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Average Math and Science Scores of Fourth-Grade and Eighth-Grade Students by Country

Average Mathematics Scale Scores, 2003

Fourth gradeEighth grade
Country Average
score 		CountryAverage
score 		CountryAverage
score 		CountryAverage
score
International
 average 		495Cyprus510International
 average		466Slovak Rep.508
Singapore594Moldova, Rep. of504Singapore605Australia505
Hong Kong SAR1,2575Italy503Korea, Rep. of589(United States)504
Japan565Australia2499Hong Kong SAR1,2586Lithuania3502
Chinese Taipei564New Zealand493Chinese Taipei585Sweden499
Belgium-Flemish551Scotland2490Japan570Scotland1498
Netherlands2540Slovenia479Belgium-Flemish537(Israel)496
Latvia536Armenia456Netherlands1536New Zealand494
Lithuania3534Norway451Estonia531Slovenia493
Russian Federation532Iran, Islamic Rep. of389Hungary529Italy484
England2531Philippines358Malaysia508Armenia478
Hungary529Morocco347Latvia508Serbia3477
United States2518Tunisia339Russian Federation508Bulgaria476
NOTE: Countries are ordered by 2003 average score. The test for significance between the United States and the international average was adjusted to account for the U.S. contribution to the international average. Countries were required to sample students in the upper of the two grades that contained the largest number of 9- and 13-year-olds. In the United States and most countries, this corresponds to grade 4 and grade 8. Parentheses indicate countries that did not meet international sampling or other guidelines in 2003.
1. Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China.
2. Met international guidelines for participation rates in 2003 only after replacement schools were included.
3. National desired population does not cover all of the international desired population.
Source: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), 2003.

Average Science Scale Scores, 2003

Fourth gradeEighth grade
Country Average
score 		CountryAverage
score 		CountryAverage
score 		CountryAverage
score
International
 average 		489Belgium-Flemish518 International
 average 		473New Zealand520
Singapore565Italy516Singapore578Lithuania3519
Chinese Taipei551Lithuania3512Chinese Taipei571Slovak Rep.517
Japan543Scotland2502Korea, Rep. of558Belgium-Flemish516
Hong Kong SAR1,2542Moldova, Rep. of496Hong Kong SAR1,2556Russian Federation514
England2540Slovenia490Estonia552Latvia512
United States2536Cyprus480Japan552Scotland2512
Latvia532Norway466Hungary543Malaysia510
Hungary530Armenia437Netherlands2536Norway494
Russian Federation526Iran, Islamic Rep. of414(United States)527Italy491
Netherlands2525Philippines332Australia527(Israel)488
Australia2521Tunisia314Sweden524Bulgaria479
New Zealand520Morocco304Slovenia520Jordan475
NOTE: Countries are ordered by 2003 average score. The test for significance between the United States and the international average was adjusted to account for the U.S. contribution to the international average. Countries were required to sample students in the upper of the two grades that contained the largest number of 9- and 13-year-olds. In the United States and most countries, this corresponds to grade 4 and grade 8. Parentheses indicate countries that did not meet international sampling or other guidelines in 2003.
1. Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China.
2. Met international guidelines for participation rates in 2003 only after replacement schools were included.
3. National desired population does not cover all of the international desired population.
Source: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), 2003.

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