What was the mean grade in IB Chemistry in May 2026?

The mean grade was 4.9 at Higher Level and 4.5 at Standard Level, according to the IB's provisional bulletin for May 2026. In May 2025 the means were 4.8 at HL and 4.3 at SL.

How many IB Chemistry candidates got a 7 in May 2026?

15.1% of HL candidates and 10.5% of SL candidates received a grade 7. These are shares of all candidates at each level, not head counts, and the figures are provisional until the final bulletin.

Is HL Chemistry harder to score well in than SL?

The data cannot say. HL has the higher mean grade (4.9 against 4.5), but the cohorts differ and the HL students may be more prepared or more motivated. Choose the level that fits your strengths and your university plans.

IB subject statistics

IB Chemistry grade distribution and average grade, May 2026

By Michael Thompson - Head of Teaching Excellence; 15 years as an IB Coordinator

Published 5 October 2026Data: IB Diploma Programme provisional statistical bulletin, May 2026

Short answer: In May 2026, IB Chemistry students averaged 4.9 at HL (20,748 students) and 4.5 at SL (18,475). 15.1% of HL and 10.5% of SL students scored a 7, and the most common grade was 6 at HL and 4 at SL.

This page looks at IB Chemistry results in the May 2026 session, using the IB's official statistical bulletin for that session. The May 2026 figures come from the IB's provisional bulletin. A final version follows later in the year, so small revisions are possible.

The data covers 20,748 candidates at Higher Level (HL) and 18,475 at Standard Level (SL). Below we explain what the mean grades and grade distributions suggest about how the subject is scored, how the two levels differ, and how results moved compared with May 2025.

Key figures

Level	Students	Mean grade	Share of 7s	vs May 2025
HL	20,748	4.9	15.1%	+0.1
SL	18,475	4.5	10.5%	+0.2

Grade distribution, May 2026

Grade distribution, May 2026
Grade	Higher Level	Standard Level
1	0.5%	2.1%
2	3.4%	9.1%
3	14.0%	18.1%
4	19.9%	20.3%
5	22.2%	18.7%
6	23.8%	18.9%
7	15.1%	10.5%

Grade 1-7, % of studentsHigher LevelStandard Level

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What the mean grade and distribution show

The mean grade is 4.9 at HL and 4.5 at SL. At HL, grade 6 is the most common result (23.8%), followed by grade 5 (22.2%) and grade 4 (19.9%). Grade 7 is awarded to 15.1% of HL candidates. At SL the distribution is flatter: grade 4 is the largest group (20.3%), but grades 3, 5 and 6 each sit close to it, at 18.1%, 18.7% and 18.9%. All percentages are shares of all candidates, and a small remainder received no grade. Adding up the shares shows that grades 5, 6 and 7 together cover a majority of HL candidates, while at SL they fall just short of half.

HL compared with SL

HL candidates have the higher mean grade and a heavier top end: 15.1% earned a 7 at HL against 10.5% at SL. The bottom end differs even more. Grades 1 and 2 account for 0.5% and 3.4% at HL, but 2.1% and 9.1% at SL. These are comparisons of shares, not head counts. The gap may partly reflect who chooses each level, for example students with a strong science background or stronger motivation opting for HL, but the bulletin does not tell us this. It would be a mistake to conclude that HL papers are easier to score well on.

Movement since May 2025

Mean grades rose at both levels compared with May 2025. HL moved from 4.8 to 4.9 and SL from 4.3 to 4.5. The increase at SL is a little larger than at HL. A single session cannot show whether this is a lasting trend, a difference in the candidate cohort or normal year-to-year variation. The diploma total for the whole May 2026 session averaged 30.9 points. That figure covers all subjects and the core, so it says nothing specific about Chemistry.

What this means for choosing and preparing

At both levels, results are spread across the whole scale rather than bunched at one point. At SL especially, many candidates land on grades 3 to 6, so a few extra marks in each paper can change the final grade. HL suits students who are confident with quantitative work and want chemistry for university, though the higher mean should not be taken as a promise of higher grades. For preparation, practise past-paper questions under timed conditions, build secure fundamentals in calculations and organic reactions, and review mistakes systematically.

Key takeaways

May 2026 mean grades: 4.9 at HL (20,748 candidates) and 4.5 at SL (18,475 candidates).
Grade 7 was awarded to 15.1% of HL candidates and 10.5% of SL candidates.
Grades 1 and 2 are far more common at SL (2.1% and 9.1%) than at HL (0.5% and 3.4%).
Both levels' mean grades rose compared with May 2025: HL from 4.8 to 4.9, SL from 4.3 to 4.5.
The May 2026 figures are provisional, and the reasons behind the HL and SL gap are possibilities, not facts.

Frequently asked questions

What was the mean grade in IB Chemistry in May 2026?: The mean grade was 4.9 at Higher Level and 4.5 at Standard Level, according to the IB's provisional bulletin for May 2026. In May 2025 the means were 4.8 at HL and 4.3 at SL.
How many IB Chemistry candidates got a 7 in May 2026?: 15.1% of HL candidates and 10.5% of SL candidates received a grade 7. These are shares of all candidates at each level, not head counts, and the figures are provisional until the final bulletin.
Is HL Chemistry harder to score well in than SL?: The data cannot say. HL has the higher mean grade (4.9 against 4.5), but the cohorts differ and the HL students may be more prepared or more motivated. Choose the level that fits your strengths and your university plans.