Average ATAR in Australia: About 70, and Why Not 50

Why the average is about 70, not 50

If every person of Year 12 age received an ATAR, the average would be 50, by definition. But only part of the age group receives one. Students who leave school early or take vocational pathways are still part of the comparison group, and they tend to sit in the lower ranks. So the students who do get an ATAR are, as a group, higher in the ranking, and their average lands near 70. UAC gives the same explanation for NSW.

Average and median ATAR by state

Queensland's middle sits higher because only about 50% of the students in Queensland's 2025 scaling were ATAR-eligible. The smaller the share of the age group taking the ATAR, the higher their ranks tend to be.

What share of students get an ATAR?

The Mitchell Institute estimated that about 64% of Year 12 students nationally received an ATAR in 2024, with large differences between states: around 79% in NSW and 72% in Victoria, but about half in Queensland and fewer in Western Australia. Western Australia and Victoria have seen more students move to non-ATAR pathways in recent years.

What the average means for you

• An ATAR of 70 is roughly the middle of the students who receive one.
• An ATAR of 80 is above that middle in most states.
• Comparing yourself with the average matters less than comparing with the course you want. See what is a good ATAR and what ATAR do I need.

Curious what makes a rank of 99.95 so rare? Read is the ATAR out of 100.

How ATARs were spread in Queensland in 2025

Queensland is the only state that publishes the full share of eligible students at each ATAR, which shows clearly where the middle sits.

Source: QTAC ATAR Report 2025, Table 12.

The middle of Queensland's eligible students sits close to 80, higher than Victoria's average of 69.48, because only about half of Queensland's Year 12 students were ATAR-eligible.

What an average ATAR takes in each state

An ATAR of 70.00 needed a VCE aggregate of 120.42, an HSC aggregate of 262.0 out of 500, a SACE aggregate of 60.55 out of 90 and a WA TEA of about 216 out of 430 in 2025. An ATAR of 70 in Victoria took an aggregate of 120.42, roughly a study score of 28 in English, Methods, Chemistry, Biology and Psychology. In SA it took an average scaled score of about 13.5 out of 20.

Average ATAR myths

• "50 is average." Only if everyone your age received an ATAR. Among students who receive one, the middle is near 70.
• "A 70 is a fail." No. It puts you ahead of about 70% of your age group and meets many course cut-offs.
• "Averages are the same everywhere." No. The share of students taking the ATAR differs by state, which moves the middle.