United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland vs United States of America: Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age
Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age over time
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- United States of America
How they compare
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland currently reports 79.7% against 79.0% in United States of America, a difference of 0.7%.
Across all 7 years both countries report, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been ahead every year.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 6th and United States of America ranks 7th of 53 countries.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | United States of America | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 84.3% | 79.4% | 4.9% | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
| 2010s | 82.5% | 80.6% | 1.9% | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
| 2020s | 79.7% | 79.0% | 0.7% | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or United States of America?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, at 79.7% against 79.0% in United States of America as of 2022.
- What is the difference in share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age between United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and United States of America?
- 0.7%, with United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and United States of America?
- 7 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2022.
- How do United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and United States of America rank globally for share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 6th and United States of America ranks 7th of 53 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of children who achieve minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower secondary education. This data accounts for school completion rates to estimate skills for all children, not just those in school.