Education in Talcahuano, Chile: official figures
Fourth-grade students in the schools of Talcahuano comuna scored an average of 280 points in reading in the 2025 SIMCE national test and 262 in mathematics; the reading score is joint 17th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site, and the average for Región del Biobío is 279 in reading and 263 in mathematics.
How many children in Talcahuano reach the expected reading level?
In the 2025 SIMCE for fourth grade, 50.1% of students in Talcahuano comuna reached the adequate learning standard in reading (joint 22nd highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site) and 26.5% in mathematics (joint 28th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site); 24.1% were at the insufficient level in reading and 36.6% in mathematics.
Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copyAre school results improving in Talcahuano?
The average fourth-grade SIMCE score of Talcahuano comuna moved from 281 in 2024 to 280 in 2025 in reading (-1 point, joint 13th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site for the change) and from 266 to 262 in mathematics (-4 points, joint 19th lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site).
Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copyWhat are eighth-grade SIMCE results in Talcahuano?
Eighth-grade students in Talcahuano comuna averaged 240 points in reading, 258 in mathematics and 247 in history and social sciences in the 2025 SIMCE; the mathematics score is joint 31st highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site, against a regional average of 258 for Región del Biobío.
Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copyHow well do eighth graders in Talcahuano read?
In the 2025 eighth-grade SIMCE, 18.5% of students in Talcahuano comuna reached the adequate standard in reading (31st highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site) and 15.9% in mathematics (21st lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site); the reading score of 240 is joint 25th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site.
Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copyWhat are secondary school results in Talcahuano?
Students in the second year of secondary school in Talcahuano comuna averaged 249 points in reading and 257 in mathematics in the 2025 SIMCE, 29th lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site for reading and joint 21st lowest of 63 Chilean cities on this site for mathematics; the average for Región del Biobío is 249 in reading and 262 in mathematics.
Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copyHow many secondary students in Talcahuano fall below the learning standard?
In the 2025 SIMCE for the second year of secondary, 49.1% of students in Talcahuano comuna were at the insufficient level in reading (29th highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site) and 51.0% in mathematics (joint 21st highest of 63 Chilean cities on this site); 21.7% reached the adequate standard in reading and 16.3% in mathematics.
Source: Agencia de Calidad de la Educacion · saved copyHow much does Talcahuano spend on its municipal schools?
The municipal education service of Talcahuano spent CLP 25.8 billion in 2025 (obligations incurred), CLP 163,296 per resident of the comuna, 7th lowest of 18 Chilean cities on this site that report a municipal education service for that figure. The Ministry of Education transferred CLP 16.0 billion to the service, 70.4% of its revenue, and the municipality added CLP 2.9 billion from its general budget (12.8% of the service's revenue).
Source: Contraloria General de la Republica de Chile · saved copyHow Talcahuano compares with other cities in Chile
SIMCE 4th grade reading, average score 2025 (2025)
Talcahuano ranks 21 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 4th grade reading, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Valdivia | 280 |
| 19 | Osorno | 280 |
| 20 | Curicó | 280 |
| 21 | Talcahuano | 280 |
| 22 | Maipú | 279 |
| 23 | La Florida | 279 |
| 24 | La Serena | 279 |
SIMCE 4th grade mathematics, average score 2025 (2025)
Talcahuano ranks 31 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 4th grade mathematics, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | Osorno | 263 |
| 29 | La Serena | 262 |
| 30 | El Bosque | 262 |
| 31 | Talcahuano | 262 |
| 32 | Pudahuel | 261 |
| 33 | Lo Prado | 261 |
| 34 | Viña del Mar | 260 |
Share of 4th graders at the adequate reading standard, 2025 (2025)
Talcahuano ranks 23 of 63, highest first.
| Rank | City | Share of 4th graders at the adequate reading standard, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Osorno | 50.3% |
| 21 | La Serena | 50.2% |
| 22 | Curicó | 50.1% |
| 23 | Talcahuano | 50.1% |
| 24 | Maipú | 49.4% |
| 25 | Quilicura | 49.0% |
| 26 | La Florida | 48.8% |
Change in 4th grade reading score 2024 to 2025 (points) (2024-2025)
Talcahuano ranks 21 of 63, highest first.
| Rank | City | Change in 4th grade reading score 2024 to 2025 (points) |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Iquique | -1 |
| 19 | Chillán | -1 |
| 20 | Copiapó | -1 |
| 21 | Talcahuano | -1 |
| 22 | San Joaquín | -1 |
| 23 | Maipú | -2 |
| 24 | Santiago | -2 |
SIMCE 8th grade reading, average score 2025 (2025)
Talcahuano ranks 26 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 8th grade reading, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | Osorno | 242 |
| 24 | Linares | 241 |
| 25 | Viña del Mar | 240 |
| 26 | Talcahuano | 240 |
| 27 | Puerto Montt | 239 |
| 28 | Los Ángeles | 239 |
| 29 | Independencia | 239 |
SIMCE 8th grade mathematics, average score 2025 (2025)
Talcahuano ranks 32 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 8th grade mathematics, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | Valdivia | 259 |
| 30 | Villa Alemana | 259 |
| 31 | Pudahuel | 258 |
| 32 | Talcahuano | 258 |
| 33 | Punta Arenas | 258 |
| 34 | Puerto Montt | 257 |
| 35 | San Bernardo | 255 |
SIMCE 2nd year of secondary reading, average score 2025 (2025)
Talcahuano ranks 35 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 2nd year of secondary reading, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | Melipilla | 251 |
| 33 | Ovalle | 251 |
| 34 | Puerto Montt | 250 |
| 35 | Talcahuano | 249 |
| 36 | Antofagasta | 248 |
| 37 | Iquique | 248 |
| 38 | El Bosque | 248 |
SIMCE 2nd year of secondary mathematics, average score 2025 (2025)
Talcahuano ranks 42 of 63, highest first. Average of the schools in the comuna
| Rank | City | SIMCE 2nd year of secondary mathematics, average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 39 | Buin | 258 |
| 40 | Estación Central | 257 |
| 41 | Quilpué | 257 |
| 42 | Talcahuano | 257 |
| 43 | Punta Arenas | 257 |
| 44 | Antofagasta | 256 |
| 45 | Ovalle | 256 |
Share of 2nd year secondary students at the insufficient reading level, 2025 (2025)
Talcahuano ranks 29 of 63, highest first.
| Rank | City | Share of 2nd year secondary students at the insufficient reading level, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | Buin | 49.7% |
| 27 | San Bernardo | 49.6% |
| 28 | Villa Alemana | 49.5% |
| 29 | Talcahuano | 49.1% |
| 30 | Melipilla | 47.8% |
| 31 | Calama | 47.4% |
| 32 | Puerto Montt | 47.3% |
Municipal education service spending per resident, 2025 (CLP) (2025)
Talcahuano ranks 12 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Temuco | CLP 220,277 |
| 10 | Santiago | CLP 177,526 |
| 11 | Recoleta | CLP 171,707 |
| 12 | Talcahuano | CLP 163,296 |
| 13 | Peñaflor | CLP 162,737 |
| 14 | Huechuraba | CLP 146,307 |
| 15 | Lo Barnechea | CLP 113,887 |
More on Talcahuano: 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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