IBonomicsIB November 2021 Exam Statistics
Session: November 2021
In November 2021, 16,804 students from 915 schools in 113 countries took IB exams. Between them they had 78,963 subject entries.
In November 2021, 13,003 students received IB Diploma results. Of these, 87.16% were awarded the diploma, and the average score was 32.31 points out of 45.
- Students
- 16,804
- November 2021
- Schools
- 915
- November 2021
- Diploma pass rate
- 87.16%
- November 2021
- Average score
- 32.31
- November 2021
November 2021 in figures
The bulletin's overview of the session, with the Diploma results.
| Figure | November 2021 |
|---|---|
| Students | 16,804 |
| Subject entries | 78,963 |
| Schools | 915 |
| Countries | 113 |
| Mean grade, all students | 5.14 |
| Diploma results | 13,003 |
| Diplomas awarded | 11,334 |
| Diploma pass rate | 87.16% |
| Average score | 32.31 |
| Mean grade, Diploma students | 5.19 |
Students: everyone in the session, in the Diploma, the Career-related Programme or individual courses. Diploma results: Diploma students, including those retaking, who received results. Average score: their mean total points, out of 45.
IB Diploma scores in November 2021
The share of Diploma results at each total, out of 45, with an average of 32.31 points. A diploma needs at least 24 points. The average IB score page has every session's.
| Total points | Share of Diploma results |
|---|---|
| 0–23 | 10.14% |
| 24–29 | 26.72% |
| 30–34 | 24.73% |
| 35–39 | 18.60% |
| 40–44 | 17.57% |
| 45 | 2.25% |
Most popular subjects in November 2021
The 10 subjects with the most students, HL and SL added, not counting the language courses, which the bulletin reports by language. Most popular IB subjects ranks every subject in the May sessions, which are much larger.
| Subject | Students | HL | SL | Share of entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches | 8,693 | 2,130 | 6,563 | 11.0% |
| 2Biology | 6,768 | 2,504 | 4,264 | 8.6% |
| 3History | 5,843 | 4,495 | 1,348 | 7.4% |
| 4Chemistry | 4,616 | 2,364 | 2,252 | 5.8% |
| 5Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation | 4,344 | 323 | 4,021 | 5.5% |
| 6Business Management | 3,936 | 2,078 | 1,858 | 5.0% |
| 7Physics | 3,548 | 1,492 | 2,056 | 4.5% |
| 8Economics | 2,787 | 1,894 | 893 | 3.5% |
| 9Visual Arts | 1,907 | 896 | 1,011 | 2.4% |
| 10Environmental Systems and Societies | 1,748 | — | 1,748 | 2.2% |
Share of entries: the subject's students as a percentage of all 78,963 subject entries in November 2021, the language courses included. —: not taken at that level in November 2021.
Highest grade 7 rates in November 2021
The subjects with the 10 highest shares of 7s at each level, among the subjects with at least 100 students there. Grade 7 rates reflect who takes a subject and how it is assessed, so they don't show which subjects are easier. IB grade 7 rates by subject ranks every subject in the May sessions, which are much larger.
| Subject | Grade 7 rate | Students |
|---|---|---|
| 1Chemistry | 47.4% | 2,364 |
| 2Physics | 38.9% | 1,492 |
| 3Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches | 37.6% | 2,130 |
| 4Economics | 37.0% | 1,894 |
| 5Theatre | 33.1% | 259 |
| 6Computer Science | 32.2% | 151 |
| 7Sports, Exercise and Health Science | 32.0% | 320 |
| 8Music | 31.7% | 210 |
| 9Philosophy | 31.4% | 140 |
| 10Geography | 28.1% | 664 |
| Subject | Grade 7 rate | Students |
|---|---|---|
| 1Economics | 39.6% | 893 |
| 2Geography | 31.6% | 353 |
| 3Music | 21.7% | 151 |
| 4Psychology | 21.2% | 346 |
| 5Chemistry | 18.4% | 2,252 |
| 6Global Politics | 17.1% | 166 |
| 7Physics | 15.5% | 2,056 |
| 8Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches | 13.8% | 6,563 |
| 9Philosophy | 11.4% | 149 |
| 10Sports, Exercise and Health Science | 11.1% | 446 |
- 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)
- Grade cells the bulletin leaves blank are shown as 0.0%. (November 2021)
Results by subject, November 2021
Every subject in the November 2021 bulletin by subject group, each group led by its totals. Each subject links to its own page, with its results in every session.
| Subject | Level | Students | Mean grade | Grade 7 rate | Grade 6 or 7 rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1: Studies in Language and LiteratureLanguage A: Language and Literature and Language A: Literature: reported by language, in the results explorer. | 14,501 | 5.29 | 11.6% | 42.3% | |
| Group 2: Language AcquisitionLanguage ab initio and Language B: reported by language, in the results explorer. | 13,066 | 5.72 | 27.0% | 61.5% | |
| Group 3: Individuals and Societies | 17,398 | 5.16 | 16.2% | 40.3% | |
| Brazilian Social Studies | SL | 48 | 5.20 | 15.6% | 37.8% |
| Business Management | HL | 2,078 | 5.31 | 18.2% | 48.0% |
| SL | 1,858 | 4.84 | 9.8% | 25.6% | |
| Economics | HL | 1,894 | 5.97 | 37.0% | 71.1% |
| SL | 893 | 5.91 | 39.6% | 69.2% | |
| Geography | HL | 664 | 5.81 | 28.1% | 65.7% |
| SL | 353 | 5.57 | 31.6% | 60.0% | |
| Global Politics | HL | 289 | 5.70 | 21.1% | 59.0% |
| SL | 166 | 5.41 | 17.1% | 46.4% | |
| History | HL | 4,495 | 4.69 | 5.4% | 20.4% |
| SL | 1,348 | 4.76 | 8.3% | 28.0% | |
| Information Technology in a Global Society | HL | 701 | 4.46 | 2.9% | 16.9% |
| SL | 730 | 4.67 | 2.1% | 16.0% | |
| Philosophy | HL | 140 | 5.93 | 31.4% | 70.8% |
| SL | 149 | 5.23 | 11.4% | 40.9% | |
| Psychology | HL | 1,133 | 5.60 | 19.6% | 59.7% |
| SL | 346 | 5.42 | 21.2% | 53.4% | |
| Social and Cultural Anthropology | HL | 67 | 5.12 | 28.8% | 45.5% |
| SL | 46 | 5.41 | 25.0% | 52.3% | |
| Group 4: Sciences | 16,183 | 4.91 | 21.1% | 40.1% | |
| Biology | HL | 2,504 | 5.17 | 19.3% | 49.3% |
| SL | 4,264 | 4.24 | 6.0% | 18.8% | |
| Chemistry | HL | 2,364 | 5.91 | 47.4% | 71.5% |
| SL | 2,252 | 4.68 | 18.4% | 35.4% | |
| Computer Science | HL | 151 | 5.33 | 32.2% | 53.4% |
| SL | 188 | 4.56 | 11.0% | 30.3% | |
| Design Technology | HL | 87 | 4.76 | 8.2% | 30.6% |
| SL | 59 | 4.37 | 5.3% | 12.3% | |
| Physics | HL | 1,492 | 5.59 | 38.9% | 57.9% |
| SL | 2,056 | 4.46 | 15.5% | 25.4% | |
| Sports, Exercise and Health Science | HL | 320 | 6.00 | 32.0% | 75.6% |
| SL | 446 | 4.86 | 11.1% | 33.2% | |
| Group 5: Mathematics | 13,037 | 4.74 | 15.6% | 30.4% | |
| Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches | HL | 2,130 | 5.56 | 37.6% | 56.6% |
| SL | 6,563 | 4.74 | 13.8% | 28.1% | |
| Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation | HL | 323 | 5.14 | 20.7% | 43.0% |
| SL | 4,021 | 4.29 | 6.1% | 18.8% | |
| Group 6: The Arts | 3,005 | 4.97 | 13.4% | 32.7% | |
| Dance | HL | 57 | 6.73 | 78.6% | 94.7% |
| SL | 27 | 5.26 | 11.1% | 40.7% | |
| Film | HL | 204 | 5.61 | 26.3% | 54.1% |
| SL | 71 | 4.96 | 11.9% | 35.8% | |
| Music | HL | 210 | 5.88 | 31.7% | 69.2% |
| SL | 151 | 5.31 | 21.7% | 48.3% | |
| Theatre | HL | 259 | 5.84 | 33.1% | 66.6% |
| SL | 119 | 5.02 | 10.5% | 28.0% | |
| Visual Arts | HL | 896 | 4.83 | 8.7% | 28.7% |
| SL | 1,011 | 4.37 | 1.2% | 8.8% | |
| Interdisciplinary | 1,773 | 4.51 | 7.4% | 23.4% | |
| Environmental Systems and Societies | SL | 1,748 | 4.48 | 7.1% | 22.5% |
| Literature and Performance | SL | 25 | 6.24 | 32.0% | 92.0% |
Group rows: the bulletin's totals for every subject in the group, the language courses included. 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)
- Subjects the bulletin only names, because fewer than 10 students took them, are not listed here. (November 2021)
- Grade cells the bulletin leaves blank are shown as 0.0%. (November 2021)
Other sessions
Source and methodology
These statistics are from the International Baccalaureate's statistical bulletins. The latest data shown is from the November 2021 assessment session.
Bulletin
- 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.
- 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.
IBonomics is not affiliated with or endorsed by the International Baccalaureate.