Visual Capitalist has published new data regarding the mean reading scores of teenagers in 90 education systems around the world. The information draws from the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment, which measures how well 15-year-olds can apply reading, mathematics, and science skills to real-world challenges.
According to the data, girls’ average reading score was higher than boys’ average reading score in 89 of the 90 education systems included in the report. Overall, girls’ average reading score was 30 points higher than boys’ average reading score. In the United States, girls’ mean reading score was 24 points higher than boys’ mean reading score.
Rwanda was the only country with a reading gap that favors boys (6 points). The largest gaps favoring girls reached 45 points or more in seven systems: the Palestinian Authority, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Malta, Croatia, Greece, and Finland.


