PISA 2025 Results: U.S. Student Performance in Global Context

According to the “PISA 2025 Results” released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United States scored lower than many other countries in the world’s leading assessment of student achievement. American 15-year-olds achieved a reading score of 490 and a math score of 463. Based on a Newsweek analysis, 24 countries surpassed the U.S. in math scores, with ten also outperforming the U.S. in reading.

PISA, conducted every three years, tests 15-year-olds worldwide. In 2025, over 760,000 students, representing approximately 33 million 15-year-olds from 91 countries, participated. The U.S. had about 4,600 participants.

Countries Surpassing the U.S. in PISA 2025

Singapore recorded the highest reading score at 535, followed by China at 527. China led the math scores with a score of 612, more than 100 points above the U.S., followed by Singapore at 563. China’s results focus on four regions: Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. Taiwan, under the name “Chinese Taipei,” also outscored the U.S. in both subjects.

Japan, Korea, and Estonia exceeded the U.S. in both reading and math scores. Countries like Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand surpassed the U.S. in reading alone. A broader list, including Switzerland, Canada, Poland, and others, outperformed the U.S. in math only. Germany and Sweden barely edged out the U.S. in math scores.

Chinese jurisdictions, alongside countries like Estonia and Singapore, ranked in the top 10 for science, math, and reading.

Decade-Long Decline

The decline in student performance predates the COVID-19 pandemic. Reading, math, and science scores have deteriorated globally for over a decade. Between 2015 and 2025, average science scores fell slightly. Math scored dropped from 485 to 463, equivalent to losing over a year of learning, while reading faced the steepest decline.

20% of 15-year-olds now score as low performers across three subjects, up from 16% in 2022. These students lack essential skills for further education and employment.

Most educational systems saw reading scores drop, with a considerable fall over recent years. Wealthier students experienced the most severe losses, slightly reducing the socioeconomic disparity in scores.

Learning outcomes have stagnated or declined, with gaps persisting across social groups.

OECD’s Andreas Schleicher highlighted a decrease of 25 points across OECD in reading scores, reflecting over a year of learning loss.

U.S. Improvement Despite Declining Scores

The U.S. ranking improved as other countries’ scores fell faster. This improvement hides a troubling reality domestically, with U.S. scores nearing historical lows. Reading sits at a 25-year low, and math ranks poorly since PISA’s inception.

74% of American 15-year-olds reached basic reading proficiency, above the OECD average of 69%. Math proficiency also aligned with the OECD average at 65%. However, only 8% of U.S. students attain the highest math level, compared to higher rates in Singapore, Korea, and Japan.

American students outpaced averages in science and computational problem-solving. They exhibited a better exam-taking attitude compared to international peers.

The warning about potential bias in U.S. scores relates to a small sample size, questioning reliability. More than 40% of U.S. participants didn’t complete the questionnaire, blocking analysis by race and family income.

Lack of data from missed questionnaires stemmed from a pause in PISA-related work in the Department of Education due to staff and contract reductions.

Digital Device Impact

Over a quarter of students reported classmates frequently distracted by digital devices, adversely affecting performance. While moderate device usage contributes to better science scores, leisure usage within school correlates with lower achievements.

PISA research explored AI’s role in education. Students using AI efficiently for learning scored higher. Conversely, dependence on AI for drafting assignments linked to lower scores.

Bullying presented a negative impact, with affected students regularly scoring lower than their peers.

Some countries reported positive developments. Nations like Costa Rica and Türkiye posted rising scores. Türkiye showed a substantial 70-point increase in a decade.