What is PISA?
PISA measures 15-year-olds’ ability to use their science, reading and maths knowledge and skills to meet real-life challenges.
PISA 2018 participants
PISA 2018 participants
- 79 Countries
- 600 000 plus students worldwide
- 14 273 Australian students
- 740 Australian schools
How Australia compares
- Reading
- There were 10 countries/economies whose performance was significantly higher than Australia’s.
- There were 9 countries/economies whose performance was at a similar level to Australia’s.
- There were 58 countries/economies whose performance was significantly lower than Australia’s.
- Maths
- There were 23 countries/economies whose performance was significantly higher than Australia’s.
- There were 8 countries/economies whose performance was at a similar level to Australia’s.
- There were 47 countries/economies whose performance was significantly lower than Australia’s.
- Science
- There were 12 countries/economies whose performance was significantly higher than Australia’s.
- There were 7 countries/economies whose performance was at a similar level to Australia’s.
- There were 59 countries/economies whose performance was significantly lower than Australia’s.
Number of countries/economies
Significantly higher than Australia
At a similar level to Australia
Significantly lower than Australia** Based on available data (77 countries for reading and 78 for maths and science).
The top three highest performers across all domains in PISA 2018 were:
Beijing–Shanghai–Jiangsu–Zhejiang (China),
Singapore,
Macao (China).
Australian achievement trends: Mean scores in major and subsequent assessment domains
- Reading in the year 2000 was 528
- Reading in the year 2003 was 525
- Reading in the year 2006 was 513
- Reading in the year 2009 was 515
- Reading in the year 2012 was 512
- Reading in the year 2015 was 503
- Reading in the year 2018 was 503
- Maths in the year 2003 was 524
- Maths in the year 2006 was 520
- Maths in the year 2009 was 514
- Maths in the year 2012 was 504
- Maths in the year 2015 was 494
- Maths in the year 2018 was 491
- Science in the year 2006 was 527
- Science in the year 2009 was 527
- Science in the year 2012 was 521
- Science in the year 2015 was 510
- Science in the year 2018 was 503
Note: The start point for future comparisons occurs the first time each assessment domain is assessed as a major domain. For reading, this occurred in PISA 2000, in mathematics in 2003, and in science in 2006.
Students achieving the National Proficient Standard - Level 3 or above
- Reading
- Australia - 59
- B-S-J-Z (China) - 54
- OECD average - 80
- Maths
- Australia - 54
- B-S-J-Z (China) - 54
- OECD average - 91
- Science
- Australia - 58
- B-S-J-Z (China) - 52
- OECD average - 90
Note: In Australia, students who scored at or above Level 3 achieve the National Proficient Standard.
Australian achievement gaps in equivalent years of schooling
By state/territory
In Science the achievement gap between the highest performing and lowest performing state was 1.5 years. In Reading the gap was 1.5 years, while in Maths it was 1 year.
By gender
In Science there was no difference between boys and girls. In Reading girls were 1 year ahead of boys, while in Maths there was no difference between boys and girls.
By wealth
In Science, Reading and Maths the achievement gap between the highest socioeconomic quartile and lowest socioeconomic quartile was 3 years.
By Indigenous status
In Science the gap between Non-indigenous and Indigenous students was 2.5 years. In Reading the gap was also 2.5 years, while in Maths the gap was 2.3 years.
