TIMSS Math Scores by Country 2026: Rankings, Data & Charts
Ranking uses the latest released TIMSS 2023 mathematics mean scores. The 2026 label refers to publication timing; the assessment year shown in the tables is 2023.
TIMSS Score Statistics
Mathematics scores are reported separately for Grade 4 and Grade 8. The two grade levels are not merged into one index.
Singapore, TIMSS 2023.
Singapore, TIMSS 2023.
Countries, economies, and education systems in the main ranking table.
Main ranked list, with two additional excluded systems shown separately.
Highest Reported Grade 4 Mathematics Scores
Visual summary of the highest Grade 4 mathematics mean scores in the 2023 TIMSS release.
Grade 4 Mathematics Mean Score, TIMSS 2023
Top 20 ranked education systems, scale centerpoint 500.
The chart is a ranked visual summary; the full Grade 4 table below carries all 58 ranked systems.
Chart analysis
- Singapore reported the highest Grade 4 mathematics mean score at 615.
- The gap between rank 1 and rank 20 in this chart is 90 scale-score points.
- Nine ranked systems scored 550 or above in Grade 4 mathematics.
- The TIMSS fixed scale centerpoint is 500; every system in the visual summary is above that centerpoint.
Grade 4 Mathematics Ranking
Official TIMSS 2023 mean mathematics scores for Grade 4 participating countries, economies, and education systems in the main ranking list.
| Rank | System | Score | Vs 500 | Score band | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 615 | +115 | 550+ | 2023 | None |
| 2 | Chinese Taipei | 607 | +107 | 550+ | 2023 | None |
| 3 | Korea, Republic of | 594 | +94 | 550+ | 2023 | None |
| 4 | Hong Kong, SAR | 594 | +94 | 550+ | 2023 | None |
| 5 | Japan | 591 | +91 | 550+ | 2023 | None |
| 6 | Macao SAR | 582 | +82 | 550+ | 2023 | None |
| 7 | Lithuania | 561 | +61 | 550+ | 2023 | None |
| 8 | Türkiye | 553 | +53 | 550+ | 2023 | High exclusion caution |
| 9 | England | 552 | +52 | 550+ | 2023 | None |
| 10 | Poland | 546 | +46 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 11 | Ireland | 546 | +46 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 12 | Romania | 542 | +42 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 13 | Netherlands | 537 | +37 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 14 | Latvia | 534 | +34 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 15 | Norway | 531 | +31 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 16 | Czech Republic | 530 | +30 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 17 | Sweden | 530 | +30 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 18 | Bulgaria | 530 | +30 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 19 | Finland | 529 | +29 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 20 | Australia | 525 | +25 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 21 | Germany | 524 | +24 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 22 | Denmark | 524 | +24 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 23 | Serbia | 523 | +23 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 24 | Belgium (Flemish) | 521 | +21 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 25 | Hungary | 520 | +20 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 26 | Portugal | 517 | +17 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 27 | United States | 517 | +17 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 28 | Cyprus | 516 | +16 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 29 | Slovak Republic | 515 | +15 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 30 | Slovenia | 514 | +14 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 31 | Italy | 513 | +13 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 32 | Armenia | 513 | +13 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 33 | Albania | 512 | +12 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 34 | Canada | 504 | +4 | 500-549 | 2023 | None |
| 35 | Spain | 498 | -2 | 450-499 | 2023 | None |
| 36 | United Arab Emirates | 498 | -2 | 450-499 | 2023 | None |
| 37 | Georgia | 498 | -2 | 450-499 | 2023 | None |
| 38 | Azerbaijan, Republic of | 494 | -6 | 450-499 | 2023 | None |
| 39 | New Zealand | 490 | -10 | 450-499 | 2023 | None |
| 40 | Belgium (French) | 489 | -11 | 450-499 | 2023 | None |
| 41 | Kazakhstan | 487 | -13 | 450-499 | 2023 | None |
| 42 | France | 484 | -16 | 450-499 | 2023 | None |
| 43 | Montenegro | 477 | -23 | 450-499 | 2023 | None |
| 44 | North Macedonia | 474 | -26 | 450-499 | 2023 | None |
| 45 | Qatar | 464 | -36 | 450-499 | 2023 | None |
| 46 | Bahrain | 462 | -38 | 450-499 | 2023 | None |
| 47 | Kosovo | 451 | -49 | 450-499 | 2023 | None |
| 48 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 447 | -53 | 400-449 | 2023 | Target population coverage caution |
| 49 | Chile | 444 | -56 | 400-449 | 2023 | None |
| 50 | Uzbekistan | 443 | -57 | 400-449 | 2023 | None |
| 51 | Jordan | 427 | -73 | 400-449 | 2023 | None |
| 52 | Oman | 421 | -79 | 400-449 | 2023 | None |
| 53 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 420 | -80 | 400-449 | 2023 | None |
| 54 | Saudi Arabia | 420 | -80 | 400-449 | 2023 | None |
| 55 | Brazil | 400 | -100 | 400-449 | 2023 | None |
| 56 | Morocco | 393 | -107 | Below 400 | 2023 | None |
| 57 | Kuwait | 382 | -118 | Below 400 | 2023 | None |
| 58 | South Africa | 362 | -138 | Below 400 | 2023 | Grade 5 assessment context |
Table analysis
- The Grade 4 table contains 58 ranked systems from the TIMSS 2023 mathematics release.
- Singapore ranks first with 615, while South Africa is the lowest reported ranked system at 362.
- The full Grade 4 spread is 253 scale-score points.
- 34 ranked systems scored at or above the TIMSS scale centerpoint of 500.
- 9 ranked systems reached the 550+ band.
- Türkiye and Bosnia and Herzegovina carry source cautions related to coverage or exclusion rates.
Grade 8 Mathematics Ranking
TIMSS 2023 Grade 8 mathematics scores are shown separately because participating systems and grade-level samples differ from Grade 4.
Grade 4 and Grade 8 Mathematics Scores for Selected Systems
Systems shown are the highest Grade 8 mathematics performers with corresponding Grade 4 scores where available.
The comparison keeps grade levels separate; score differences are descriptive and do not measure individual student growth.
Chart analysis
- Singapore leads both shown grade levels, with 615 at Grade 4 and 605 at Grade 8.
- Japan reports a higher Grade 8 score than Grade 4 in this selected comparison: 595 vs 591.
- Chinese Taipei, Korea, and Japan are all within 10 points of Singapore at Grade 8.
| Rank | System | Score | Vs 500 | Status | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 605 | +105 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 2 | Chinese Taipei | 602 | +102 | Ranked | 2023 | Score did not differ from Singapore at the reported threshold |
| 3 | Korea, Republic of | 596 | +96 | Ranked | 2023 | Score did not differ from Singapore at the reported threshold |
| 4 | Japan | 595 | +95 | Ranked | 2023 | Score did not differ from Singapore at the reported threshold |
| 5 | Hong Kong, SAR | 575 | +75 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 6 | England | 525 | +25 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 7 | Ireland | 522 | +22 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 8 | Czech Republic | 518 | +18 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 9 | Sweden | 517 | +17 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 10 | Lithuania | 514 | +14 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 11 | Austria | 512 | +12 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 12 | Australia | 509 | +9 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 13 | Türkiye | 509 | +9 | Ranked | 2023 | High exclusion caution |
| 14 | Hungary | 506 | +6 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 15 | Finland | 504 | +4 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 16 | Norway | 501 | +1 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 17 | Italy | 501 | +1 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 18 | Malta | 499 | -1 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 19 | Romania | 496 | -4 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 20 | Cyprus | 494 | -6 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 21 | United Arab Emirates | 489 | -11 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 22 | United States | 488 | -12 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 23 | Israel | 487 | -13 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 24 | France | 479 | -21 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 25 | Azerbaijan, Republic of | 479 | -21 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 26 | Portugal | 475 | -25 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 27 | Georgia | 467 | -33 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 28 | Kazakhstan | 454 | -46 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 29 | Qatar | 451 | -49 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 30 | Bahrain | 426 | -74 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 31 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 423 | -77 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 32 | Uzbekistan | 421 | -79 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 33 | Chile | 416 | -84 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 34 | Oman | 411 | -89 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 35 | Malaysia | 411 | -89 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 36 | Kuwait | 399 | -101 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 37 | Saudi Arabia | 397 | -103 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 38 | South Africa | 397 | -103 | Ranked | 2023 | Grade 9 assessment context |
| 39 | Jordan | 388 | -112 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 40 | Palestinian National Authority | 382 | -118 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 41 | Brazil | 378 | -122 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| 42 | Morocco | 378 | -122 | Ranked | 2023 | None |
| Excluded | New Zealand | 485 | -15 | Excluded from main ranking | 2023 | School participation rate did not meet technical requirement |
| Excluded | Cote d’Ivoire | 263 | -237 | Excluded from main ranking | 2023 | Average achievement could not be reliably measured |
Table analysis
- The Grade 8 main ranking contains 42 ranked systems.
- Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Korea, and Japan are clustered between 595 and 605.
- 17 ranked Grade 8 systems scored at or above the TIMSS scale centerpoint of 500.
- The ranked Grade 8 spread is 227 scale-score points, from 605 to 378.
- New Zealand and Cote d’Ivoire are retained in the table as source-listed exclusions, not as ranked entries.
Score Band Distribution
Band counts summarize how many ranked systems fall into each score range.
| Grade | Score band | Systems | Share | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 4 | 550+ | 9 | 15.5% | 58 ranked systems |
| Grade 4 | 500-549 | 25 | 43.1% | 58 ranked systems |
| Grade 4 | 450-499 | 13 | 22.4% | 58 ranked systems |
| Grade 4 | 400-449 | 8 | 13.8% | 58 ranked systems |
| Grade 4 | Below 400 | 3 | 5.2% | 58 ranked systems |
| Grade 8 | 550+ | 5 | 11.9% | 42 ranked systems |
| Grade 8 | 500-549 | 12 | 28.6% | 42 ranked systems |
| Grade 8 | 450-499 | 12 | 28.6% | 42 ranked systems |
| Grade 8 | 400-449 | 6 | 14.3% | 42 ranked systems |
| Grade 8 | Below 400 | 7 | 16.7% | 42 ranked systems |
Source-year analysis
- Grade 4 has a larger ranked table: 58 systems compared with 42 at Grade 8.
- The 500-549 band is the largest Grade 4 band with 25 systems.
- Grade 8 has equal counts in the 500-549 and 450-499 bands, with 12 systems each.
- Band shares are page-level calculations from the official ranking rows.
TIMSS Assessment Cycle Context
TIMSS is a cycle-based assessment. Trend analysis should use assessment cycles rather than annual values.
| Cycle | Subjects | Grades | Use in trend work | Method note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Mathematics and science | Grade 4 and Grade 8 | Long-run anchor | Scale origin cycle for TIMSS reporting |
| 1999 | Mathematics and science | Grade 8 | Cycle comparison | Grade coverage differs by cycle |
| 2003 | Mathematics and science | Grade 4 and Grade 8 | Cycle comparison | Use matched grade and subject only |
| 2007 | Mathematics and science | Grade 4 and Grade 8 | Cycle comparison | Country participation varies |
| 2011 | Mathematics and science | Grade 4 and Grade 8 | Cycle comparison | Use TIMSS scale score definitions |
| 2015 | Mathematics and science | Grade 4 and Grade 8 | Recent-cycle comparison | Do not merge grade levels |
| 2019 | Mathematics and science | Grade 4 and Grade 8 | Pre-2023 comparison | Use matched systems when comparing |
| 2023 | Mathematics and science | Grade 4 and Grade 8 | Latest released cycle | Assessment year used for the ranking tables |
Trend analysis
- TIMSS trend work should compare assessment cycles, not calendar-year annual data.
- Grade 4 mathematics and Grade 8 mathematics have separate scales and participant sets.
- Country-level trend claims require matched countries, grades, subjects, and cycles.
Assessment Notes
Interpretation is limited to the reported TIMSS mean score tables and source cautions.
Grade 4 and Grade 8 results are reported as separate assessment populations. A combined country score is not calculated.
The TIMSS scale centerpoint is 500. The centerpoint is fixed for cross-cycle reporting and is not the same as a yearly average.
The ranking covers participating countries, economies, and education systems with reported TIMSS 2023 mathematics results.
New Zealand and Cote d’Ivoire are shown in the Grade 8 table as source-listed technical exclusions, not ranked systems.
Source and Methodology
IEA TIMSS 2023 International Results in Mathematics and Science.
Mean scores and ranks are taken from the TIMSS 2023 mathematics result tables and the official annex reproducing IEA rank positions.
2023 assessment cycle. No 2026 TIMSS assessment score release is used for the tables.
Average mathematics achievement on the TIMSS scale for Grade 4 and Grade 8 students in participating systems.
Score bands, differences from 500, and band shares are calculated from the listed official mean scores.
Mean scores are reported as whole-number scale scores, matching the source tables.
Rankings are descriptive and limited to the relevant grade, subject, assessment year, and participating systems. Grade 4 and Grade 8 tables use separate samples and should not be averaged into one country score.
TIMSS mathematics rankings compare reported mean scale scores for participating systems only. They do not rank entire national education systems across every age group, curriculum area, or later educational outcome. Source cautions and technical exclusions should be retained when using the data.