IBonomicsIB May 2022 Exam Statistics
Session: May 2022
In May 2022, 173,880 students from 3,090 schools in 150 countries took IB exams. Between them they had 660,549 subject entries.
In May 2022, 88,767 students received IB Diploma results. Of these, 86.11% were awarded the diploma, and the average score was 32.00 points out of 45.
In the Career-related Programme, 4,894 students received results and 81.39% were awarded the certificate.
- Students
- 173,880
- May 2022
- Schools
- 3,090
- May 2022
- Diploma pass rate
- 86.11%
- May 2022
- Average score
- 32.00
- May 2022
May 2022 in figures
The bulletin's overview of the session, with the Diploma and Career-related Programme results.
| Figure | May 2022 |
|---|---|
| Students | 173,880 |
| Subject entries | 660,549 |
| Schools | 3,090 |
| Countries | 150 |
| Mean grade, all students | 4.97 |
| Diploma results | 88,767 |
| Diplomas awarded | 76,440 |
| Diploma pass rate | 86.11% |
| Average score | 32.00 |
| Mean grade, Diploma students | 5.13 |
| Career-related Programme results | 4,894 |
| Career-related pass rate | 81.39% |
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.
- The IB states that these results combine examination and non-examination assessment routes, which were used during the COVID-19 disruption. (May 2022)
IB Diploma scores in May 2022
The share of Diploma results at each total, out of 45, with an average of 32.00 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 | 10.92% |
| 24–29 | 23.09% |
| 30–34 | 27.81% |
| 35–39 | 23.48% |
| 40–44 | 13.83% |
| 45 | 0.87% |
- The IB states that these results combine examination and non-examination assessment routes, which were used during the COVID-19 disruption. (May 2022)
Most popular subjects in May 2022
The 10 subjects with the most students, HL and SL added, not counting the language courses, which the bulletin reports by language. Every subject is ranked, for this and every May session, in most popular IB subjects.
| Subject | Students | HL | SL | Share of entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches | 58,264 | 19,698 | 38,566 | 8.8% |
| 2Biology | 52,441 | 31,569 | 20,872 | 7.9% |
| 3Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation | 45,994 | 6,962 | 39,032 | 7.0% |
| 4History | 45,948 | 37,373 | 8,575 | 7.0% |
| 5Chemistry | 33,368 | 17,431 | 15,937 | 5.1% |
| 6Business Management | 27,526 | 17,860 | 9,666 | 4.2% |
| 7Physics | 27,446 | 14,465 | 12,981 | 4.2% |
| 8Economics | 26,506 | 17,133 | 9,373 | 4.0% |
| 9Psychology | 25,416 | 13,400 | 12,016 | 3.8% |
| 10Environmental Systems and Societies | 17,668 | — | 17,668 | 2.7% |
Share of entries: the subject's students as a percentage of all 660,549 subject entries in May 2022, the language courses included. —: not taken at that level in May 2022.
Highest grade 7 rates in May 2022
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. Every subject is ranked, for this and every May session, in IB grade 7 rates by subject.
| Subject | Grade 7 rate | Students |
|---|---|---|
| 1Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches | 21.1% | 19,698 |
| 2Computer Science | 20.9% | 3,261 |
| 3Chemistry | 20.3% | 17,431 |
| 3Philosophy | 20.3% | 1,732 |
| 5Physics | 20.2% | 14,465 |
| 6Economics | 19.7% | 17,133 |
| 7Business Management | 18.7% | 17,860 |
| 8Geography | 17.9% | 4,904 |
| 9Social and Cultural Anthropology | 14.9% | 904 |
| 10Global Politics | 14.4% | 4,263 |
| Subject | Grade 7 rate | Students |
|---|---|---|
| 1Computer Science | 25.2% | 3,068 |
| 2Turkey in the 20th Century | 18.6% | 640 |
| 3Business Management | 18.1% | 9,666 |
| 4Nature of Science | 16.5% | 142 |
| 5Economics | 14.8% | 9,373 |
| 6Brazilian Social Studies | 14.7% | 237 |
| 7Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches | 14.4% | 38,566 |
| 8Art History | 13.6% | 212 |
| 9Philosophy | 13.3% | 2,370 |
| 10Geography | 13.1% | 4,347 |
- 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)
- 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)
Results by subject, May 2022
Every subject in the May 2022 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. | 130,696 | 5.09 | 8.3% | 36.8% | |
| Group 2: Language AcquisitionLanguage ab initio and Language B: reported by language, in the results explorer. | 99,619 | 5.39 | 20.4% | 51.7% | |
| Group 3: Individuals and Societies | 153,124 | 5.01 | 11.8% | 36.8% | |
| Art History | SL | 212 | 4.48 | 13.6% | 30.6% |
| Brazilian Social Studies | SL | 237 | 5.41 | 14.7% | 54.4% |
| Business Management | HL | 17,860 | 5.25 | 18.7% | 49.4% |
| SL | 9,666 | 5.11 | 18.1% | 42.5% | |
| Classical Greek and Roman Studies | SL | 30 | 6.30 | 46.7% | 90.0% |
| Economics | HL | 17,133 | 5.40 | 19.7% | 50.0% |
| SL | 9,373 | 5.02 | 14.8% | 39.9% | |
| Geography | HL | 4,904 | 5.52 | 17.9% | 51.8% |
| SL | 4,347 | 5.06 | 13.1% | 37.2% | |
| Global Politics | HL | 4,263 | 5.30 | 14.4% | 44.0% |
| SL | 2,557 | 5.09 | 12.8% | 36.4% | |
| History | HL | 37,373 | 4.65 | 3.7% | 21.5% |
| SL | 8,575 | 4.76 | 5.8% | 25.4% | |
| Information Technology in a Global Society | HL | 1,061 | 4.85 | 7.6% | 32.2% |
| SL | 1,303 | 4.78 | 10.4% | 28.8% | |
| Modern History Kazakhstan | SL | 11 | 5.64 | 0.0% | 63.6% |
| Philosophy | HL | 1,732 | 5.43 | 20.3% | 51.4% |
| SL | 2,370 | 5.16 | 13.3% | 39.5% | |
| Political Theory | SL | 54 | 4.78 | 16.7% | 38.9% |
| Psychology | HL | 13,400 | 5.07 | 10.1% | 39.3% |
| SL | 12,016 | 4.80 | 9.2% | 34.0% | |
| Social and Cultural Anthropology | HL | 904 | 5.15 | 14.9% | 42.1% |
| SL | 1,545 | 4.72 | 5.5% | 24.4% | |
| Turkey in the 20th Century | SL | 640 | 5.47 | 18.6% | 53.2% |
| World Arts and Cultures | SL | 42 | 5.95 | 28.6% | 69.1% |
| World Religions | SL | 1,516 | 5.03 | 9.1% | 34.6% |
| Group 4: Sciences | 127,972 | 4.76 | 13.5% | 32.6% | |
| Astronomy | SL | 62 | 4.14 | 5.1% | 20.4% |
| Biology | HL | 31,569 | 4.73 | 11.1% | 30.0% |
| SL | 20,872 | 4.56 | 7.8% | 26.1% | |
| Chemistry | HL | 17,431 | 4.99 | 20.3% | 41.0% |
| SL | 15,937 | 4.54 | 11.4% | 29.6% | |
| Computer Science | HL | 3,261 | 5.26 | 20.9% | 49.7% |
| SL | 3,068 | 5.10 | 25.2% | 45.4% | |
| Design Technology | HL | 1,684 | 4.89 | 7.5% | 29.2% |
| SL | 1,181 | 4.62 | 6.7% | 22.8% | |
| Food Science and Technology | SL | 15 | 3.85 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Marine Science | SL | 418 | 4.48 | 11.1% | 28.1% |
| Nature of Science | SL | 142 | 4.91 | 16.5% | 28.7% |
| Physics | HL | 14,465 | 5.09 | 20.2% | 41.6% |
| SL | 12,981 | 4.64 | 12.9% | 28.7% | |
| Sports, Exercise and Health Science | HL | 1,251 | 4.98 | 13.8% | 36.8% |
| SL | 3,635 | 4.18 | 6.0% | 18.6% | |
| Group 5: Mathematics | 104,258 | 4.80 | 12.5% | 32.5% | |
| Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches | HL | 19,698 | 5.21 | 21.1% | 44.1% |
| SL | 38,566 | 4.99 | 14.4% | 37.5% | |
| Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation | HL | 6,962 | 4.79 | 12.4% | 34.0% |
| SL | 39,032 | 4.39 | 6.1% | 21.0% | |
| Group 6: The Arts | 26,730 | 4.51 | 5.6% | 21.7% | |
| Dance | HL | 432 | 4.89 | 7.4% | 32.2% |
| SL | 428 | 4.40 | 5.7% | 21.7% | |
| Film | HL | 2,676 | 4.56 | 5.8% | 23.5% |
| SL | 1,443 | 4.36 | 5.0% | 17.8% | |
| Music | HL | 1,580 | 5.04 | 11.1% | 37.2% |
| SL | 1,615 | 4.71 | 6.0% | 26.2% | |
| Theatre | HL | 2,192 | 4.97 | 11.1% | 35.2% |
| SL | 1,088 | 4.66 | 8.7% | 26.8% | |
| Visual Arts | HL | 9,543 | 4.45 | 4.5% | 19.6% |
| SL | 5,467 | 4.10 | 1.7% | 10.0% | |
| Interdisciplinary | 18,150 | 4.48 | 7.5% | 22.7% | |
| Environmental Systems and Societies | SL | 17,668 | 4.47 | 7.5% | 22.4% |
| Literature and Performance | SL | 482 | 4.83 | 8.5% | 33.4% |
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.
May 2022 also had a pilot version of Theatre, reported separately, with 224 students at HL and 42 at SL. Its results are in the results explorer.
- 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)
- The IB states that these results combine examination and non-examination assessment routes, which were used during the COVID-19 disruption. (May 2022)
- Subjects the bulletin only names, because fewer than 10 students took them, are not listed here. (May 2022)
- Grade cells the bulletin leaves blank are shown as 0.0%. (May 2022)
Other sessions
- IB November 2021 Exam StatisticsThe session before, 16,804 students, Diploma pass rate 87.16%
- IB November 2022 Exam StatisticsThe session after, 18,038 students, Diploma pass rate 82.00%
- IB May 2023 Exam StatisticsA year later, 179,922 students, Diploma pass rate 80.01%
- IB Exam Results by SessionEvery session since November 2021
Source and methodology
These statistics are from the International Baccalaureate's statistical bulletins. The latest data shown is from the May 2022 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.
- 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.