IB May 2023 Exam Statistics

Session: May 2023

In May 2023, 179,922 students from 3,189 schools in 149 countries took IB exams, up from 173,880 in May 2022. Between them they had 679,741 subject entries.

In May 2023, 91,421 students received IB Diploma results. Of these, 80.01% were awarded the diploma, down from 86.11% in May 2022, and the average score was 30.24 points out of 45, down from 32.00.

In the Career-related Programme, 4,786 students received results and 75.22% were awarded the certificate, down from 81.39% in May 2022.

Students: 179,922; May 2022: 173,880
Schools: 3,189; May 2022: 3,090
Diploma pass rate: 80.01%; May 2022: 86.11%
Average score: 30.24; May 2022: 32.00

May 2023 compared with May 2022

The bulletin's overview of the session, with the Diploma and Career-related Programme results, beside May 2022, the same session a year earlier.

IB results, May 2023 and May 2022
Figure	May 2023	May 2022	Change
Students	179,922	173,880	+6,042
Subject entries	679,741	660,549	+19,192
Schools	3,189	3,090	+99
Countries	149	150	−1
Mean grade, all students	4.67	4.97	−0.30
Diploma results	91,421	88,767	+2,654
Diplomas awarded	73,149	76,440	−3,291
Diploma pass rate	80.01%	86.11%	−6.10
Average score	30.24	32.00	−1.76
Mean grade, Diploma students	4.84	5.13	−0.29
Career-related Programme results	4,786	4,894	−108
Career-related pass rate	75.22%	81.39%	−6.17

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. Change: for rates, in percentage points.

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 2023

The share of Diploma results at each total, out of 45, with an average of 30.24 points. A diploma needs at least 24 points. The average IB score page has every session's.

Share of IB Diploma results by total points, May 2023.

IB Diploma results by total points, May 2023
Total points	Share of Diploma results
0–23	16.10%
24–29	28.30%
30–34	26.95%
35–39	19.78%
40–45	8.87%

Most popular subjects in May 2023

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.

Students at HL and SL in the 10 largest IB subjects, May 2023.

The 10 IB subjects with the most students, May 2023
Subject	Students	HL	SL	Share of entries
1Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches	59,673	20,719	38,954	8.8%
2Biology	52,777	31,912	20,865	7.8%
3Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation	47,273	6,985	40,288	7.0%
4History	45,715	37,070	8,645	6.7%
5Chemistry	32,901	17,100	15,801	4.8%
6Business Management	30,094	19,220	10,874	4.4%
7Physics	27,918	15,030	12,888	4.1%
8Economics	27,311	17,604	9,707	4.0%
9Psychology	26,751	14,013	12,738	3.9%
10Environmental Systems and Societies	19,991	—	19,991	2.9%

Share of entries: the subject's students as a percentage of all 679,741 subject entries in May 2023, the language courses included. —: not taken at that level in May 2023.

Highest grade 7 rates in May 2023

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.

Highest IB grade 7 rates at HL, May 2023, of 22 subjects
Subject	Grade 7 rate	Students
1Physics	16.6%	15,030
2Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches	14.9%	20,719
3Economics	14.6%	17,604
4Geography	13.8%	4,714
5Social and Cultural Anthropology	12.8%	950
6Sports, Exercise and Health Science	11.5%	1,404
7Theatre	11.0%	2,305
8Chemistry	10.7%	17,100
9Dance	10.2%	361
10Business Management	8.7%	19,220
10Philosophy	8.7%	1,868

Highest IB grade 7 rates at SL, May 2023, of 30 subjects
Subject	Grade 7 rate	Students
1Turkey in the 20th Century	13.0%	738
2Art History	12.7%	156
3Brazilian Social Studies	12.5%	333
3Business Management	12.5%	10,874
5Economics	12.0%	9,707
6Geography	10.1%	4,281
6Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches	10.1%	38,954
8Physics	9.1%	12,888
9Philosophy	7.7%	2,532
10Theatre	7.6%	1,215

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 2023)
Grade cells the bulletin leaves blank are shown as 0.0%. (May 2023)

Results by subject, May 2023

Every subject in the May 2023 bulletin by subject group, each group led by its totals. Each subject links to its own page, with its results in every session.

IB results by subject and level, May 2023
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.		134,004	4.83	3.9%	26.6%
Group 2: Language AcquisitionLanguage ab initio and Language B: reported by language, in the results explorer.		101,462	5.24	14.3%	46.7%
Group 3: Individuals and Societies		159,100	4.74	7.6%	29.2%
Art History	SL	156	4.31	12.7%	28.2%
Brazilian Social Studies	SL	333	4.91	12.5%	33.0%
Business Management	HL	19,220	4.95	8.7%	36.2%
Business Management	SL	10,874	4.95	12.5%	36.9%
Classical Greek and Roman Studies	SL	36	6.25	38.9%	88.9%
Economics	HL	17,604	5.12	14.6%	40.6%
Economics	SL	9,707	4.76	12.0%	32.9%
Geography	HL	4,714	5.27	13.8%	44.6%
Geography	SL	4,281	4.82	10.1%	33.4%
Global Politics	HL	4,707	5.11	6.8%	36.8%
Global Politics	SL	3,152	4.82	7.4%	28.9%
History	HL	37,070	4.34	2.7%	15.7%
History	SL	8,645	4.66	3.7%	22.4%
Information Technology in a Global Society	HL	1,141	4.32	1.0%	11.0%
Information Technology in a Global Society	SL	1,134	4.22	0.5%	16.2%
Philosophy	HL	1,868	5.00	8.7%	35.1%
Philosophy	SL	2,532	4.88	7.7%	31.9%
Political Theory	SL	16	4.67	6.7%	26.7%
Psychology	HL	14,013	4.79	5.5%	31.3%
Psychology	SL	12,738	4.46	4.8%	24.0%
Social and Cultural Anthropology	HL	950	4.94	12.8%	36.1%
Social and Cultural Anthropology	SL	1,735	4.78	4.5%	28.0%
Turkey in the 20th Century	SL	738	5.27	13.0%	44.4%
World Arts and Cultures	SL	50	5.12	12.0%	32.0%
World Religions	SL	1,677	4.69	5.7%	23.2%
Group 4: Sciences		130,405	4.35	8.2%	23.9%
Astronomy	SL	37	4.39	12.1%	15.1%
Biology	HL	31,912	4.41	6.3%	22.8%
Biology	SL	20,865	4.15	5.3%	18.6%
Chemistry	HL	17,100	4.57	10.7%	29.6%
Chemistry	SL	15,801	4.10	7.2%	21.5%
Computer Science	HL	3,766	4.43	7.9%	26.2%
Computer Science	SL	3,397	3.94	5.0%	17.9%
Design Technology	HL	1,639	4.69	4.4%	24.7%
Design Technology	SL	1,544	3.98	1.3%	9.3%
Food Science and Technology	SL	18	5.94	11.8%	82.4%
Marine Science	SL	357	4.09	5.3%	15.9%
Nature of Science	SL	157	4.40	4.5%	19.9%
Physics	HL	15,030	4.81	16.6%	35.2%
Physics	SL	12,888	4.21	9.1%	21.7%
Sports, Exercise and Health Science	HL	1,404	4.80	11.5%	34.5%
Sports, Exercise and Health Science	SL	4,490	3.92	3.3%	12.5%
Group 5: Mathematics		106,946	4.37	8.8%	25.4%
Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches	HL	20,719	4.88	14.9%	36.5%
Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches	SL	38,954	4.61	10.1%	29.3%
Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation	HL	6,985	4.38	8.5%	24.4%
Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation	SL	40,288	3.87	4.4%	15.9%
Group 6: The Arts		27,509	4.38	4.5%	19.7%
Dance	HL	361	4.84	10.2%	29.7%
Dance	SL	436	4.34	7.4%	23.3%
Film	HL	2,645	4.52	4.9%	23.0%
Film	SL	1,749	4.16	3.3%	16.0%
Music	HL	1,401	4.80	8.3%	29.8%
Music	SL	1,665	4.16	3.9%	14.4%
Theatre	HL	2,305	5.00	11.0%	37.2%
Theatre	SL	1,215	4.57	7.6%	24.5%
Visual Arts	HL	9,890	4.40	4.0%	20.0%
Visual Arts	SL	5,842	4.02	1.1%	8.9%
Interdisciplinary		20,315	4.24	5.5%	18.7%
Environmental Systems and Societies	SL	19,991	4.23	5.6%	18.6%
Literature and Performance	SL	324	4.74	4.8%	29.0%

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 —. (May 2023)
Subjects the bulletin only names, because fewer than 10 students took them, are not listed here. (May 2023)
Grade cells the bulletin leaves blank are shown as 0.0%. (May 2023)

Other sessions

Source and methodology

These statistics are from the International Baccalaureate's statistical bulletins. The latest data shown is from the May 2023 assessment session.

Bulletins

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.