Top 80 Countries by PISA Science Scores, 2026 Snapshot
PISA Science Score Ranking Snapshot Based on OECD 2022 Results
Singapore leads this PISA science ranking with 561 points, followed by Japan with 547 and Macao (China) with 543. This is a 2026 snapshot based on OECD PISA 2022 science results, not a separate 2026 test cycle.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The ranking uses 80 OECD-published science-score entries from the PISA 2022 results and OECD result files. It includes countries, economies and a small number of OECD-reported regional entries where they appear in the source tables.
Scores are PISA mean science points for 15-year-old students. A higher score indicates stronger average performance in the assessed student population, but close score differences should be read together with OECD statistical bands.
Highest published science mean score in the ranking.
Lowest OECD-published entry included in this science ranking.
Countries, economies and reported regional entries with science scores.
Reference average used for the OECD performance bands.
Calculated from the displayed values; ranks 40 and 41 are both 447.
Above OECD average / around OECD average / below OECD average.
Overview: what PISA science scores measure
PISA science performance measures how well 15-year-old students can use scientific knowledge, interpret evidence and apply scientific reasoning to real-life problems. The score is a mean performance estimate for the assessed student population, not a school exam grade.
The ranking is limited to OECD-published PISA 2022 science results. It is shown as a current reference because PISA 2022 remains the latest fully published global PISA results cycle available for science performance comparison.
The list has 80 entries because it follows the available OECD science-score entries used here and does not add unsupported rows from non-PISA sources. The count is lower than a generic country list, but the values are traceable to OECD result tables.
How to read close PISA science score differences
PISA scores are estimates from sampled students, so small gaps between adjacent ranks should not be treated as precise differences in school quality. A one-point or two-point gap can be less meaningful than the visible rank number suggests.
OECD performance bands make interpretation safer: above the OECD average, not statistically different from the OECD average, and below the OECD average. The band is especially important near the OECD average of 485 points, where several systems are very close together.
Use rank to see broad position, score to see distance, and band to avoid over-reading small differences.
Why some PISA entries are not full countries
OECD PISA reporting includes countries, economies and selected regions within countries when the assessment was reported that way. Hong Kong (China) and Macao (China) are listed as economies, while Baku (Azerbaijan) and Ukrainian regions (18 of 27) are regional entries.
These entries are kept because they appear in the OECD PISA 2022 results tables, but they should not be read as identical to full national coverage. The labels are shown directly so readers can compare them without confusing the reporting scope.
Top 10 PISA science scores
The highest group is led by Singapore, Japan, Macao (China), Chinese Taipei and Korea. East Asian education systems occupy six of the top seven places, while Estonia, Canada, Finland and Australia complete the Top 10.
Top 10 entries by PISA 2022 mean science score
| Rank | Entity | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 561 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +10. |
| 2 | Japan | 547 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +17. |
| 3 | Macao (China) | 543 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change 0; economy entry. |
| 4 | Chinese Taipei | 537 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +22. |
| 5 | Korea | 528 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +9. |
| 6 | Estonia | 526 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change -4. |
| 7 | Hong Kong (China) | 520 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +4; economy entry. |
| 8 | Canada | 515 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change -3. |
| 9 | Finland | 511 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change -11. |
| 10 | Australia | 507 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +4. |
Values are whole PISA score points. Rank order follows score values from highest to lowest.
Chart: Top 20 PISA science scores
The chart uses the same values as the ranking table. Singapore has the clearest lead, while many entries from ranks 11 to 20 cluster tightly between 494 and 504 points.
Methodology
The metric is mean performance in science among 15-year-old students in PISA 2022. The unit is PISA score points. The ranking is ordered from higher science performance to lower science performance.
Metric and unit
Metric: PISA science mean score. Unit: score points. Result year: 2022. Current reference: 2026 snapshot.
OECD sources used
Values are based on OECD PISA 2022 Results Volume I, Annex B1 for countries and economies, Annex B2 for regions, and OECD PISA 2022 result files.
Inclusion rule
An entry is included only when OECD provides an entity name, science score, result year, performance band and clear reporting scope.
Rounding and ties
Displayed scores are whole points. Entries with equal rounded scores remain adjacent, and the row number shows their position in the sorted ranking.
The OECD average for science in PISA 2022 is 485 points. The ranking keeps the OECD comparison bands because statistical significance matters when values are close to one another or close to the OECD average.
Entries without a published OECD science score are not included, and non-PISA values are not added. The result is a Top 80 ranking based on the confirmed OECD science-score entries used here.
This metric does not measure school funding, adult scientific literacy, university research output, STEM workforce size, national innovation capacity or science curriculum quality by itself. It measures average student performance in the PISA science assessment.
Main ranking: Top 80 by PISA science score
Search an entity, filter by OECD performance band, change sort order or switch between Top 10, Top 20 and all 80 entries.
PISA 2022 science score ranking, OECD-published values
| Rank | Entity | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 561 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +10. |
| 2 | Japan | 547 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +17. |
| 3 | Macao (China) | 543 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change 0; economy entry. |
| 4 | Chinese Taipei | 537 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +22. |
| 5 | Korea | 528 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +9. |
| 6 | Estonia | 526 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change -4. |
| 7 | Hong Kong (China) | 520 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +4; economy entry. |
| 8 | Canada | 515 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change -3. |
| 9 | Finland | 511 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change -11. |
| 10 | Australia | 507 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +4. |
| 11 | New Zealand | 504 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change -4. |
| 12 | Ireland | 504 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +8. |
| 13 | Switzerland | 503 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +7. |
| 14 | Slovenia | 500 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change -7. |
| 15 | United Kingdom | 500 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change -5. |
| 16 | United States | 499 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change -3. |
| 17 | Poland | 499 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change -12. |
| 18 | Czech Republic | 498 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +1. |
| 19 | Latvia | 494 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +7. |
| 20 | Denmark | 494 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +1. |
| 21 | Sweden | 494 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change -6. |
| 22 | Germany | 492 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change -11. |
| 23 | Austria | 491 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change +1. |
| 24 | Belgium | 491 | 2022; above OECD avg; 2018 change -8. |
| 25 | Netherlands | 488 | 2022; around OECD avg; 2018 change -15. |
| 26 | France | 487 | 2022; around OECD avg; 2018 change -6. |
| 27 | Hungary | 486 | 2022; around OECD avg; 2018 change +5. |
| 28 | Spain | 485 | 2022; around OECD avg; no 2018 comparison. |
| 29 | Lithuania | 484 | 2022; around OECD avg; 2018 change +2. |
| 30 | Portugal | 484 | 2022; around OECD avg; 2018 change -7. |
| 31 | Croatia | 483 | 2022; around OECD avg; 2018 change +10. |
| 32 | Norway | 478 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -12. |
| 33 | Italy | 477 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +9. |
| 34 | Türkiye | 476 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +8. |
| 35 | Viet Nam | 472 | 2022; below OECD avg; no 2018 comparison. |
| 36 | Malta | 466 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +9. |
| 37 | Israel | 465 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +3. |
| 38 | Slovak Republic | 462 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -2. |
| 39 | Ukrainian regions (18 of 27) | 450 | 2022; below OECD avg; regional entry. |
| 40 | Serbia | 447 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +8. |
| 41 | Iceland | 447 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -28. |
| 42 | Brunei Darussalam | 446 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +15. |
| 43 | Chile | 444 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change 0. |
| 44 | Greece | 441 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -11. |
| 45 | Uruguay | 435 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +10. |
| 46 | Qatar | 432 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +13. |
| 47 | United Arab Emirates | 432 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -2. |
| 48 | Romania | 428 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +2. |
| 49 | Kazakhstan | 423 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +26. |
| 50 | Bulgaria | 421 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -3. |
| 51 | Moldova | 417 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -12. |
| 52 | Malaysia | 416 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -21. |
| 53 | Mongolia | 412 | 2022; below OECD avg; no 2018 comparison. |
| 54 | Colombia | 411 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -2. |
| 55 | Costa Rica | 411 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -5. |
| 56 | Mexico | 410 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -9. |
| 57 | Thailand | 409 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -17. |
| 58 | Peru | 408 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +4. |
| 59 | Argentina | 406 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +2. |
| 60 | Montenegro | 403 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -12. |
| 61 | Brazil | 403 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -1. |
| 62 | Jamaica | 403 | 2022; below OECD avg; no 2018 comparison. |
| 63 | Saudi Arabia | 390 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +4. |
| 64 | Panama | 388 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +23. |
| 65 | Georgia | 384 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +1. |
| 66 | Indonesia | 383 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -13. |
| 67 | Baku (Azerbaijan) | 380 | 2022; below OECD avg; regional entry. |
| 68 | North Macedonia | 380 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -33. |
| 69 | Albania | 376 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -41. |
| 70 | Jordan | 375 | 2022; below OECD avg; no 2018 comparison. |
| 71 | El Salvador | 373 | 2022; below OECD avg; no 2018 comparison. |
| 72 | Guatemala | 373 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +8. |
| 73 | Palestinian Authority | 369 | 2022; below OECD avg; no 2018 comparison. |
| 74 | Paraguay | 368 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +10. |
| 75 | Morocco | 365 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -11. |
| 76 | Dominican Republic | 360 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +25. |
| 77 | Kosovo | 357 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -8. |
| 78 | Philippines | 356 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change -1. |
| 79 | Uzbekistan | 355 | 2022; below OECD avg; no 2018 comparison. |
| 80 | Cambodia | 347 | 2022; below OECD avg; 2018 change +17. |
Scores come from OECD PISA 2022 science results and are rounded to whole points for display. Source review date: July 5, 2026.
Insights from the PISA science ranking
Key insight
Singapore’s 561 score is a clear lead: it is 14 points above Japan, 18 above Macao (China), and 54 above the 10th-ranked entry, Australia.
Top, middle and bottom structure
The Top 24 entries sit above the OECD average, seven entries are statistically close to it, and the remaining 49 fall below it. The median entry is 447 points, well below the OECD average of 485.
Regional pattern
East Asian systems dominate the very top, while Europe has broad depth across the upper and middle ranks. Estonia is the highest European entry and stands out relative to larger European education systems.
Coverage outlier
Ukrainian regions (18 of 27) and Baku (Azerbaijan) should be read as reported regional entries, not full national entries. Their labels are kept visible to avoid misleading comparisons.
What this ranking means for readers
This ranking is useful for comparing average science performance across education systems, but it should not be read as a complete judgement on a country’s schools. PISA captures one assessed domain, one age group and one assessment cycle.
The difference between published scores and current-year assumptions matters. The ranking uses OECD PISA 2022 science results only and does not convert PISA points into school grades, national exam pass rates or future performance.
The main interpretation risk is over-reading small score gaps. Adjacent entries can have very similar values, and the OECD bands help show whether a score is meaningfully above, around or below the OECD average.
Why PISA science scores differ between education systems
PISA science results can differ because of curriculum alignment, teaching time, student sampling, socio-economic background, language context, migration patterns, school participation and test conditions. A score can also reflect how familiar students are with applying evidence to practical problems, not only how much science content they have memorized.
Country size is not the main driver. Smaller systems can rank high when learning outcomes are strong and consistent, while larger systems can show wider internal variation. Regional entries should be interpreted even more carefully because they do not always represent full national coverage.
FAQ
Which country has the highest PISA science score?
Singapore ranks first in this ranking with a PISA 2022 mean science score of 561 points.
Is this a 2026 PISA science test result?
No. This is a 2026 snapshot based on OECD PISA 2022 science results. It uses the latest fully published PISA science results cycle available for this ranking.
Why does the ranking include 80 entries?
The ranking uses the OECD-published science-score entries available in the source tables used here. It does not add unsupported rows from other sources just to increase the count.
What does a PISA science score measure?
It measures average performance of 15-year-old students in the science domain of the PISA assessment, including scientific reasoning and use of evidence.
Why are some entries not full countries?
OECD PISA reporting includes economies and selected regions. Hong Kong (China) and Macao (China) are economy entries, while Baku (Azerbaijan) and Ukrainian regions are regional entries.
Does a higher score mean the best education system overall?
Not by itself. A higher PISA science score shows stronger average performance in this assessment, but it does not measure every education outcome, funding level, equity result or higher-education performance.
How are ties handled?
Entries with the same rounded score are kept next to each other. The visible rank is the row position after sorting by score from highest to lowest.
What does this ranking not measure?
It does not measure adult literacy, research output, STEM workforce size, science spending, university quality or national innovation capacity.
Sources
OECD PISA 2022 Results, Volume I
Main report for PISA 2022 performance context, OECD average comparisons, technical notes and Annex B1 / Annex B2 result tables.
OECD PISA 2022 result files
OECD files used to check mean science scores, country and economy names, performance bands and reported scope.
OECD PISA Dashboard
OECD interface used for PISA learning-outcome context, country comparisons and current presentation of PISA 2022 results.
OECD Education GPS
Supporting OECD country-profile interface for science score interpretation and country-level PISA performance checks.
