Recent global rankings in mathematics have not been kind to the US. With China topping the global math rankings announced in 2026, the US has missed out on making it into the top 25. This is an example of how American students lag behind the best mathematics students in the world. The rankings are based on a Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
The latest PISA study of 2025 (Volume I), which was published September 2026, examined the performance of 15 year olds. The PISA evaluates the competencies of the students in the subjects of mathematics, reading and science. However, unlike any other test, the mathematics part of the test assesses the efficiency of the students in real-world problem solving.
