U.S. TIMSS Math Scores Over Time: 1995–2023
U.S. fourth- and eighth-grade mathematics results from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), covering every available assessment cycle from 1995 through 2023.
TIMSS reports achievement on a 0–1,000 scale with a fixed centerpoint of 500. Grade 4 has no 1999 result because TIMSS was not administered at that grade in 1999.
2023 Mathematics Score Readout
The latest U.S. averages were lower than their 2019 levels at both assessed grades.
U.S. TIMSS Mathematics Scores by Grade, 1995–2023
Average mathematics scores for U.S. fourth- and eighth-grade students across available TIMSS cycles.
The chart axis is zoomed to make cycle-to-cycle movement visible; the full TIMSS scale runs from 0 to 1,000. Grade 4 has no 1999 point because the assessment was not administered at that grade in 1999.
Scores rose before retreating from earlier peaks
- Grade 4 reached its highest displayed average of 541 in 2011 before moving to 517 in 2023.
- Grade 8 reached 518 in 2015, its highest value in the series, before falling to 488 in 2023.
Full U.S. TIMSS Mathematics Trend Table
Changes are calculated from the displayed rounded score in the prior available assessment cycle for the same grade.
| Year | Grade 4 | G4 change | Grade 8 | G8 change | Cycle note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 518 | Baseline | 492 | Baseline | First TIMSS cycle |
| 1999 | Not administered | — | 502 | +10 | Grade 8 only |
| 2003 | 518 | 0 | 504 | +2 | Both grades assessed |
| 2007 | 529 | +11 | 508 | +4 | Both grades assessed |
| 2011 | 541 | +12 | 509 | +1 | Grade 4 series high |
| 2015 | 539 | −2 | 518 | +9 | Grade 8 series high |
| 2019 | 535 | −4 | 515 | −3 | Pre-2023 comparison cycle |
| 2023 | 517 | −18 | 488 | −27 | Latest available cycle |
2023 U.S. Scores and the TIMSS International Average
The current international average is grade-specific and should not be confused with the fixed TIMSS scale centerpoint of 500.
| Grade | U.S. score | International avg. | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 4 mathematics | 517 | 503 | +14 |
| Grade 8 mathematics | 488 | 478 | +10 |
The TIMSS 2023 international average is calculated from participating non-benchmarking education systems for the corresponding grade. It is not a passing score or a fixed historical reference.
Long-Term Pattern Behind the Scores
The full series separates the recent decline from the nearly three-decade comparison.
2023 returned close to 1995 levels
Grade 4 moved from 518 in 1995 to 517 in 2023, while Grade 8 moved from 492 to 488. NCES reports that neither 2023 mathematics average was measurably different from its corresponding 1995 average.
Earlier gains were reversed after the peaks
The rounded Grade 4 score was 24 points below its 2011 high by 2023. Grade 8 was 30 points below its 2015 high.
The scale centerpoint is not the current average
TIMSS uses a fixed centerpoint of 500 and a standard deviation of 100 for its achievement scale. In 2023, the mathematics international averages were 503 at Grade 4 and 478 at Grade 8.
Average scores do not show the full distribution
NCES reported that from 2019 to 2023 the Grade 4 mathematics score at the 10th percentile fell 37 points while the 90th-percentile score was not measurably different. At Grade 8, the corresponding declines were 19 points at the 10th percentile and 29 points at the 90th percentile.
Data Sources and Measurement
National Center for Education Statistics, TIMSS 2023 U.S. Highlights, using International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement TIMSS data.
1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023. Grade 4 was not administered in 1999.
Average mathematics achievement score on a 0–1,000 TIMSS scale with a centerpoint of 500 and standard deviation of 100.
Nationally representative samples of U.S. students at the fourth- and eighth-grade levels. Grade 4 and Grade 8 are separate assessment populations.
Displayed values are rounded. NCES comparisons use unrounded estimates and account for sampling uncertainty, so a numerical difference does not automatically mean that two estimates are measurably different.
The United States moved to eTIMSS in 2019. A bridge study was used during the transition to preserve the established TIMSS trend scale across paper and digital administrations.
The assessment describes changes in student achievement. Differences across cycles do not by themselves identify the reason for a score increase or decline.
Trend-table change values are simple differences between the published rounded averages in consecutive available cycles. Statements about whether two assessment-year estimates are measurably different follow NCES statistical findings rather than rounded-score subtraction alone.