IBonomicsIB Philosophy Exam Statistics
Latest data: May 2026Provisional
In May 2026, 2,173 students took IB Philosophy at HL and 2,934 at SL, with mean grades of 4.9 and 4.9. The grade 7 rate was 8.6% at HL and 8.6% at SL.
Compared with May 2025, the mean grade was down from 5.0 at HL and unchanged at SL, and the grade 7 rate was down from 9.9% at HL and down from 9.0% at SL.
Higher Level (HL), May 2026
- Students
- 2,173
- May 2025: 1,904
- Mean grade
- 4.9
- May 2025: 5.0
- Grade 7 rate
- 8.6%
- May 2025: 9.9%
- Grade 6 or 7 rate
- 29.8%
- May 2025: 31.3%
Standard Level (SL), May 2026
- Students
- 2,934
- May 2025: 2,745
- Mean grade
- 4.9
- May 2025: 4.9
- Grade 7 rate
- 8.6%
- May 2025: 9.0%
- Grade 6 or 7 rate
- 33.1%
- May 2025: 34.1%
Average Philosophy grade over time
The mean grade at HL and SL in every May session since May 2022. The average IB Philosophy grade page adds November sessions and how much the mean changed each year.
- The IB states that these results combine examination and non-examination assessment routes, which were used during the COVID-19 disruption. (May 2022)
Philosophy grade 7 rate over time
The share of students awarded a 7 at HL and SL in every May session since May 2022. For every session, and how the rate compares with other subjects, see what percentage of students get a 7 in IB Philosophy.
- These bulletins print no N (no grade) column, so grades 1-7 are shares of the students who received a grade, and N is shown as —. (May 2022, May 2023)
- These bulletins include N (no grade) in the total, so grades 1-7 add up to less than 100% and are measured on a slightly different basis from sessions without an N column. (May 2024, May 2025, May 2026)
- The IB states that these results combine examination and non-examination assessment routes, which were used during the COVID-19 disruption. (May 2022)
- Grade cells the bulletin leaves blank are shown as 0.0%. (May 2022, May 2023, May 2024, May 2025)
Philosophy grade distribution in May 2026
The share of students at each grade at HL and SL. The IB Philosophy grade distribution page has every session since November 2021.
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | N | 6 or 7 | Mean grade | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HL | 0.0 | 2.3 | 10.3 | 24.3 | 31.4 | 21.2 | 8.6 | 1.8 | 29.8 | 4.9 | 2,173 |
| SL | 0.2 | 2.8 | 9.9 | 18.6 | 31.7 | 24.5 | 8.6 | 3.7 | 33.1 | 4.9 | 2,934 |
Percentage of students at each grade, as published. The grade 6 or 7 rate is the two shares added.
Historical Philosophy results
Results at HL and SL for every session since November 2021, newest first, with November sessions alongside May. The chart shows how many students took Philosophy in each May session.
| Session and level | Students | Mean grade | Grade 7 rate | Grade 6 or 7 rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2026 HLprovisional | 2,173 | 4.9 | 8.6% | 29.8% |
| May 2026 SLprovisional | 2,934 | 4.9 | 8.6% | 33.1% |
| November 2025 HL | 180 | 4.8 | 3.3% | 28.3% |
| November 2025 SL | 139 | 5.1 | 7.9% | 35.2% |
| May 2025 HL | 1,904 | 5.0 | 9.9% | 31.3% |
| May 2025 SL | 2,745 | 4.9 | 9.0% | 34.1% |
| November 2024 HL | 186 | 5.0 | 9.1% | 31.1% |
| November 2024 SL | 215 | 5.1 | 7.4% | 33.0% |
| May 2024 HL | 1,944 | 5.0 | 9.5% | 32.9% |
| May 2024 SL | 2,685 | 5.0 | 9.4% | 32.2% |
| November 2023 HL | 151 | 5.2 | 7.9% | 35.1% |
| November 2023 SL | 130 | 5.3 | 9.2% | 49.2% |
| May 2023 HL | 1,868 | 5.00 | 8.7% | 35.1% |
| May 2023 SL | 2,532 | 4.88 | 7.7% | 31.9% |
| November 2022 HL | 144 | 5.61 | 12.7% | 58.5% |
| November 2022 SL | 82 | 5.81 | 28.8% | 62.6% |
| May 2022 HL | 1,732 | 5.43 | 20.3% | 51.4% |
| May 2022 SL | 2,370 | 5.16 | 13.3% | 39.5% |
| November 2021 HL | 140 | 5.93 | 31.4% | 70.8% |
| November 2021 SL | 149 | 5.23 | 11.4% | 40.9% |
Grade 7 rate: the share of students awarded a 7, as published. Grade 6 or 7 rate: the published shares for grades 6 and 7 added.
- These bulletins print no N (no grade) column, so grades 1-7 are shares of the students who received a grade, and N is shown as —. (November 2021, May 2022, November 2022, May 2023)
- These bulletins include N (no grade) in the total, so grades 1-7 add up to less than 100% and are measured on a slightly different basis from sessions without an N column. (November 2023, May 2024, November 2024, May 2025, November 2025, May 2026)
- Grade cells the bulletin leaves blank are shown as 0.0%. (November 2021, May 2022, November 2022, May 2023, May 2024, May 2025)
- The IB states that these results combine examination and non-examination assessment routes, which were used during the COVID-19 disruption. (May 2022)
More Philosophy statistics
- IB Philosophy HL StatisticsHigher Level (HL) results in every session, with grade distributions
- IB Philosophy SL StatisticsStandard Level (SL) results in every session, with grade distributions
- IB Philosophy Grade DistributionGrades 1 to 7 at HL and SL in every session
- Average IB Philosophy GradeMean grades in every session, and how they changed
- IB Philosophy Grade 7 RateThe share of students awarded a 7 in every session
Compare with other subjects
- IB Subjects With the Highest Grade 7 RatesSubjects ranked by the share of students awarded a 7
- Average IB Grade by SubjectMean grades at HL and SL, ranked
- Most Popular IB SubjectsSubjects ranked by number of students
- IB May 2026 Exam StatisticsEvery subject's results in May 2026, with the Diploma pass rate
- IB Results Explorer: All Subjects and LanguagesEvery subject and language, with no minimum number of students
Source and methodology
These statistics are from the International Baccalaureate's statistical bulletins. The latest data shown is from the May 2026 assessment session.
Bulletins
- The IB Diploma Programme and Career-Related Programme Provisional Statistical Bulletin, May 2026
- The IB Diploma Programme Final Statistical Bulletin, November 2025
- The IB Diploma Programme and Career-Related Programme Final Statistical Bulletin, May 2025
- The IB Diploma Programme Final Statistical Bulletin, November 2024
- The IB Diploma Programme and Career-Related Programme Final Statistical Bulletin, May 2024
- The IB Diploma Programme Final Statistical Bulletin, November 2023
- The IB Diploma Programme and Career-Related Programme Final Statistical Bulletin, May 2023
- The IB Diploma Programme Final Statistical Bulletin, November 2022
- The IB Diploma Programme and Career-Related Programme Final Statistical Bulletin, May 2022
- The IB Diploma Programme Final Statistical Bulletin, November 2021
About this data
- May and November are separate assessment sessions. November is much smaller and mostly taken by schools in the southern hemisphere, so its figures aren't directly comparable with May's.
- The May 2026 figures are from the IB's provisional bulletin and may change when the final bulletin is published.
- Older bulletins call the people sitting the exams “candidates” and newer ones “students”. This site says “students” throughout.
- “<10” means the IB didn't publish the exact number because fewer than 10 students took the subject. These figures are never estimated or counted as zero.
- The grade 7 rate is the share of students the bulletin reports at grade 7. The grade 6 or 7 rate is calculated by IBonomics by adding the published shares for grades 6 and 7. Every other figure is as published.
- From November 2023 the bulletins include students who received no grade (N) in each subject's percentages, so grades 1 to 7 add up to slightly less than 100%. Earlier bulletins give percentages of graded students only.
- Bulletins up to May 2023 print figures to two decimal places and later ones to one. Each figure is shown as printed, and changes are compared at the lower precision.
IBonomics is not affiliated with or endorsed by the International Baccalaureate.