Education in Talca, Chile: official figures
Fourth-grade students in the schools of Talca comuna scored an average of 281 points in reading in the 2025 SIMCE national test and 267 in mathematics; the reading score is joint 11th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site, and the average for Región del Maule is 279 in reading and 266 in mathematics.
How many children in Talca reach the expected reading level?
In the 2025 SIMCE for fourth grade, 51.5% of students in Talca comuna reached the adequate learning standard in reading (11th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site) and 28.9% in mathematics (17th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site); 25.3% were at the insufficient level in reading and 32.2% in mathematics.
Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copyAre school results improving in Talca?
The average fourth-grade SIMCE score of Talca comuna moved from 283 in 2024 to 281 in 2025 in reading (-2 points, joint 23rd highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site for the change) and from 269 to 267 in mathematics (-2 points, joint 24th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site).
Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copyWhat are eighth-grade SIMCE results in Talca?
Eighth-grade students in Talca comuna averaged 245 points in reading, 265 in mathematics and 259 in history and social sciences in the 2025 SIMCE; the mathematics score is joint 15th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site, against a regional average of 261 for Región del Maule.
Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copyHow well do eighth graders in Talca read?
In the 2025 eighth-grade SIMCE, 23.4% of students in Talca comuna reached the adequate standard in reading (joint 10th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site) and 23.1% in mathematics (16th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site); the reading score of 245 is joint 11th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site.
Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copyWhat are secondary school results in Talca?
Students in the second year of secondary school in Talca comuna averaged 255 points in reading and 267 in mathematics in the 2025 SIMCE, joint 15th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site for reading and joint 20th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site for mathematics; the average for Región del Maule is 253 in reading and 266 in mathematics.
Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copyHow many secondary students in Talca fall below the learning standard?
In the 2025 SIMCE for the second year of secondary, 43.5% of students in Talca comuna were at the insufficient level in reading (18th lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site) and 46.1% in mathematics (28th lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site); 25.9% reached the adequate standard in reading and 24.4% in mathematics.
Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copyHow much does Talca spend on its municipal schools?
The municipal education service of Talca spent CLP 80.8 billion in 2025 (obligations incurred), CLP 333,248 per resident of the comuna, 3rd highest of 18 Chilean cities on this site that report a municipal education service for that figure. The Ministry of Education transferred CLP 62.9 billion to the service, 79.4% of its revenue, and the municipality added CLP 3.9 billion from its general budget (5.0% of the service's revenue).
Source: Contraloria General de la Republica de Chile · saved copyHow Talca compares with other cities in Chile
SIMCE 4th grade reading, average score 2025 (2025)
Talca ranks 14 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 4th grade reading, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Santiago | 281 |
| 12 | Temuco | 281 |
| 13 | Rancagua | 281 |
| 14 | Talca | 281 |
| 15 | Chillán | 281 |
| 16 | Linares | 281 |
| 17 | Los Ángeles | 280 |
SIMCE 4th grade mathematics, average score 2025 (2025)
Talca ranks 16 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 4th grade mathematics, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Temuco | 268 |
| 14 | Peñalolén | 268 |
| 15 | Arica | 267 |
| 16 | Talca | 267 |
| 17 | Linares | 267 |
| 18 | Rancagua | 266 |
| 19 | Los Ángeles | 266 |
Share of 4th graders at the adequate reading standard, 2025 (2025)
Talca ranks 11 of 63, highest first.
| Rank | City | Share of 4th graders at the adequate reading standard, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | San Miguel | 52.8% |
| 9 | Linares | 52.2% |
| 10 | Temuco | 52.1% |
| 11 | Talca | 51.5% |
| 12 | Peñalolén | 51.4% |
| 13 | Macul | 51.3% |
| 14 | Chillán | 51.1% |
Change in 4th grade reading score 2024 to 2025 (points) (2024-2025)
Talca ranks 28 of 63, highest first.
| Rank | City | Change in 4th grade reading score 2024 to 2025 (points) |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Temuco | -2 |
| 26 | Puerto Montt | -2 |
| 27 | Peñalolén | -2 |
| 28 | Talca | -2 |
| 29 | Concepción | -2 |
| 30 | La Pintana | -2 |
| 31 | Renca | -2 |
SIMCE 8th grade reading, average score 2025 (2025)
Talca ranks 11 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 8th grade reading, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Huechuraba | 249 |
| 9 | San Pedro de la Paz | 247 |
| 10 | Macul | 246 |
| 11 | Talca | 245 |
| 12 | Concepción | 245 |
| 13 | Maipú | 244 |
| 14 | Santiago | 244 |
SIMCE 8th grade mathematics, average score 2025 (2025)
Talca ranks 16 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 8th grade mathematics, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | San Miguel | 267 |
| 14 | Quilicura | 266 |
| 15 | Peñalolén | 265 |
| 16 | Talca | 265 |
| 17 | Santiago | 264 |
| 18 | Temuco | 263 |
| 19 | Chillán | 263 |
SIMCE 2nd year of secondary reading, average score 2025 (2025)
Talca ranks 17 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 2nd year of secondary reading, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Independencia | 256 |
| 15 | Peñalolén | 255 |
| 16 | La Serena | 255 |
| 17 | Talca | 255 |
| 18 | Concepción | 255 |
| 19 | Osorno | 255 |
| 20 | Linares | 255 |
SIMCE 2nd year of secondary mathematics, average score 2025 (2025)
Talca ranks 22 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 2nd year of secondary mathematics, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Santiago | 268 |
| 20 | Viña del Mar | 267 |
| 21 | La Serena | 267 |
| 22 | Talca | 267 |
| 23 | Osorno | 267 |
| 24 | Linares | 267 |
| 25 | Puente Alto | 265 |
Share of 2nd year secondary students at the insufficient reading level, 2025 (2025)
Talca ranks 46 of 63, highest first.
| Rank | City | Share of 2nd year secondary students at the insufficient reading level, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 43 | Chillán | 44.5% |
| 44 | La Serena | 44.3% |
| 45 | Peñalolén | 43.6% |
| 46 | Talca | 43.5% |
| 47 | Linares | 43.1% |
| 48 | Maipú | 43.0% |
| 49 | Concepción | 42.9% |
Municipal education service spending per resident, 2025 (CLP) (2025)
Talca ranks 3 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 Talca: 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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