International Comparisons and Global Competitiveness

TIMSS and PISA Scores

U.S. scores on the TIMSS 2023 assessment show that U.S. eighth graders perform better in science than they do in mathematics on international assessments (Figure TAL-39). Among the 18 advanced economies that participated in TIMSS 2023 at the eighth-grade level, 13 had average mathematics scores that were higher than the average U.S. score, and 8 had average science scores that were higher than the average U.S. score.^{​Our analysis focuses on U.S. performance when compared with the advanced economies participating in the assessment because those are the major economic competitors for the United States. A total of 42 countries participated in both assessments (Table STAL-24).} Singapore and Taiwan scored highest on both assessments.

Between 2019 (before the COVID-19 pandemic) and 2023, the average mathematics scores of eighth-grade U.S. students decreased by 27 points (Figure TAL-40). The average science scores for eighth-grade students in the United States in 2023 did not exhibit a statistically significant difference from the average science scores observed in 2019. As with TIMSS, the 2022 PISA results show that U.S. 15-year-olds performed better in science than in mathematics on international assessments. In 2022, 37 OECD countries participated in PISA. Of those, 21 scored higher than the United States in mathematics, and 6 scored higher than the United States in science. Japan, South Korea, Estonia, and Switzerland were the highest-scoring OECD countries in mathematics in 2022, and Japan and South Korea were the highest scoring in science (Table STAL-22).

International Comparisons of Computer Science Performance

The International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) is a computer-based international assessment sponsored by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. It measures eighth-grade student performance in computer and information literacy (the ability to use computers effectively in everyday life at home, work, and school) and in computational thinking (the use of computers to solve problems; this includes such skills as programming). In 2023, 16 of the 33 education systems participating in the computer and information literacy assessment scored higher than the United States, and 14 of the 23 education systems participating in the computational thinking assessment scored higher than the United States. South Korea, Taiwan, and Czechia were among the highest-scoring countries across both assessments (Table STAL-23).

ICILS also provides insight into variations in computer science knowledge and ability among U.S. students by sex, race or ethnicity, and school poverty level. Female students scored higher than male students in computer and information literacy; there was no measurable difference in scores between male students and female students in computational thinking (Figure TAL-41).

Asian students had the highest scores in both domains, followed by White, Hispanic, and Black students. U.S. eighth-grade students in schools with less than 25% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch outscored students in schools with 75% or more students eligible in both domains (Table TAL-16). For more detailed ICILS data, please refer to National Center for Education Statistics (NCES 2024b).

Stay Rates of U.S.-Trained Scientists and Engineers on Temporary Visas

Stay rates of U.S.-trained scientists and engineers provide insights into whether international students remain in the United States after earning their degrees. The National Science Board’s (NSB’s) Vision 2030 report suggested that attracting and retaining global talent are necessary for the United States to remain competitive in S&E fields and that stay rates are critical indicators for understanding how well the United States is retaining global talent (NSB 2020b).

The rate at which S&E doctorate recipients with temporary visas intended to stay in the United States at the time of graduation remained relatively stable between 2012 and 2023 at about 73%–76% (Table TAL-17). Among the most recent S&E doctorate recipients with temporary visas who earned their degree between 2020 and 2023, plans to stay in the United States were highest for those in biological and biomedical sciences (81%), computer and information sciences (81%), engineering (80%), and physical sciences (79%) and lowest for those in the social sciences (57%), health sciences (67%), and psychology (68%). Among S&E doctorate recipients with temporary visas from the four countries with the highest number of recipients between 2020 and 2023 (China, India, South Korea, and Iran), intentions to stay in the United States ranged from 92% (Iran) to 69% (South Korea).

The proportion of S&E research doctorate recipients with temporary visas who had definite commitments to stay in the United States at the time of responding to the survey (e.g., those with postdoctoral appointments or employment commitments) was 45% for those who earned their doctorate between 2012 and 2015 and 57% for those who earned their doctorate between 2020 and 2023 (Table TAL-17).^{​The proportion of doctorate recipients who have definite employment commitments to stay in the United States is not strictly comparable over time because doctorate recipients complete the survey at different times as they approach their graduation, and some of them may have obtained an employment commitment after they responded to the survey.} For the most recent cohort of doctorate recipients (2020–23), the proportion of doctorate recipients with temporary visas and definite commitments to stay was highest among those in computer and information sciences (65%), biological and biomedical sciences (60%), mathematics and statistics (59%), physical sciences (59%), and engineering (58%). The highest proportions of doctorate recipients with temporary visas and definite commitments to stay in the United States (about two-thirds) were among those from Bangladesh, Iran, India, and Nepal; proportions were lower among those from China (60%), Taiwan (59%), and South Korea (54%).

Long-Term Stay Rates of S&E Doctorate Holders

Although intentions to stay provide insight at the time of degree completion, the short- and long-term stay rates for S&E research doctorate recipients with temporary visas from earlier graduation cohorts show the longer-term retention of doctorate-holding scientists and engineers in the United States.^{​Short-term stay rates are based on individuals who remain in the United States approximately 5 years after graduation, and long-term stay rates are based on individuals who remain in the United States approximately 10 years after graduation.} Across the 44,450 temporary visa holders from all countries of citizenship and S&E degree fields who earned their doctorate between academic years 2017 and 2019, the short-term stay rate (approximately 5 years after graduation) was 73% in 2023. Among the 42,250 temporary visa holders from all countries of citizenship and S&E degree fields who earned their doctorate between academic years 2012 and 2014, the long-term stay rate (approximately 10 years after graduation) was 68% (Figure TAL-44; Table TAL-18). Although the short-term stay rate in 2023 (73%) increased slightly from 2021 (71%), there was no statistically significant difference in the long-term stay rate between 2021 and 2023.

Stay rates varied by field of doctoral degree and by country and region of citizenship (Table TAL-18).^{​Citizenship represents country of citizenship at the time of graduation as reported in the Survey of Earned Doctorates. Noncitizen respondents were asked the country of which they are a citizen. This information is used to produce stay rate estimates by citizenship.} The short- and long-term stay rates of doctorate recipients with temporary visas were similar in computer and mathematical sciences (about 75%). Yet, for doctorate holders in engineering and in physical sciences, the short-term stay rates were higher than the long-term stay rates. For doctorate holders in engineering, the short-term stay rate was 80%, and the long-term stay rate was 71%; for those in the physical sciences, the short-term stay rate was 75%, and the long-term stay rate was 65%. Doctorate holders with Indian citizenship had greater short-term stay rates (86%) than long-term stay rates (75%).

Internationally Mobile Students Enrolled in Tertiary Education

Global S&E connections and research collaboration, which can be facilitated by the international exchange of students, are areas of substantial interest to the NSB (NSB 2020b). In 2023, the United States was the most popular destination for internationally mobile tertiary (postsecondary) students, enrolling 957,000 of them (see the Glossary section for a definition of internationally mobile students). Other popular destinations for internationally mobile students were the United Kingdom (748,000), Australia (467,000), Germany (423,000), Canada (389,000), and Russia (336,000) (Table TAL-19). From 2017 to 2023, the number of international students in the United States decreased by 3%, whereas it increased in all other top countries of destination between 2017 and 2023 or the latest year of data available.