IB pass rate and fail rate: what the latest statistics mean

Turn a percentage into a count without mixing populations

Before comparing May and November, write down the session, publication version and candidate group. A bulletin's total DP/CP participation is not the denominator for the diploma pass rate. Course and anticipated candidates should not be treated as unsuccessful full-diploma candidates simply because they are not in the diploma-award count.

The round figures below are invented to demonstrate the calculation. If the group changes between years, a change in its rate is not proof that examinations became easier or harder. Subject choices, candidate composition and assessment arrangements can differ.

Compare sessions from 2022–2025 · Read the May 2026 provisional bulletin · Check individual diploma conditions

• Label provisional results separately from final figures.
• Compare like-for-like groups before calculating a trend.
• Use your own subject and core conditions to decide whether a retake is useful.

The headline numbers

The May 2025 final bulletin reports 102,233 second-year Diploma candidates, an 81.9% pass rate, a mean subject grade of 4.9 and a mean total of 30.6.

The same bulletin is the right comparison point until a later final bulletin is published. Early press releases and provisional data can change after Enquiries Upon Results and late information are closed.

• DP pass rate: 81.9%.
• Diploma not awarded: 18.1%.
• Mean total score: 30.6.
• Mean subject grade: 4.9.

Where scores sat

The grouped May 2025 distribution shows 14.5% at 0-23 points, 27.7% at 24-29, 27.6% at 30-34, 20.4% at 35-39 and 9.8% at 40-45.

The 18.1% not-awarded rate is higher than the 14.5% below 24. That gap matters: total points alone do not prove that every diploma condition was met.

• 0-23 points: 14.5%.
• 24-29 points: 27.7%.
• 30-34 points: 27.6%.
• 35-39 points: 20.4%.
• 40-45 points: 9.8%.

Why a score above 24 can still miss the diploma

The IB also requires completed CAS, grades in all subjects plus TOK and EE, no grade 1, no more than two grade 2s and no more than three grades of 3 or below.

HL and SL thresholds apply too. That is why a candidate can show 24 or more total points but receive DP course results rather than the full diploma.

May and November are different cohorts

The IB reported 23,392 DP and CP students receiving November 2025 results and a global average DP score of 29.3. That is useful context, but it should not be treated as proof that November is easier or harder.

The sessions differ in size, geography, school participation and candidate mix. Compare your subject requirements, host-school access and university timeline rather than choosing a session from one global average.

What the statistics mean for one student

A global pass rate cannot predict an individual result. The useful diagnostic is the exact failing condition: total below 24, HL or SL threshold, a low-grade limit, core issue, CAS, or a university subject requirement.

Once the cause is clear, decide whether a remark has a realistic boundary case or whether one or more retakes are the better route.