Systems and methods are provided for image scaling with efficient pixel resolution conversion. One embodiment is an image scaling system that includes a processor that receives an instruction to scale an input image having a first resolution by a scaling ratio to create an output image having a second resolution, and determines a rational fraction approximation of the scaling ratio to obtain a numerator integer representing a first block of consecutive pixels in the output image and a denominator integer representing a second block of consecutive pixels in the input image. The processor also calculates pixel values of the first block of pixels by: bit shifting pixel values of the second block of pixels, obtaining a sum of bit shifting operations of neighboring pixel values of the second block of pixels, and correcting the sum with a correction value to compensate for rounding errors in the bit shifting.