China Leads Global Math Rankings as OECD Scores Drop

Key points

• China achieved an average PISA score of 612, nearly 150 points above the OECD average.
• Asian jurisdictions occupy seven of the top ten positions, including Singapore, Macao, and Taiwan.
• The United States ranks 27th with a score of 463, matching the OECD average exactly.
• Canada ranks 11th with a score of 485, placing it above several major European economies.
• OECD mathematics scores fell by 22 points between 2015 and 2025, equivalent to over one year of learning.

Background

Recent global rankings in other sectors, such as manufacturing and corporate revenue, have highlighted China's rising economic and industrial influence. In contrast, this education data highlights a widening gap in academic performance between East Asian and Western nations.

Why it matters

The decline in math scores across OECD countries signals a potential long-term impact on economic competitiveness and innovation. The strong performance of East Asian systems suggests that specific educational strategies may be more effective in developing critical reasoning skills.

What to watch

Policymakers in OECD countries may need to reevaluate curriculum standards and digital usage policies to address the declining math scores. The association between heavy digital leisure use and lower scores suggests a need for balanced screen time guidelines in schools.