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IB Psychology HL Statistics

Latest data: May 2026Provisional

In May 2026, 15,455 students took IB Psychology HL, with a mean grade of 4.8. The grade 7 rate was 6.0% and the grade 6 or 7 rate was 30.4%.

Compared with May 2025, the mean grade was unchanged, and the grade 7 rate was up from 5.6%.

Higher Level (HL), May 2026

Students
15,455
May 2025: 15,094
Mean grade
4.8
May 2025: 4.8
Grade 7 rate
6.0%
May 2025: 5.6%
Grade 6 or 7 rate
30.4%
May 2025: 30.0%

Psychology HL mean grade over time

The mean grade at HL in every session since November 2021. May and November are separate lines, because November is a much smaller session. The average IB Psychology grade page sets HL beside SL.

Mean grade in IB Psychology HL by year, with May and November sessions as separate lines.
IB Psychology HL mean grade by year, newest first
YearMayNovember
20264.8—
20254.85.3
20244.85.4
20234.795.3
20225.075.48
2021—5.60

—: the data has no Psychology HL results for that session.

May 2026 figures are provisional.

  • The IB states that these results combine examination and non-examination assessment routes, which were used during the COVID-19 disruption. (May 2022)

Psychology HL grade 7 rate over time

The share of Psychology HL students awarded a 7 in every session since November 2021, May and November separately. For HL and SL together, see what percentage of students get a 7 in IB Psychology.

Share of IB Psychology HL students awarded a 7 by year, with May and November sessions as separate lines.
IB Psychology HL grade 7 rate by year, newest first
YearMayNovember
20266.0%—
20255.6%13.0%
20245.7%14.5%
20235.5%13.8%
202210.1%16.8%
2021—19.6%

—: the data has no Psychology HL results for that session.

May 2026 figures are provisional.

  • 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)

Psychology HL student numbers over time

How many students took Psychology at HL in each session since November 2021. The most popular IB subjects ranks subjects by number of students.

Students taking IB Psychology HL by year, with May and November sessions as separate lines.
Students taking IB Psychology HL by year, newest first
YearMayNovember
202615,455—
202515,0941,304
202414,5681,298
202314,0131,154
202213,4001,000
2021—1,133

—: the data has no Psychology HL results for that session.

May 2026 figures are provisional.

Psychology HL grade distribution by session

The share of Psychology HL students at each grade in every session since November 2021, newest first, with the mean grade and number of students. The chart compares May 2026 with May 2025. The IB Psychology grade distribution page sets HL beside SL.

Share of IB Psychology HL students at each grade, May 2025 and May 2026.
IB Psychology HL grade distribution by session, newest first
Session1234567N6 or 7Mean gradeStudents
May 2026provisional0.12.911.723.430.124.46.01.430.44.815,455
November 20250.11.36.414.629.433.513.01.846.55.31,304
May 20250.43.110.922.831.424.45.61.530.04.815,094
November 20240.10.76.512.828.235.414.51.949.95.41,298
May 20240.53.211.223.629.524.25.72.229.94.814,568
November 20230.00.26.413.832.930.213.82.744.05.31,154
May 20230.22.811.525.129.125.85.5—31.34.7914,013
November 20220.00.54.412.129.936.316.8—53.15.481,000
May 20220.11.48.620.330.329.210.1—39.35.0713,400
November 20210.40.02.812.624.640.119.6—59.75.601,133

Percentage of students at each grade, as published. The grade 6 or 7 rate is the two shares 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 Psychology statistics

Compare with other subjects

Source and methodology

These statistics are from the International Baccalaureate's statistical bulletins. The latest data shown is from the May 2026 assessment session.

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.