PIRLS Reading Scores by Country 2026: Rankings & Charts
Grade 4 reading achievement ranking for PIRLS participating education systems, using the latest completed IEA PIRLS results. The 2026 label is the page year; the score data are from the PIRLS 2021 assessment cycle.
PIRLS Reading Statistics
PIRLS scores are reported on a reading achievement scale with a fixed scale centrepoint of 500 established in the first PIRLS cycle.
Singapore ranked first among the 57 reported country/economy rows.
The median row in the country/economy table is Portugal and Slovenia at 520.
The centrepoint is a fixed PIRLS scale reference, not a 2021 country average.
The score spread runs from 587 to 288 across reported country/economy rows.
Highest PIRLS Reading Scores
Top 20 reported country/economy rows by PIRLS 2021 Grade 4 reading scale score.
The chart is a visual summary of the highest reported rows. The full sortable table carries the complete 57-row country/economy coverage used here.
Chart analysis
- Singapore leads the reported country/economy ranking with 587 points.
- The gap between Singapore and Ireland is 10 points.
- The twentieth row in the chart, Italy, reports 537 points.
- Every system in the top 20 is above the PIRLS scale centrepoint of 500.
PIRLS Country Ranking Table
Ranks are ordered by reported mean reading scale score. Equal scores share the same rank number.
| Rank | Country / economy | Page region | Reading score | Vs 500 | Assessment year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | East Asia & Pacific | 587 | +87 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 2 | Ireland | Europe & Central Asia | 577 | +77 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 3 | Hong Kong SAR | East Asia & Pacific | 573 | +73 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 4 | Russian Federation | Europe & Central Asia | 567 | +67 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 5 | Northern Ireland | Europe & Central Asia | 566 | +66 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 6 | England | Europe & Central Asia | 558 | +58 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 7 | Croatia | Europe & Central Asia | 557 | +57 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 8 | Lithuania | Europe & Central Asia | 552 | +52 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 9 | Finland | Europe & Central Asia | 549 | +49 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 9 | Poland | Europe & Central Asia | 549 | +49 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 11 | United States | North America | 548 | +48 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 12 | Chinese Taipei | East Asia & Pacific | 544 | +44 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 12 | Sweden | Europe & Central Asia | 544 | +44 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 14 | Australia | East Asia & Pacific | 540 | +40 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 14 | Bulgaria | Europe & Central Asia | 540 | +40 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 14 | Czech Republic | Europe & Central Asia | 540 | +40 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 17 | Hungary | Europe & Central Asia | 539 | +39 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 17 | Denmark | Europe & Central Asia | 539 | +39 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 17 | Norway | Europe & Central Asia | 539 | +39 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 20 | Italy | Europe & Central Asia | 537 | +37 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 21 | Macao SAR | East Asia & Pacific | 536 | +36 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 22 | Austria | Europe & Central Asia | 530 | +30 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 23 | Slovak Republic | Europe & Central Asia | 529 | +29 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 24 | Latvia | Europe & Central Asia | 528 | +28 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 25 | Netherlands | Europe & Central Asia | 527 | +27 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 26 | Germany | Europe & Central Asia | 524 | +24 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 27 | New Zealand | East Asia & Pacific | 521 | +21 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 27 | Spain | Europe & Central Asia | 521 | +21 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 29 | Portugal | Europe & Central Asia | 520 | +20 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 29 | Slovenia | Europe & Central Asia | 520 | +20 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 31 | Malta | Europe & Central Asia | 515 | +15 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 32 | France | Europe & Central Asia | 514 | +14 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 32 | Serbia | Europe & Central Asia | 514 | +14 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 34 | Albania | Europe & Central Asia | 513 | +13 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 35 | Cyprus | Europe & Central Asia | 511 | +11 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 35 | Belgium (Flemish) | Europe & Central Asia | 511 | +11 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 37 | Israel | Middle East & North Africa | 510 | +10 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 38 | Kazakhstan | Europe & Central Asia | 504 | +4 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 39 | Turkiye | Europe & Central Asia | 496 | -4 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 40 | Belgium (French) | Europe & Central Asia | 494 | -6 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 40 | Georgia | Europe & Central Asia | 494 | -6 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 42 | Montenegro | Europe & Central Asia | 487 | -13 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 43 | Qatar | Middle East & North Africa | 485 | -15 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 44 | United Arab Emirates | Middle East & North Africa | 483 | -17 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 45 | Bahrain | Middle East & North Africa | 458 | -42 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 46 | Saudi Arabia | Middle East & North Africa | 449 | -51 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 47 | North Macedonia | Europe & Central Asia | 442 | -58 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 48 | Azerbaijan | Europe & Central Asia | 440 | -60 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 49 | Uzbekistan | Europe & Central Asia | 437 | -63 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 50 | Oman | Middle East & North Africa | 429 | -71 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 51 | Kosovo | Europe & Central Asia | 421 | -79 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 52 | Brazil | Latin America & Caribbean | 419 | -81 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 53 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | Middle East & North Africa | 413 | -87 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 54 | Jordan | Middle East & North Africa | 381 | -119 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 55 | Egypt | Middle East & North Africa | 378 | -122 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 56 | Morocco | Middle East & North Africa | 372 | -128 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
| 57 | South Africa | Sub-Saharan Africa | 288 | -212 | 2021 | IEA PIRLS |
Table analysis
- The full table contains 57 reported country/economy rows from PIRLS 2021.
- Singapore is the highest reported row at 587; South Africa is the lowest reported row at 288.
- The table median is 520, shared by Portugal and Slovenia.
- 38 rows are at or above the fixed PIRLS centrepoint of 500.
- Turkiye reports 496, four points below the centrepoint.
- The table uses page-level region labels for analysis grouping; PIRLS itself reports countries, economies, and benchmarking participants.
- Benchmarking participants such as Canadian provinces, Moscow City, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai are not included in the main country/economy ranking table.
PIRLS Score Trend for Selected Systems
Selected education systems with comparable reported PIRLS reading scores across multiple assessment cycles.
Trend lines use PIRLS assessment cycles, not annual data. Only selected systems with visible comparable cycle values are charted.
Trend analysis
- Singapore rises from 528 in 2001 to 587 in 2021, a 59-point increase.
- Hong Kong SAR rises from 528 in 2001 to 573 in 2021, a 45-point increase.
- Russian Federation reports 567 in 2021 after 581 in 2016.
- Germany reports 524 in 2021 after 539 in 2001.
- Sweden reports 544 in 2021 after 561 in 2001.
PIRLS Assessment Cycle Trend Table
Selected rows are included to show how PIRLS trend data should be read across assessment cycles.
| Country / economy | 2001 | 2006 | 2011 | 2016 | 2021 | Change | Source note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore | 528 | 558 | 567 | 576 | 587 | +59 | Comparable PIRLS trend row |
| Hong Kong SAR | 528 | 564 | 571 | 569 | 573 | +45 | Comparable PIRLS trend row |
| Russian Federation | 528 | 565 | 568 | 581 | 567 | +39 | Comparable PIRLS trend row |
| Germany | 539 | 548 | 541 | 537 | 524 | -15 | Comparable PIRLS trend row |
| Italy | 541 | 551 | 541 | 548 | 537 | -4 | Comparable PIRLS trend row |
| France | 525 | 522 | 520 | 511 | 514 | -11 | Comparable PIRLS trend row |
| Slovak Republic | 518 | 531 | 535 | 535 | 529 | +11 | Comparable PIRLS trend row |
| Slovenia | 502 | 522 | 530 | 542 | 520 | +18 | Comparable PIRLS trend row |
| Sweden | 561 | 549 | 542 | 555 | 544 | -17 | Comparable PIRLS trend row |
| Turkiye | 449 | not reported | not reported | not reported | 496 | +47 | Reported 2001 and 2021 values |
Trend analysis
- The trend table uses PIRLS cycles: 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021.
- Singapore has the largest selected increase, +59 points from 2001 to 2021.
- Germany, France, and Sweden show lower 2021 scores than their 2001 values in this selected trend table.
- Turkiye has values shown only for 2001 and 2021 in this compact trend extract.
Page Region Average Scores
Page-level average score by region grouping, calculated from the 57 country/economy rows above.
Regional averages are page-level calculations from reported rows, not official PIRLS regional aggregates.
Chart analysis
- East Asia & Pacific has the highest page-level regional average at 550.2 across six rows.
- Europe & Central Asia has 38 rows and an average of 519.6.
- Latin America & Caribbean, North America, and Sub-Saharan Africa each have one row in this reported PIRLS country/economy table.
- Regional averages should be read as grouping summaries, not as official PIRLS regional indicators.
Region Summary Table
The region table summarizes the same 57 country/economy rows used in the ranking table.
| Page region | Rows | Average score | Highest score | Lowest score | Calculation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Asia & Pacific | 6 | 550.2 | 587 | 521 | Page-level mean |
| Europe & Central Asia | 38 | 519.6 | 577 | 421 | Page-level mean |
| Latin America & Caribbean | 1 | 419.0 | 419 | 419 | Single reported row |
| Middle East & North Africa | 10 | 435.8 | 510 | 372 | Page-level mean |
| North America | 1 | 548.0 | 548 | 548 | Single reported row |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 1 | 288.0 | 288 | 288 | Single reported row |
Table analysis
- The regional summary is sensitive to participation coverage; some regions have only one reported country/economy row.
- Europe & Central Asia carries the largest share of rows, with 38 of 57.
- East Asia & Pacific has the highest page-level mean and includes the highest reported row, Singapore.
- The single-row regional groups should not be interpreted as broad regional performance estimates.
Reading Score Interpretation Notes
Short notes for reading the ranking without mixing assessment coverage, scale score meaning, and page-level calculations.
PIRLS is a cycle-based assessment. The latest completed international results used here are PIRLS 2021, not 2026 results.
The PIRLS scale centrepoint of 500 is fixed across cycles. It is a reference point, not a pass mark.
The country table includes 57 reported country/economy rows. Benchmarking participants are excluded from the main ranking.
Ranking order describes reported mean reading score only. It does not measure the whole education system.
Source and Methodology
IEA, PIRLS 2021 International Results in Reading, Countries’ Reading Achievement.
International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, PIRLS 2021 study page.
Mean scores of participating education systems in PIRLS 2021, Singapore Ministry of Education annex based on PIRLS results.
PIRLS measures reading achievement at the fourth grade level and reports results on the PIRLS reading achievement scale.
Rows were sorted from highest to lowest reported mean reading score. Equal mean scores share the same rank.
Difference from 500, regional averages, median value, and score range were calculated from the listed table values.
Country/economy scores are shown as whole-number mean scores. Page-level regional means are rounded to one decimal place.
Benchmarking participants and subnational entities are not included in the main country/economy ranking table.
The 2026 wording is used as the publication-year label for an evergreen data page. PIRLS 2026 is a separate assessment cycle; internationally comparable 2026 results are not used in this ranking. The data table uses PIRLS 2021, the latest completed public international PIRLS result set available for the listed countries/economies.
This ranking is limited to reported PIRLS Grade 4 reading scale scores for participating education systems. It should not be read as a full education-system ranking, a literacy-rate ranking, or a causal measure of school policy effects. Differences in participation, assessment timing, language of instruction, and benchmarking coverage affect interpretation.