Education in Ovalle, Chile: official figures
Fourth-grade students in the schools of Ovalle comuna scored an average of 277 points in reading in the 2025 SIMCE national test and 264 in mathematics; the reading score is 29th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site, and the average for Región de Coquimbo is 275 in reading and 259 in mathematics.
How many children in Ovalle reach the expected reading level?
In the 2025 SIMCE for fourth grade, 47.8% of students in Ovalle comuna reached the adequate learning standard in reading (30th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site) and 28.0% in mathematics (21st highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site); 27.0% were at the insufficient level in reading and 34.6% in mathematics.
Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copyAre school results improving in Ovalle?
The average fourth-grade SIMCE score of Ovalle comuna moved from 282 in 2024 to 277 in 2025 in reading (-5 points, joint 9th lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site for the change) and from 265 to 264 in mathematics (-1 point, joint 11th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site).
Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copyWhat are eighth-grade SIMCE results in Ovalle?
Eighth-grade students in Ovalle comuna averaged 238 points in reading, 255 in mathematics and 248 in history and social sciences in the 2025 SIMCE; the mathematics score is joint 25th lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site, against a regional average of 253 for Región de Coquimbo.
Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copyHow well do eighth graders in Ovalle read?
In the 2025 eighth-grade SIMCE, 18.8% of students in Ovalle comuna reached the adequate standard in reading (joint 29th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site) and 15.7% in mathematics (20th 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 copyWhat are secondary school results in Ovalle?
Students in the second year of secondary school in Ovalle comuna averaged 251 points in reading and 256 in mathematics in the 2025 SIMCE, joint 32nd highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site for reading and joint 18th lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site for mathematics; the average for Región de Coquimbo is 248 in reading and 256 in mathematics.
Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copyHow many secondary students in Ovalle fall below the learning standard?
In the 2025 SIMCE for the second year of secondary, 46.8% of students in Ovalle comuna were at the insufficient level in reading (30th lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site) and 49.0% in mathematics (joint 29th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site); 21.9% reached the adequate standard in reading and 16.2% in mathematics.
Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copyHow much does Ovalle spend on its municipal schools?
The municipal education service of Ovalle spent CLP 53.4 billion in 2025 (obligations incurred), CLP 429,454 per resident of the comuna, the highest of 18 Chilean cities on this site that report a municipal education service for that figure. The Ministry of Education transferred CLP 42.7 billion to the service, 80.1% of its revenue, and the municipality added CLP 2.5 billion from its general budget (4.7% of the service's revenue).
Source: Contraloria General de la Republica de Chile · saved copyHow Ovalle compares with other cities in Chile
SIMCE 4th grade reading, average score 2025 (2025)
Ovalle ranks 29 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 4th grade reading, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | Puente Alto | 278 |
| 27 | Quilicura | 278 |
| 28 | Melipilla | 278 |
| 29 | Ovalle | 277 |
| 30 | Pudahuel | 276 |
| 31 | Estación Central | 276 |
| 32 | Puerto Montt | 275 |
SIMCE 4th grade mathematics, average score 2025 (2025)
Ovalle ranks 26 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 4th grade mathematics, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | La Florida | 265 |
| 24 | Valdivia | 265 |
| 25 | Melipilla | 264 |
| 26 | Ovalle | 264 |
| 27 | Quilicura | 263 |
| 28 | Osorno | 263 |
| 29 | La Serena | 262 |
Share of 4th graders at the adequate reading standard, 2025 (2025)
Ovalle ranks 30 of 63, highest first.
| Rank | City | Share of 4th graders at the adequate reading standard, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | Melipilla | 48.7% |
| 28 | Puente Alto | 48.6% |
| 29 | Punta Arenas | 48.3% |
| 30 | Ovalle | 47.8% |
| 31 | Arica | 47.2% |
| 32 | Puerto Montt | 47.0% |
| 33 | Conchalí | 46.8% |
Change in 4th grade reading score 2024 to 2025 (points) (2024-2025)
Ovalle ranks 55 of 63, highest first.
| Rank | City | Change in 4th grade reading score 2024 to 2025 (points) |
|---|---|---|
| 52 | Quilicura | -5 |
| 53 | San Miguel | -5 |
| 54 | Alto Hospicio | -5 |
| 55 | Ovalle | -5 |
| 56 | Huechuraba | -6 |
| 57 | Lo Prado | -6 |
| 58 | San Bernardo | -7 |
SIMCE 8th grade reading, average score 2025 (2025)
Ovalle ranks 33 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 8th grade reading, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | Puente Alto | 238 |
| 31 | Calama | 238 |
| 32 | Punta Arenas | 238 |
| 33 | Ovalle | 238 |
| 34 | Pudahuel | 237 |
| 35 | Melipilla | 237 |
| 36 | La Cisterna | 237 |
SIMCE 8th grade mathematics, average score 2025 (2025)
Ovalle ranks 37 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 8th grade mathematics, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 34 | Puerto Montt | 257 |
| 35 | San Bernardo | 255 |
| 36 | Lampa | 255 |
| 37 | Ovalle | 255 |
| 38 | Buin | 255 |
| 39 | La Cisterna | 255 |
| 40 | Antofagasta | 254 |
SIMCE 2nd year of secondary reading, average score 2025 (2025)
Ovalle ranks 33 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 2nd year of secondary reading, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | Calama | 252 |
| 31 | Valdivia | 252 |
| 32 | Melipilla | 251 |
| 33 | Ovalle | 251 |
| 34 | Puerto Montt | 250 |
| 35 | Talcahuano | 249 |
| 36 | Antofagasta | 248 |
SIMCE 2nd year of secondary mathematics, average score 2025 (2025)
Ovalle ranks 45 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 2nd year of secondary mathematics, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 42 | Talcahuano | 257 |
| 43 | Punta Arenas | 257 |
| 44 | Antofagasta | 256 |
| 45 | Ovalle | 256 |
| 46 | La Granja | 256 |
| 47 | Valparaíso | 255 |
| 48 | Alto Hospicio | 255 |
Share of 2nd year secondary students at the insufficient reading level, 2025 (2025)
Ovalle ranks 34 of 63, highest first.
| Rank | City | Share of 2nd year secondary students at the insufficient reading level, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Calama | 47.4% |
| 32 | Puerto Montt | 47.3% |
| 33 | Puente Alto | 47.0% |
| 34 | Ovalle | 46.8% |
| 35 | Los Ángeles | 46.7% |
| 36 | Rancagua | 46.6% |
| 37 | Temuco | 46.5% |
Municipal education service spending per resident, 2025 (CLP) (2025)
Ovalle ranks 1 of 18, highest first. Only the 18 listed cities whose municipality still runs its own schools
| Rank | City | Municipal education service spending per resident, 2025 (CLP) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ovalle | CLP 429,454 |
| 2 | Linares | CLP 398,791 |
| 3 | Talca | CLP 333,248 |
| 4 | Puerto Montt | CLP 314,662 |
| 5 | Osorno | CLP 277,563 |
| 6 | Los Ángeles | CLP 276,769 |
| 7 | Curicó | CLP 270,426 |
More on Ovalle: overview · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · all cities in Chile
Sources
- Contraloria General de la Republica de Chile: Base de datos de ejecucion presupuestaria municipal 2025 (file of 2 September 2026; this copy keeps the rows of the 63 listed comunas, because the national file is 57 MB; national file sha256 fb4318e0...cf4a), read 29 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 52c1329e4222…)
- 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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