Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Austria

Austria: Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age was 73.5% in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
73.5%
World rank
19th
of 53 countries
All-time high
84.8%
in 2000
All-time low
71.8%
in 2009
Years of data
8
2000–2022

Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Austria, 2000–2022

0204060802000201120222000: 84.8 %2003: 78.8 %2006: 77.9 %2009: 71.8 %2012: 79.5 %2015: 76.3 %2018: 75.1 %2022: 73.5 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Austria recorded 73.5% for share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in 2022.

The figure is down 7.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Austria peaked at 84.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 71.8%, in 2009.

That places Austria 19th out of 53 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.

Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Austria, year by year

Annual values for Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Austria, 2000 to 2022.
Year % Change
2000 84.8%
2003 78.8% -7.1%
2006 77.9% -1.2%
2009 71.8% -7.8%
2012 79.5% +10.7%
2015 76.3% -4.0%
2018 75.1% -1.6%
2022 73.5% -2.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 78.3% 71.8% 84.8% 4
2010s 77.0% 75.1% 79.5% 3
2020s 73.5% 73.5% 73.5% 1

Countries ranked near Austria

  1. 16 Sweden 75.2% compare
  2. 17 Lithuania 74.5% compare
  3. 18 Switzerland 74.5% compare
  4. 20 Slovenia 73.4% compare
  5. 21 Norway 72.3% compare
  6. 22 France 71.9% compare

See the full ranking of 53 places →

More reference data data for Austria

All data for Austria →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Austria?
Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Austria was 73.5% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age recorded in Austria?
The highest recorded value was 84.8% in 2000.
What is the lowest share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age recorded in Austria?
The lowest recorded value was 71.8% in 2009.
How does Austria rank for share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age?
Austria ranks 19th out of 53 countries with data for 2022.
Is share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age rising or falling in Austria?
Over the last ten years it is down 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Austria data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Austria. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-children-reaching-sufficient-reading-comprehension-by-the-end-of-lower-secondary/austria/

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<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-children-reaching-sufficient-reading-comprehension-by-the-end-of-lower-secondary/austria/">Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age in Austria</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Share of children achieving minimum reading proficiency by the end of lower-secondary age
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
53 places, 379 data points, 2000–2022
Last refreshed

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.