MCLEAN, Va., Nov. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. ranked second worldwide in the 2026 Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) Index of Excellence in STEM Education, maintaining its position as one of the world’s leading performers in international academic competition, according to research by CEE.
The annual index evaluates the performance of participating countries across five international high school STEM Olympiads: biology, chemistry, mathematics, informatics and physics. Rankings from the individual competitions are averaged to produce an overall measure of each country’s performance.
China claimed first place in 2026, achieving first-place finishes in all five disciplines. The U.S. ranked second, followed by the Republic of Korea in third. Vietnam placed fourth, its highest ranking ever, while Taiwan, Singapore, Kazakhstan, Japan and Israel rounded out the next five positions. India and Iran tied for 10th.
The U.S. earned second-place finishes in mathematics and biology, fourth in informatics and fifth in chemistry. The U.S. did not participate in the International Physics Olympiad, held in Colombia, because of safety considerations.
CEE Index of Excellence In STEM Education
Countries ranked by performance in IBO, ICHO, IMO, IOI, and IPHO
| Country | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| China | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| United States | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Republic of Korea | 3 | 3 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Vietnam | 4 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Taiwan | 5 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| Singapore | 6 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Kazakhstan | 7 | 13 | 17 | 22 | 14 | 25 | 26 | 32 | 31 | 29 |
| Japan | 8 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 6 |
| Israel | 9 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 21 | 23 |
| India | 10 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 22 | 20 | |
| Iran | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 13 |
| Turkey | 12 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 23 | 28 | 20 | 23 | 15 | 32 |
| United Kingdom | 13 | 19 | 10 | 10 | 21 | 21 | 11 | 24 | 13 | 9 |
| Ukraine | 14 | 20 | 25 | 26 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 14 | |
| Hong Kong | 15 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 19 | 9 | 21 | 19 | 30 | 18 |
| Romania | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 4 | 8 | 17 | 18 | 10 | |
| Poland | 17 | 18 | 3 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 15 | 16 | 19 |
| Australia | 18 | 11 | 29 | 18 | 18 | 27 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 24 |
| Hungary | 19 | 17' | 18 | 22 | 25 | 23 | 14 | 20 | '19 | 12 |
| Germany | 20 | 23 | 30 | 16 | 11 | 24 | 21 | 30 | 27 | 26 |
| Brazil | 21 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 28 | 28 | 23 | 33 | 32 | 27 |
| Bulgaria | 22 | 22 | 16 | 22 | 11 | 17 | 24 | 16 | 20 | 28 |
| Thailand | 23 | 14 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 22 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 10 |
| Slovakia | 24 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 36 | 33 | 28 | 27 | 34 | 44 |
| Czech Republic | 25 | 26 | 31 | 34 | 31 | 20 | 15 | 31 | 23 | 17 |
The 2026 results continue a strong record for American students. The U.S. has ranked among the top three countries in the CEE index every year since 2017. An analysis of U.S. performance dating to 1999 shows that the country’s average ranking has improved from approximately sixth place to consistent top-three standing.
“International academic competitions provide an important measure of how effectively students are being prepared to excel in science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” said Joann DiGennaro, Co-Founder and President of CEE. “The findings also underscore the importance of rigorous academic preparation as students compete in an increasingly competitive global environment.”
CEE’s USA Biology Olympiad Delivers Exceptional Results
The research identifies particularly strong results in biology, where CEE administers the USA Biology Olympiad (USABO), the nation’s premier biology competition for high school students.
USABO enriches the life science education of nearly 10,000 talented students annually, providing curricular resources, skills training and opportunities to advance beyond classroom learning toward international competition. Since CEE began administering the program, every member of Team USA has earned a medal at the International Biology Olympiad (IBO). In 11 competition years — 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2024 and 2026 — all four members of the U.S. team earned gold medals.
The achievement continued in 2026, when all four Team USA members placed among the top 10 students at the International Biology Olympiad.
Since 2004, the U.S. has averaged a ranking approximately three places higher in biology than in its other international academic Olympiad competitions. The findings point to the impact that focused preparation, strong educational resources and sustained investment in talented students can have on international performance.
Global Competition Reveals Both Consistency and Change
The 2026 index also highlights shifts in the global STEM landscape. China has ranked first or second in the index every year since 1988, according to the research, while the U.S. has frequently finished as runner-up.
Kazakhstan recorded one of the year’s most notable advances, rising to seventh place from 13th in 2025. The country has made substantial progress over the past decade, climbing from 29th in 2017. The UK and Ukraine also improved by six places compared with 2025.
Vietnam’s fourth-place finish reflected a strong performance across the competitions, including a second-place result in chemistry. Meanwhile, the Republic of Korea maintained its position among the leading countries with a third-place overall ranking.
Despite these changes, the index shows considerable continuity among top-performing countries. All 10 countries that ranked in the top 10 in 2025 returned to the top 10 in 2026.
The findings offer a broader perspective on STEM education by comparing student performance over time and across multiple disciplines, rather than relying on a single competition or subject area.
Preparing the Next Generation of STEM Leaders
Through programs including the Research Science Institute (RSI) at MIT and USABO, CEE provides talented students with opportunities to deepen their knowledge, develop their abilities and pursue academic excellence.
The CEE Index of Excellence in STEM Education adds an international dimension to that mission, offering a long-term view of how students from different countries perform in the world’s leading STEM competitions.
The 2026 results reaffirm the U.S. standing among the world’s strongest STEM competitors while highlighting the importance of developing exceptional talent, strengthening educational preparation, and ensuring that promising students have opportunities to reach their full potential.
About the Center for Excellence in Education
The Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1983 by Joann DiGennaro and Admiral H.G. Rickover. CEE is dedicated to nurturing young scholars and inspiring them to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Through its flagship programs, the Research Science Institute at MIT and the USA Biology Olympiad, CEE provides outstanding high school students with opportunities to advance their knowledge, develop their skills and prepare for future leadership in STEM fields.
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