A raw score shows how you did in one subject; a scaled score is that result adjusted onto a common scale so it can be added to your other subjects for the ATAR. The ATAR is always built from scaled scores. Which number you type into a calculator depends on your state: study scores in Victoria, HSC marks in NSW, raw results in Queensland and scaled scores in SA and WA.
Raw vs scaled key facts (2025)
- Victoria: a study score of 35 scaled to 48 in Specialist Mathematics and 33 in English.
- NSW: an HSC mark of 80 was worth about 36.8 per unit in Chemistry and 28.0 in Legal Studies.
- Queensland: a raw 80 scaled to 91.56 in Mathematical Methods and 69.27 in Psychology.
- SA and WA students receive scaled scores directly, so there is no raw-to-scaled step to estimate.
Which number to enter, by state
| State | The number you usually know | Enter in our calculator |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria | Study score out of 50 (VCAA) | Study score. We scale it. |
| NSW | HSC mark out of 100 (NESA) | HSC mark. We estimate the scaled mark. |
| Queensland | Final raw result out of 100 | Raw result. We scale it. |
| SA and NT | Grade and scaled score (SATAC); see the SACE grade calculator | Scaled score out of 20 or 10 |
| WA | Combined mark and scaled score | Scaled score out of 100 |
Entering the wrong number is the most common reason a calculator gives a surprising result. See which calculator is most accurate.
Is a study score raw or scaled?
A VCE study score is a raw result for ATAR purposes: it is your rank within one study, on a scale where the middle is about 30. VTAC then scales it. In 2025 a study score of 35 became 48 in Specialist Mathematics and 33 in English. More in what is a study score.
Raw marks, HSC marks and scaled marks in NSW
- Raw marks: your exam and moderated school assessment marks.
- HSC mark: NESA aligns raw marks to the band standards and reports the HSC mark out of 100. This is what you see on your results.
- Scaled mark: UAC scales your raw marks for the ATAR. Scaled marks are out of 50 per unit.
UAC uses raw marks, not aligned HSC marks, as the basis for scaling, and the same HSC mark can lead to a range of scaled marks. See HSC scaling 2025.
Does scaling change my rank in a subject?
No. Scaling keeps the order of students within a subject. If you were ahead of 80% of students in Chemistry before scaling, you still are after. What changes is how Chemistry results compare with other subjects. The scaling guide explains why.
The same result, three subjects, three states
| State | Result | Subject | Scaled (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria | Study score 35 | Specialist Mathematics | 48 |
| Victoria | Study score 35 | Mathematical Methods | 41 |
| Victoria | Study score 35 | English | 33 |
| NSW | HSC mark 80 | Chemistry | about 36.8 per unit |
| NSW | HSC mark 80 | English Standard | about 31.5 per unit |
| NSW | HSC mark 80 | Legal Studies | about 28.0 per unit |
| Queensland | Raw 80 | Mathematical Methods | 91.56 |
| Queensland | Raw 80 | English | 79.62 |
| Queensland | Raw 80 | Psychology | 69.27 |
Scaled results are on different scales in each state (out of 50-plus in Victoria, 50 per unit in NSW, 100 in Queensland), so compare within a state, not across states.
One Victorian result from start to finish
- School assessment: SAC scores, moderated against the school's exam results.
- Study score: the VCAA combines assessments and ranks the state. Say the result is 35 in Chemistry.
- Scaled score: VTAC scales it. In 2025, 35 in Chemistry became 39.
- Aggregate: 39 is added with your other best scaled scores.
- ATAR: the aggregate is ranked. An aggregate of 144.60 gave 85.05 in 2025.
Common raw vs scaled mistakes
- Typing a scaled score into a calculator that scales for you. It gets scaled twice.
- Typing a raw mark where a scaled score is needed. SA and WA calculators need scaled scores.
- Comparing raw results across subjects. A raw 80 in Methods is a stronger result than a raw 80 in Psychology in Queensland.
FAQ
Is a study score a ranking?
Yes. It shows your position among everyone who took that study in Victoria. A 30 is about the middle.
What is the difference between raw marks, internal marks and HSC marks?
Internal marks are school assessments, moderated against your school's exam results. Raw marks combine those with your exam. The HSC mark is NESA's aligned version reported on your results.
Do ATAR calculators calculate raw or scaled marks?
Good calculators take the number your state reports and convert it to a scaled score using the latest published scaling.
Is a higher scaled score always better?
Yes, within a state: the aggregate adds scaled scores. But a high raw result in a subject that scales down can still give a higher scaled score than a low raw result in one that scales up.