Education in Calama, Chile: official figures

Fourth-grade students in the schools of Calama comuna scored an average of 274 points in reading in the 2025 SIMCE national test and 260 in mathematics; the reading score is joint 24th lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site, and the average for Región de Antofagasta is 271 in reading and 257 in mathematics.

SIMCE 4th grade reading score 2025, Calama comuna

274

2025

How many children in Calama reach the expected reading level?

In the 2025 SIMCE for fourth grade, 44.7% of students in Calama comuna reached the adequate learning standard in reading (joint 21st lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site) and 22.8% in mathematics (joint 22nd lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site); 27.2% were at the insufficient level in reading and 36.1% in mathematics.

Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copy

Are school results improving in Calama?

The average fourth-grade SIMCE score of Calama comuna moved from 281 in 2024 to 274 in 2025 in reading (-7 points, joint 4th lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site for the change) and from 263 to 260 in mathematics (-3 points, joint 32nd highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site).

Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copy

What are eighth-grade SIMCE results in Calama?

Eighth-grade students in Calama comuna averaged 238 points in reading, 253 in mathematics and 252 in history and social sciences in the 2025 SIMCE; the mathematics score is joint 16th lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site, against a regional average of 252 for Región de Antofagasta.

Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copy

How well do eighth graders in Calama read?

In the 2025 eighth-grade SIMCE, 16.5% of students in Calama comuna reached the adequate standard in reading (22nd lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site) and 13.5% in mathematics (joint 14th lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site); the reading score of 238 is joint 30th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site.

Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copy

What are secondary school results in Calama?

Students in the second year of secondary school in Calama comuna averaged 252 points in reading and 265 in mathematics in the 2025 SIMCE, joint 26th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site for reading and joint 25th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site for mathematics; the average for Región de Antofagasta is 247 in reading and 256 in mathematics.

Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copy

How many secondary students in Calama fall below the learning standard?

In the 2025 SIMCE for the second year of secondary, 47.4% of students in Calama comuna were at the insufficient level in reading (31st highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site) and 44.6% in mathematics (20th lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site); 19.9% reached the adequate standard in reading and 20.2% in mathematics.

Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copy

How Calama compares with other cities in Chile

SIMCE 4th grade reading, average score 2025 (2025)

Calama ranks 38 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna

Rank	City	SIMCE 4th grade reading, average score 2025
35	Quinta Normal	275
36	Conchalí	275
37	Viña del Mar	274
38	Calama	274
39	Independencia	274
40	La Cisterna	274
41	Coquimbo	273

Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copy

SIMCE 4th grade mathematics, average score 2025 (2025)

Calama ranks 36 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna

Rank	City	SIMCE 4th grade mathematics, average score 2025
33	Lo Prado	261
34	Viña del Mar	260
35	Puerto Montt	260
36	Calama	260
37	Punta Arenas	260
38	Conchalí	260
39	Renca	259

Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copy

Share of 4th graders at the adequate reading standard, 2025 (2025)

Calama ranks 42 of 63, highest first.

Rank	City	Share of 4th graders at the adequate reading standard, 2025
39	Coquimbo	45.4%
40	Iquique	45.2%
41	Independencia	44.9%
42	Calama	44.7%
43	Peñaflor	44.7%
44	La Cisterna	44.5%
45	Villa Alemana	44.4%

Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copy

Change in 4th grade reading score 2024 to 2025 (points) (2024-2025)

Calama ranks 59 of 63, highest first.

Rank	City	Change in 4th grade reading score 2024 to 2025 (points)
56	Huechuraba	-6
57	Lo Prado	-6
58	San Bernardo	-7
59	Calama	-7
60	Buin	-7
61	Providencia	-9
62	Arica	-11

Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copy

SIMCE 8th grade reading, average score 2025 (2025)

Calama ranks 31 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna

Rank	City	SIMCE 8th grade reading, average score 2025
28	Los Ángeles	239
29	Independencia	239
30	Puente Alto	238
31	Calama	238
32	Punta Arenas	238
33	Ovalle	238
34	Pudahuel	237

Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copy

SIMCE 8th grade mathematics, average score 2025 (2025)

Calama ranks 47 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna

Rank	City	SIMCE 8th grade mathematics, average score 2025
44	El Bosque	254
45	Melipilla	254
46	Quinta Normal	254
47	Calama	253
48	Renca	253
49	Estación Central	252
50	La Granja	252

Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copy

SIMCE 2nd year of secondary reading, average score 2025 (2025)

Calama ranks 30 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna

Rank	City	SIMCE 2nd year of secondary reading, average score 2025
27	Rancagua	252
28	Pudahuel	252
29	Los Ángeles	252
30	Calama	252
31	Valdivia	252
32	Melipilla	251
33	Ovalle	251

Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copy

SIMCE 2nd year of secondary mathematics, average score 2025 (2025)

Calama ranks 29 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna

Rank	City	SIMCE 2nd year of secondary mathematics, average score 2025
26	Temuco	265
27	Rancagua	265
28	Los Ángeles	265
29	Calama	265
30	Valdivia	263
31	Melipilla	263
32	Renca	262

Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copy

Share of 2nd year secondary students at the insufficient reading level, 2025 (2025)

Calama ranks 31 of 63, highest first.

Rank	City	Share of 2nd year secondary students at the insufficient reading level, 2025
28	Villa Alemana	49.5%
29	Talcahuano	49.1%
30	Melipilla	47.8%
31	Calama	47.4%
32	Puerto Montt	47.3%
33	Puente Alto	47.0%
34	Ovalle	46.8%

Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copy

More on Calama: overview · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · all cities in Chile

Sources

Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion: Simce 2do medio 2025: results by school, comuna, province and region, read 29 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e90d0d98cde8…)
Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion: Simce 4to basico 2025: results by school, comuna, province and region, read 29 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6da7a8727aed…)
Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion: Simce 8vo basico 2025: results by school, comuna, province and region, read 29 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5db611be0362…)

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