World’s Best Countries at Mathematics in 2026: Seven Asian Education Systems in Top 10

China has topped the latest global mathematics performance ranking for 2026, while seven Asian education systems have secured places in the top 10. The ranking is based on the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 results, which assess how well 15-year-old students apply their knowledge and skills to mathematics and real-world problems.

The results once again highlight the strong performance of several Asian education systems in mathematics.

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Top 10 Countries and Education Systems in Mathematics

The latest PISA mathematics results place China at the top, followed by Singapore, Macao and Chinese Taipei. Japan, Korea and Hong Kong also feature among the highest-performing education systems.

China's participating jurisdictions — Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang — recorded an average mathematics score of 612, the highest among participants in the PISA 2025 assessment. The OECD average was 463 points.

Seven Asian Nations or Education Systems in Top 10

Asia dominates the upper portion of the table, with seven of the top 10 entries coming from the region.

• China
• Singapore
• Macao
• Chinese Taipei
• Japan
• Korea
• Hong Kong

Singapore followed China with a score of 563, while Macao and Chinese Taipei recorded 549 and 546, respectively. Japan, Korea and Hong Kong also remained among the highest-performing participants.

The results indicate the continued strong performance of East Asian education systems in mathematics among 15-year-old students.

China Tops the Mathematics Ranking

China recorded the highest mathematics score in the PISA 2025 assessment, with 612 points.

Its score was substantially above the OECD average of 463. The Chinese result represents the combined performance of the participating jurisdictions of Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, rather than the result of every province or territory in China.

Singapore Ranks Second

Singapore secured the second position with 563 points.

The country has also been among the strongest performers across other areas assessed by PISA, including reading and science. Its mathematics performance places it considerably above the OECD average.

Japan, Korea and Hong Kong Among Top Performers

Japan ranked fifth with 525 points, while Korea and Hong Kong both recorded 522 points.

Japan's performance was also strong in science, where it recorded 538 points in the PISA 2025 assessment.

Estonia Leads Europe

While Asian education systems occupy seven of the top 10 positions, Estonia was the highest-ranked European education system, securing eighth place with 508 points.

Switzerland followed at ninth with 499 points, while the United Kingdom completed the top 10 with 488 points. All three European entries scored above the OECD mathematics average of 463.

Why Is India Missing From the Ranking?

One of the key points for Indian readers is that India does not appear in the PISA 2025 mathematics ranking because it did not participate in the 2025 assessment. Therefore, India's absence from the table should not be interpreted as a mathematics score or ranking position.

India's previous participation in PISA was in 2009, when students from Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh took part in the assessment.

This distinction is important because the ranking compares participating education systems. A country that does not participate in a particular PISA cycle does not receive a corresponding position in that cycle's results.

What Does PISA Measure?

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The assessment focuses on 15-year-old students and examines their ability to use knowledge and skills in areas including:

• Mathematics
• Reading
• Science

In mathematics, the assessment is designed to measure more than textbook recall. It examines how students apply mathematical knowledge and reasoning to different problems and real-world situations.

Key Takeaway

The 2026 mathematics ranking based on the latest PISA results shows a strong concentration of high-performing Asian education systems. China, Singapore, Macao, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Korea and Hong Kong occupy seven of the top 10 positions, while Estonia, Switzerland and the UK represent Europe.

For India, the important point is that the country was not part of the PISA 2025 assessment, so no 2026 PISA mathematics rank or score is available for India. The ranking therefore should not be used to directly compare India's current mathematics performance with the countries listed above.