Top Countries by PISA Reading Scores
PISA Reading Scores by Education System
Singapore ranks first in PISA reading with a mean score of 543 points in the PISA 2022 results. Ireland and Japan follow at 516, while Cambodia is the lowest listed entry at 329.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!This ranking covers 81 listed education systems, including countries, economies and a small number of reported regional entries. The metric is mean reading performance among 15-year-old students, measured in PISA score points, and higher scores rank higher.
A Top 100 table is not supported by the published PISA 2022 reading table because only 81 entries have confirmed reading scores. This page uses those 81 entries instead of adding unsupported countries or future-year calculations.
Singapore leads the PISA 2022 reading table.
Cambodia is the lowest listed entry among the 81 confirmed rows.
The table includes all entries with a published PISA 2022 reading score.
Values are mean reading scores from the 2022 assessment cycle.
The median is calculated from the 81 values shown in the ranking table.
Ranks are sorted by mean score, with equal rounded scores kept in the source table order.
Overview: what the PISA reading ranking measures
PISA reading performance measures how 15-year-old students understand, use, evaluate and reflect on written texts. The score is not a percentage, a school-leaving exam result or a direct measure of adult literacy. It is a scaled international assessment score designed for comparison across education systems.
The table is best read as a learning-outcomes benchmark for students near the end of compulsory schooling. It helps compare average reading performance, but it does not by itself explain why one education system performs better than another.
Some entries include caution notes. Sampling cautions mean one or more PISA sampling standards require care when comparing results. Viet Nam has a reading-scale linkage caution. These rows remain listed because their values are published in the source table, and the cautions are shown directly in the notes.
Why PISA reading scores differ by country
Reading scores can differ because of curriculum design, teaching quality, language context, early-childhood preparation, family background, school resources, student motivation, assessment coverage and how well schools support weaker readers. PISA is sample-based, so national results also depend on participation and sampling quality.
Country size alone does not determine performance. Some small education systems rank high, while some large economies score near the middle. The ranking should therefore be read alongside equity indicators, proficiency levels, school attendance, student background and long-term trends.
For close scores, the exact rank is less important than the score band. A one-point or two-point difference in rounded mean score is usually not enough to make a strong claim about one system being better than another without checking the underlying statistical tables.
Top 10 PISA reading scores
Singapore stands apart at the top with 543 points. The next group is much closer together: Ireland and Japan share the same rounded score, while Korea and Chinese Taipei are also tied on the displayed score.
Top 10 entries by PISA 2022 mean reading score
| Rank | Entity | Score | Group / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 543 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 2 | Ireland | 516 | OECD member; PISA 2022; sampling caution. |
| 3 | Japan | 516 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 4 | Korea | 515 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 5 | Chinese Taipei | 515 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 6 | Estonia | 511 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 7 | Macao (China) | 510 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 8 | Canada | 507 | OECD member; PISA 2022; sampling caution. |
| 9 | United States | 504 | OECD member; PISA 2022; sampling caution. |
| 10 | New Zealand | 501 | OECD member; PISA 2022; sampling caution. |
Equal displayed scores should be read as the same rounded score level. Entries with the same rounded score are listed in the order used by the source table.
Chart: Top 20 PISA reading scores
The chart uses the same values as the ranking table. It shows that the upper band is relatively compressed after Singapore, with many high-performing systems clustered between 482 and 516 score points.
Methodology
The metric is mean reading performance in PISA 2022. The unit is PISA score points. The ranking sorts published values from highest to lowest, using the latest PISA results available for reading performance.
Metric and unit
Metric: PISA reading mean score. Unit: score points on the PISA reading scale. Values are displayed as whole score points, matching the public source table.
How ranks are assigned
Higher mean reading score ranks higher. Equal rounded scores are kept in the source table order, but readers should treat them as the same displayed score level.
Coverage rule
Included entries are listed education systems with a published PISA 2022 reading score. Countries without a published score are not added.
Comparison limits
PISA is a sample-based assessment. Close differences in rounded mean scores can be smaller than the uncertainty around the estimate, so exact rank gaps should be read carefully.
Inclusion and exclusion: the table includes the 81 entries in the PISA 2022 reading table. It excludes aggregates, narrative-only mentions, rows without a reading score and any country not present in the published reading results.
Caution notes: entries marked with sampling cautions remain in the ranking because their values are reported in the source table, but comparisons should be read with care. Viet Nam is included with the reading-scale linkage caution.
Limits: PISA reading performance does not measure adult literacy, graduation rates, curriculum breadth, school funding, equity by itself, university readiness or all dimensions of education quality. It is one comparable outcome indicator for 15-year-old students.
Main ranking: PISA reading scores by education system
Use the table tools to find an entry, compare groups or switch between Top 10, Top 20 and all 81 entries.
All 81 entries by PISA 2022 mean reading score
| Rank | Entity | Score | Group / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 543 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 2 | Ireland | 516 | OECD member; PISA 2022; sampling caution. |
| 3 | Japan | 516 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 4 | Korea | 515 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 5 | Chinese Taipei | 515 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 6 | Estonia | 511 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 7 | Macao (China) | 510 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 8 | Canada | 507 | OECD member; PISA 2022; sampling caution. |
| 9 | United States | 504 | OECD member; PISA 2022; sampling caution. |
| 10 | New Zealand | 501 | OECD member; PISA 2022; sampling caution. |
| 11 | Hong Kong (China) | 500 | Partner economy; PISA 2022; sampling caution. |
| 12 | Australia | 498 | OECD member; PISA 2022; sampling caution. |
| 13 | United Kingdom | 494 | OECD member; PISA 2022; sampling caution. |
| 14 | Finland | 490 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 15 | Denmark | 489 | OECD member; PISA 2022; sampling caution. |
| 16 | Poland | 489 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 17 | Czech Republic | 489 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 18 | Sweden | 487 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 19 | Switzerland | 483 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 20 | Italy | 482 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 21 | Austria | 480 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 22 | Germany | 480 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 23 | Belgium | 479 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 24 | Portugal | 477 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 25 | Norway | 477 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 26 | Croatia | 475 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 27 | Latvia | 475 | OECD member; PISA 2022; sampling caution. |
| 28 | Spain | 474 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 29 | France | 474 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 30 | Israel | 474 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 31 | Hungary | 473 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 32 | Lithuania | 472 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 33 | Slovenia | 469 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 34 | Viet Nam | 462 | Partner economy; PISA 2022; reading-scale linkage caution. |
| 35 | Netherlands | 459 | OECD member; PISA 2022; sampling caution. |
| 36 | Türkiye | 456 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 37 | Chile | 448 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 38 | Slovak Republic | 447 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 39 | Malta | 445 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 40 | Serbia | 440 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 41 | Greece | 438 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 42 | Iceland | 436 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 43 | Uruguay | 430 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 44 | Brunei Darussalam | 429 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 45 | Romania | 428 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 46 | Ukrainian regions (18 of 27) | 428 | Reported region; PISA 2022; partial national coverage. |
| 47 | Qatar | 419 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 48 | United Arab Emirates | 417 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 49 | Mexico | 415 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 50 | Costa Rica | 415 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 51 | Moldova | 411 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 52 | Brazil | 410 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 53 | Jamaica | 410 | Partner economy; PISA 2022; sampling caution. |
| 54 | Colombia | 409 | OECD member; PISA 2022. |
| 55 | Peru | 408 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 56 | Montenegro | 405 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 57 | Bulgaria | 404 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 58 | Argentina | 401 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 59 | Panama | 392 | Partner economy; PISA 2022; sampling caution. |
| 60 | Malaysia | 388 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 61 | Kazakhstan | 386 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 62 | Saudi Arabia | 383 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 63 | Cyprus | 381 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 64 | Thailand | 379 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 65 | Mongolia | 378 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 66 | Guatemala | 374 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 67 | Georgia | 374 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 68 | Paraguay | 373 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 69 | Baku (Azerbaijan) | 365 | Reported region; PISA 2022; subnational coverage. |
| 70 | El Salvador | 365 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 71 | Indonesia | 359 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 72 | North Macedonia | 359 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 73 | Albania | 358 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 74 | Dominican Republic | 351 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 75 | Palestinian Authority | 349 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 76 | Philippines | 347 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 77 | Kosovo | 342 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 78 | Jordan | 342 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 79 | Morocco | 339 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 80 | Uzbekistan | 336 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
| 81 | Cambodia | 329 | Partner economy; PISA 2022. |
Values come from PISA 2022 Results Volume I, Annex B1, Table I.B1.2.2. Scores are shown as whole points in the public table.
Insights from the PISA reading ranking
Key insight
Singapore is the clear high-end performer. At 543, it is 27 points above the next rounded score level of 516.
Notable pattern
The upper group is closely packed after Singapore: ranks 2 through 20 range from 516 to 482, and several entries share the same rounded score.
Group concentration
OECD members are strongly represented in the upper half, but partner economies also appear at the top through Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Macao and Hong Kong.
Outlier
Singapore is the only entry above 520 reading score points. That makes it the main high-end outlier in this table.
What this ranking means for readers
This ranking helps compare reading outcomes for 15-year-old students across education systems. A higher score means stronger average performance on the PISA reading scale, not a higher percentage of correct answers.
The ranking should not be read as a full education-system league table. Reading performance is important, but it should be interpreted alongside equity, participation, sampling notes, demographic coverage, school resources, curriculum context and long-term trends.
The safest way to use the table is to compare broad score bands, leaders, lower-performing entries and regional patterns rather than overstate tiny differences between adjacent ranks.
FAQ
Which country or economy has the highest PISA reading score?
Singapore ranks first in this table with a PISA 2022 reading score of 543.
Why is this Top 81 instead of Top 100?
The PISA 2022 reading table has 81 listed entries with confirmed reading scores. Adding more rows would require unsupported values.
Why does a 2026 page use PISA 2022 data?
PISA 2022 is the latest available PISA cycle for reading results. The page is a 2026 ranking page built from the latest available reading table, not a new 2026 assessment.
Are small differences between ranks statistically meaningful?
Not always. PISA is a sample-based assessment, and close differences in mean scores may not be statistically significant. The table is useful for broad comparison, but close ranks should be interpreted carefully.
How are equal rounded scores handled?
Rows are sorted from highest to lowest score. When entries share the same rounded score, the display order follows the source table order, but the same displayed score should be read as a tie-like result for practical purposes.
What does a PISA reading score measure?
It measures average reading performance among 15-year-old students on the PISA reading scale, including how students understand, use, evaluate and reflect on written texts.
Why are some rows marked with caution notes?
Some entries are marked when sampling standards or reading-scale linkage conditions require care. Those rows are included because their values are published, but comparisons should be interpreted carefully.
Does a higher reading score mean the whole education system is better?
Not by itself. A higher PISA reading score indicates stronger average reading performance for 15-year-olds, but education quality also includes equity, access, completion, curriculum, student well-being and other outcomes.
Why are reported regions included?
Some entries are regions or partial-coverage entries, such as Baku (Azerbaijan) and Ukrainian regions (18 of 27). They are included with notes so readers can distinguish them from full national coverage.
Sources
OECD PISA 2022 Results Volume I, Annex B1
Main source for PISA 2022 reading mean scores, ranking order and caution notes in Table I.B1.2.2.
OECD PISA 2022 Results Volume I publication page
Publication context for the assessment cycle, methodology, results volume and OECD interpretation of learning outcomes.
OECD PISA 2022 Database
Database environment for the underlying PISA 2022 data files, technical documentation and statistical reference material.
OECD Programme for International Student Assessment
Background source explaining what PISA measures and how the international assessment is organised.
