PISA mathematics scores by country

How well can 15-year-olds use mathematics?

Singapore placed first of the 79 countries compared in 2022, at 574.66, and Cambodia last, at 336.40. In the middle country the figure was 442.09. Among the 33 countries measured in every edition since 2003, the middle one moved from 502.99 to 479.07.

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PISA mathematics scores · 2022

Context statistic

Highest of 79Singapore

574.66

012022 · position · derived

Who leads

The three countries at the highest end of 79 compared, the three at the other end, and the first on each continent.

  1. 1

    Singapore

    South-eastern Asia

    574.66

    1st of 79

    Photo: Khairul Nizam . · CC BY 2.0, greyscale

  2. 2

    Macau

    Eastern Asia

    551.92

    2nd of 79

    Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

  3. 3

    Taiwan

    Eastern Asia

    547.09

    3rd of 79

    Photo: xiangyang17 · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale

Lowest in 2022

  1. 79Cambodia336.40
  2. 78Paraguay337.54
  3. 77Dominican Republic339.11

Positions out of 79. Where a country sits says how it compares with the others measured, and nothing about why.

Highest on each continent

02Every measured country

PISA mathematics 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.

All regions

Darker is a higher value — the better end.

  • 336.40–377.53
  • 378.69–417.30
  • 418.31–468.45
  • 469.40–487.27
  • 488.96–574.66
  • No reading in 2022
  • Europe

    473.14

    the middle country, of 35 measured · 49 members

    Estonia509.95

    Kosovo354.96

    Highest and lowest reading in Europe.

  • Asia

    424.59

    the middle country, of 25 measured · 52 members

    Singapore574.66

    Cambodia336.40

    Highest and lowest reading in Asia.

  • Americas

    380.69

    the middle country, of 16 measured · 48 members

    Canada496.95

    Paraguay337.54

    Highest and lowest reading in Americas.

  • Africa

    1 of 55 measured — too few for a middle: Morocco.

    Morocco364.77

    Highest and lowest reading in Africa.

  • Oceania

    2 of 21 measured — too few for a middle: Australia, New Zealand.

    Australia487.08

    New Zealand479.07

    Highest and lowest reading in Oceania.

14 sub-regions, highest middle country first
  • Eastern Asia

    537.97

    the middle country, of 6 measured · 8 members

    Macau551.92

    Mongolia424.59

    Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Asia.

  • Western Europe

    488.38

    the middle country, of 6 measured · 9 members

    Switzerland507.99

    France473.94

    Highest and lowest reading in Western Europe.

  • Northern Europe

    483.65

    the middle country, of 10 measured · 13 members

    Estonia509.95

    Iceland458.90

    Highest and lowest reading in Northern Europe.

  • Eastern Europe

    463.99

    the middle country, of 7 measured · 10 members

    Poland488.96

    Moldova414.20

    Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Europe.

  • Southern Europe

    451.49

    the middle country, of 12 measured · 17 members

    Slovenia484.53

    Kosovo354.96

    Highest and lowest reading in Southern Europe.

  • Western Asia

    414.11

    the middle country, of 9 measured · 19 members

    Israel457.90

    Jordan361.23

    Highest and lowest reading in Western Asia.

  • South-eastern Asia

    401.32

    the middle country, of 8 measured · 11 members

    Singapore574.66

    Cambodia336.40

    Highest and lowest reading in South-eastern Asia.

  • South America

    382.70

    the middle country, of 7 measured · 12 members

    Chile411.70

    Paraguay337.54

    Highest and lowest reading in South America.

  • Central America

    356.57

    the middle country, of 5 measured · 8 members

    Mexico395.03

    El Salvador343.47

    Highest and lowest reading in Central America.

  • Australia and New Zealand

    2 of 2 measured — too few for a middle: Australia, New Zealand.

    Australia487.08

    New Zealand479.07

    Highest and lowest reading in Australia and New Zealand.

  • Caribbean

    2 of 24 measured — too few for a middle: Dominican Republic, Jamaica.

    Jamaica377.42

    Dominican Republic339.11

    Highest and lowest reading in Caribbean.

  • Central Asia

    2 of 5 measured — too few for a middle: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan.

    Kazakhstan425.44

    Uzbekistan363.94

    Highest and lowest reading in Central Asia.

  • Northern Africa

    1 of 6 measured — too few for a middle: Morocco.

    Morocco364.77

    Highest and lowest reading in Northern Africa.

  • Northern America

    2 of 4 measured — too few for a middle: Canada, United States.

    Canada496.95

    United States464.89

    Highest and lowest reading in Northern America.

03The whole field at once

The spread

79 countries, one dot each, on one scale — further right is a higher value. Half the countries are above 442.09; a quarter are above 483.65, and a quarter below 388.68. The bar in each row marks that continent’s middle country.

350400450500550Africa1 comparedMorocco: 364.77Americas16 comparedCanada: 496.95United States: 464.89Chile: 411.70Uruguay: 408.71Mexico: 395.03Peru: 391.24Costa Rica: 384.58Colombia: 382.70Brazil: 378.69Argentina: 377.53Jamaica: 377.42Panama: 356.57Guatemala: 344.20El Salvador: 343.47Dominican Republic: 339.11Paraguay: 337.54Paraguay 337.54Canada 496.95Asia25 comparedSingapore: 574.66Macau: 551.92Taiwan: 547.09Hong Kong: 540.35Japan: 535.58South Korea: 527.30Vietnam: 469.40Israel: 457.90Türkiye: 453.15Brunei: 442.09United Arab Emirates: 431.11Kazakhstan: 425.44Mongolia: 424.59Cyprus: 418.31Qatar: 414.11Malaysia: 408.69Thailand: 393.95Georgia: 390.02Saudi Arabia: 388.78Palestine: 365.75Indonesia: 365.53Uzbekistan: 363.94Jordan: 361.23Philippines: 354.72Cambodia: 336.40Cambodia 336.40Singapore 574.66Europe35 comparedEstonia: 509.95Switzerland: 507.99Netherlands: 492.68Ireland: 491.65Belgium: 489.49Denmark: 489.27United Kingdom: 488.98Poland: 488.96Austria: 487.27Czechia: 487.00Slovenia: 484.53Finland: 484.14Latvia: 483.16Sweden: 481.77Lithuania: 475.15Germany: 474.83France: 473.94Spain: 473.14Hungary: 472.78Portugal: 471.91Italy: 471.26Norway: 468.45Malta: 466.02Slovakia: 463.99Croatia: 463.11Iceland: 458.90Serbia: 439.88Greece: 430.15Romania: 427.76Bulgaria: 417.30Moldova: 414.20Montenegro: 405.60North Macedonia: 388.58Albania: 368.22Kosovo: 354.96Kosovo 354.96Estonia 509.95Oceania2 comparedAustralia: 487.08New Zealand: 479.07New Zealand 479.07 · Australia 487.08middle country 442.09

04All 79 ever measured

Every country

In order, highest value first. “=” marks a position shared with another country. OECD ranks nobody on this measure; the position is derived here by ordering the published values. PISA is an assessment countries opt into, so the 79 economies in 2022 are the ceiling rather than a sample of the world — read this as a comparison among participants, not a world ranking. Some entries are not sovereign states: Hong Kong, Macao, Chinese Taipei, Kosovo and the Palestinian Authority are reported by the OECD and kept here.

The raw table

Showing 25 of 79 countries

  1. 1 of 79SingaporeSouth-eastern Asia574.66
  2. 2 of 79MacauEastern Asia551.92
  3. 3 of 79TaiwanEastern Asia547.09
  4. 4 of 79Hong KongEastern Asia540.35
  5. 5 of 79JapanEastern Asia535.58
  6. 6 of 79South KoreaEastern Asia527.30
  7. 7 of 79EstoniaNorthern Europe509.95
  8. 8 of 79SwitzerlandWestern Europe507.99
  9. 9 of 79CanadaNorthern America496.95
  10. 10 of 79NetherlandsWestern Europe492.68
  11. 11 of 79IrelandNorthern Europe491.65
  12. 12 of 79BelgiumWestern Europe489.49
  13. 13 of 79DenmarkNorthern Europe489.27
  14. 14 of 79United KingdomNorthern Europe488.98
  15. 15 of 79PolandEastern Europe488.96
  16. 16 of 79AustriaWestern Europe487.27
  17. 17 of 79AustraliaAustralia and New Zealand487.08
  18. 18 of 79CzechiaEastern Europe487.00
  19. 19 of 79SloveniaSouthern Europe484.53
  20. 20 of 79FinlandNorthern Europe484.14
  21. 21 of 79LatviaNorthern Europe483.16
  22. 22 of 79SwedenNorthern Europe481.77
  23. 23 of 79New ZealandAustralia and New Zealand479.07
  24. 24 of 79LithuaniaNorthern Europe475.15
  25. 25 of 79GermanyWestern Europe474.83

Values for 2022. The change column compares 2022 with 2018 only; the sparkline covers the recent editions.

052003–2022 · 7 editions

Over time

Each point is one PISA cycle, roughly three years apart — the 2021 round slipped to 2022 because of the pandemic. The scale is designed to stay comparable between cycles, so a real gain or loss shows here.

400425450475500525200335 ctys200651 ctys200961 ctys201259 ctys201561 ctys201872 ctys202279 ctysEuropeAsiaAmericas2003: middle country 502.99 of 352006: middle country 490.94 of 512009: middle country 482.91 of 612012: middle country 481.64 of 592015: middle country 478.64 of 612018: middle country 458.27 of 722022: middle country 442.09 of 79
  • the middle country
  • the middle half of countries
  • the middle of the 33 countries measured every time
  • each continent’s middle country
The same, year by year
YearCountriesMiddle countryMiddle halfMeasured every time
202279442.09388.68 – 483.65479.07
201872458.27407.18 – 500.27496.13
201561478.64417.99 – 504.47493.90
201259481.64429.27 – 504.85494.98
200961482.91418.51 – 506.67496.68
200651490.94425.37 – 513.80501.47
200335502.99474.45 – 525.41502.99

062018 → 2022

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
  1. Taiwan531.14 → 547.09 · 4th → 3rd+15.95
  2. Saudi Arabia373.24 → 388.78 · 64th → 59th+15.54
  3. Dominican Republic325.10 → 339.11 · 71st → 77th+14.01
  4. Brunei430.11 → 442.09 · 45th → 40th+11.98
  5. Cambodia324.69 → 336.40 · 72nd → 79th+11.71

Declined most

before → after
  1. Albania437.22 → 368.22 · 42nd → 66th−69.00
  2. Jordan399.76 → 361.23 · 57th → 71st−38.53
  3. Iceland495.19 → 458.90 · 25th → 37th−36.29
  4. Norway500.96 → 468.45 · 18th → 32nd−32.51
  5. Cyprus450.68 → 418.31 · 39th → 47th−32.38

72 countries were measured in both 2018 and 2022. The field changed from 72 to 79 countries, so a place can move for reasons that have nothing to do with the country itself.

07Across every edition

PISA mathematics scores in records

The extremes of the statistic. A record reached by more than one country names none of them.

08The measure

About PISA mathematics scores

PISA Mathematics is the mean score 15-year-olds achieve on the OECD’s mathematics scale, which is centred near 500 across OECD countries. Run in seven cycles since 2003, it is the most-quoted international comparison of what school actually teaches.

What the number is: Mean mathematics score.

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.

All statistics

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.

Education & KnowledgeWhich statistics vote, and why

Moves with

Where PISA mathematics scores is higher, these tend to be higher too.

No statistic lines up this closely.

Moves against

Where PISA mathematics scores is higher, these tend to be lower.

No statistic lines up this closely.

Rank correlation (ρ, from −1 to 1) across countries, on each statistic’s newest edition, out of 0 statistics sharing at least 80 countries with this one. Two statistics that move together do not cause each other.

On the same subject

11Questions

PISA mathematics scores: questions and answers

Which country has the highest PISA mathematics scores?

Singapore, at 574.66, among the 79 countries compared in 2022.

Which country has the lowest PISA mathematics scores?

Cambodia, at 336.40, among the 79 countries compared in 2022.

How many countries does the PISA Mathematics Performance cover?

79 in 2022. The number measured varies from 35 to 79 between editions.

What is the world average PISA mathematics scores?

This site does not calculate a world average, which would depend on how countries are weighted. In the middle country of the 79 compared in 2022, the figure was 442.09.

Is this OECD’s own ranking?

No. OECD 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 PISA Mathematics Performance published?

This site holds 7 editions, describing 2003 to 2022.

Where does the data come from, and can I download it?

From OECD, under OECD Terms and Conditions — Data clause. From the OECD’s published PISA results tables. Sub-national samples the OECD reports separately — Baku and 18 of Ukraine’s 27 regions — are excluded because they cannot be keyed to a country. 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

PISA Mathematics Performance — OECD

From the OECD’s published PISA results tables. Sub-national samples the OECD reports separately — Baku and 18 of Ukraine’s 27 regions — are excluded because they cannot be keyed to a country.

Newest edition

Report year 2022Data year 2022

Cite the source as: OECD. PISA 2022 Results (Volume I): The State of Learning and Equity in Education. Paris: OECD Publishing. This is an adaptation of an original work by the OECD.

Licence: OECD Terms and Conditions — Data clause, checked 2026-09-05.

The full 2022 table, row for row

How this page reads the numbers

  • OECD 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.

Cite this page

Nations Inquiry (2026). PISA mathematics scores by country: PISA Mathematics Performance, data from OECD. https://nationsinquiry.com/statistics/pisa-mathematics

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