VCE Scaling 2025: Best and Worst Scaling Subjects Ranked

Quick answer: in VTAC's 2025 scaling, Latin, Specialist Mathematics and the second languages scaled the most: a study score of 35 became 50 in Latin and 48 in Specialist Mathematics. Mathematical Methods (41), Chemistry (39) and English Language (38) also scaled up. English (33), Psychology (34) and Business Management (32) scaled slightly down, and Foundation Mathematics and Industry and Enterprise scaled down most (26). The full table for 94 studies is below.

Balance scale with subject books showing how ATAR scaling puts subjects on one level

VCE scaling 2025 key facts

At a study score of 30, scaled scores ranged from 20 (Foundation Mathematics) to 46 across 95 published rows.
At 30, 36 studies scaled up, 4 stayed level and 55 scaled down.
Specialist Mathematics 35 became 48; Mathematical Methods 35 became 41; English 35 became 33.
Every study reached a scaled score of at least 50 at a study score of 50.
Source: VTAC 2025 Scaling Report, dated 11 December 2025.

Best scaling VCE subjects in 2025

Scaled score for a study score of 35, from the VTAC 2025 Scaling Report:

Study	Scaled score at 35
Latin	50
Specialist Mathematics	48
Chinese Second Language	45
French	45
German	44
Algorithmics (HESS)	43
Hebrew	43
Japanese Second Language	43
Mathematical Methods	41
Chemistry	39

Studies that scaled down most in 2025

Study	Scaled score at 35
Industry and Enterprise	26
Foundation Mathematics	26
VCE VET Business	28
VCE VET Hospitality (Cookery)	28
VCE VET Sport and Recreation	28
Food Studies	29
Product Design and Technologies	29
Agricultural and Horticultural Studies	29

Every study scaled to at least 50 at a study score of 50, so a top result is valuable in any study. Scaling matters most in the middle of the range.

What the table shows

For each study: the scaled mean and standard deviation, and the scaled study score VTAC published for study scores of 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50, rounded to whole numbers. Green numbers scaled up; orange numbers scaled down. Type a study name to filter.

VTAC 2025 scaled study scores for study scores of 20 to 50 (rounded). Mean and SD are of scaled scores.
Study	Mean	SD	20	25	30	35	40	45	50
Accounting	30.8	7.3	20	25	31	36	41	46	50
Agricultural & Horticultural Studies	24.4	6.7	15	19	24	29	34	41	50
Algorithmics (HESS)	37.3	6.9	24	31	38	43	47	50	51
Data Analytics	27.6	7.0	16	21	26	32	38	44	50
Software Development	28.3	7.1	17	22	28	33	39	45	50
Art Creative Practice	27.0	7.5	16	21	27	32	38	44	50
Art Making and Exhibiting	26.6	7.2	15	20	25	31	37	44	50
Biology	30.5	7.4	19	25	31	36	41	46	50
Business Management	27.2	7.3	17	22	27	32	38	44	50
Chemistry	33.6	7.3	22	28	34	39	44	47	50
Classical Studies	29.6	7.3	19	25	30	36	41	46	50
Dance	28.0	6.8	18	23	27	32	37	43	50
Drama	28.5	7.4	18	23	28	33	39	45	50
Economics	31.2	7.3	20	26	31	37	42	46	50
English	28.2	7.5	17	22	28	33	39	45	50
English as an Additional Language	27.3	8.3	15	21	27	33	40	46	50
English Language	32.6	7.2	22	27	33	38	43	47	50
Environmental Science	28.1	7.0	18	23	28	33	39	44	50
Extended Investigation	32.8	6.6	22	27	33	38	42	47	50
Food Studies	24.1	7.2	14	19	23	29	35	42	50
Geography	28.6	7.4	18	23	28	34	39	45	50
Health and Human Development	26.4	7.3	16	21	26	31	37	43	50
Ancient History	27.7	8.0	16	21	27	33	39	45	50
Australian History	28.9	7.7	18	23	29	34	40	45	50
Revolutions	28.7	7.6	18	23	29	34	40	45	50
Industry and Enterprise	21.6	6.8	12	16	20	26	32	40	50
Arabic	31.3	6.8	20	25	30	34	39	44	50
Chinese First Language	32.9	8.6	18	25	33	39	45	48	50
Chinese Language Culture and Society	32.9	6.6	22	28	33	38	43	47	50
Chinese Second Language Advanced	36.8	7.4	24	31	37	42	47	50	52
Chinese Second Language	40.2	6.9	29	35	41	45	49	52	54
French	40.2	6.6	30	36	41	45	49	51	53
German	38.7	7.1	27	34	39	44	48	51	53
Greek	34.8	7.3	24	30	35	40	44	47	50
Hebrew	38.5	5.6	29	35	39	43	46	48	50
Hindi	37.0	7.4	23	30	36	42	46	50	52
Indonesian Second Language	36.8	7.4	26	32	38	42	46	49	52
Italian	36.8	6.5	27	33	38	42	45	48	50
Japanese Second Language	37.4	7.0	26	32	38	43	46	49	51
Karen	23.3	5.2	20	25	29	33	38	43	50
Khmer	30.0	6.3	11	17	25	34	41	47	50
Korean Second Language	36.7	8.4	21	29	36	42	47	51	53
Latin	45.0	6.4	35	42	46	50	53	54	55
Macedonian	25.8	8.1	21	27	32	37	42	47	51
Persian	28.3	7.1	16	20	24	29	34	40	50
Punjabi	33.1	6.6	22	28	33	39	43	47	50
Russian	34.7	7.5	23	29	34	39	44	47	50
Serbian	31.9	5.1	22	26	31	36	40	45	50
Sinhala	35.9	6.3	25	30	35	39	43	47	50
Spanish	35.5	5.8	26	31	35	40	44	47	50
Turkish	30.9	6.1	21	25	29	34	38	43	50
Vietnamese First Language	29.3	7.1	19	24	29	35	40	45	50
Vietnamese Second Language	36.0	5.4	26	31	36	40	43	47	50
Small language (any)			24	30	35	40	44	48	51
Legal Studies	28.6	7.6	18	23	28	34	40	45	50
Literature	31.0	7.3	20	26	31	36	41	46	50
Foundation Mathematics	21.6	7.1	12	16	20	26	32	40	50
General Mathematics	27.8	7.1	18	23	28	33	38	44	50
Mathematical Methods	34.4	8.4	21	28	35	41	46	49	51
Specialist Mathematics	41.5	8.0	29	36	43	48	51	54	55
Media	27.1	7.1	16	21	26	32	38	44	50
Music Composition	30.9	6.8	21	26	31	36	41	45	50
Music Contemporary Performance	27.7	7.3	17	22	27	33	38	44	50
Music Inquiry	27.8	7.1	18	23	28	33	38	44	50
Music Repertoire Performance	32.1	6.8	22	27	32	37	42	46	50
Outdoor and Environmental Studies	25.2	6.8	15	20	24	30	36	42	50
Philosophy	29.5	7.3	19	24	29	35	40	45	50
Physical Education	27.6	7.3	17	22	27	33	38	44	50
Physics	31.7	7.5	20	26	32	37	42	47	50
Politics	32.0	7.1	21	27	32	37	42	46	50
Product Design and Technologies	25.3	6.8	14	19	24	29	36	42	50
Psychology	28.4	7.4	18	23	28	34	39	45	50
Religion and Society	28.6	7.2	18	23	28	34	39	45	50
Sociology	26.1	7.7	15	20	25	31	38	44	50
Systems Engineering	27.4	6.8	17	21	26	32	37	43	50
Texts and Traditions	27.8	7.1	17	22	27	32	37	43	50
Theatre Studies	28.7	7.3	18	23	28	34	39	45	50
Visual Communication Design	27.2	7.0	16	21	26	32	38	44	50
VCE VET Business	24.3	7.0	14	19	23	28	34	41	50
VCE VET Community Services	24.8	7.1	15	19	24	30	35	42	50
VCE VET Creative and Digital Media	26.4	6.8	17	21	26	30	36	42	50
VCE VET Dance	28.9	5.6	20	24	28	32	36	41	50
VCE VET Engineering	24.9	6.2	17	21	25	29	34	40	50
VCE VET Equine Studies	27.6	7.1	15	20	26	32	38	44	50
VCE VET Furnishing	23.3	5.1	18	22	26	30	35	40	50
VCE VET Health (Allied)	26.2	7.4	15	20	25	30	36	43	50
VCE VET Health Services Assistance	22.4	6.8	14	20	25	32	38	45	50
VCE VET Hospitality	24.5	7.1	15	19	24	29	35	42	50
VCE VET Hospitality (Cookery)	23.5	7.0	14	18	23	28	34	41	50
VCE VET Information Technology	25.6	6.8	16	20	25	30	36	42	50
VCE VET Integrated Technologies	30.0	7.0	20	25	30	35	40	45	50
VCE VET Laboratory Skills	29.6	6.1	20	25	30	34	39	44	50
VCE VET Music Performance	26.7	6.8	19	22	26	30	35	41	50
VCE VET Music Sound Production	27.5	6.7	18	22	27	32	38	43	50
VCE VET Sport and Recreation	23.9	6.7	15	19	23	28	34	41	50

Official data Source: VTAC 2025 Scaling Report (11 Dec 2025) and VTAC 2025 Aggregate to ATAR Table. Data year: 2025.

VTAC uses scaled scores to two decimals in the real calculation. The VCE ATAR calculator reads between the published points, so you can enter any study score.

Aggregate needed for each ATAR in 2025

The lowest scaled aggregate that received each whole ATAR in 2025, and every 0.05 step from 99.00 up. Aggregates under 65.93 received an ATAR below 30.00.

VTAC 2025: lowest scaled aggregate for each ATAR (selected rows)
ATAR	Lowest scaled aggregate
99.95	211.42
99.90	208.08
99.85	206.01
99.80	204.33
99.75	202.98
99.70	201.93
99.65	200.92
99.60	199.91
99.55	199.05
99.50	198.20
99.45	197.59
99.40	196.97
99.35	196.19
99.30	195.44
99.25	194.80
99.20	194.14
99.15	193.63
99.10	193.21
99.05	192.55
99.00	192.10
98.00	183.81
97.00	178.10
96.00	173.56
95.00	169.85
94.00	166.49
93.00	163.30
92.00	160.53
91.00	157.79
90.00	155.19
89.00	152.81
88.00	150.51
87.00	148.31
86.00	146.36
85.00	144.45
84.00	142.52
83.00	140.73
82.00	139.00
81.00	137.35
80.00	135.65
79.00	133.86
78.00	132.22
77.00	130.64
76.00	129.18
75.00	127.68
74.00	126.21
73.00	124.70
72.00	123.27
71.00	121.90
70.00	120.42
69.00	119.04
68.00	117.73
67.00	116.33
66.00	114.99
65.00	113.64
64.00	112.34
63.00	111.05
62.00	109.74
61.00	108.41
60.00	107.03
59.00	105.75
58.00	104.50
57.00	103.28
56.00	101.94
55.00	100.64
54.00	99.26
53.00	97.95
52.00	96.70
51.00	95.40
50.00	94.06
49.00	92.82
48.00	91.42
47.00	90.08
46.00	88.79
45.00	87.44
44.00	86.08
43.00	84.62
42.00	83.22
41.00	81.91
40.00	80.53
39.00	79.00
38.00	77.45
37.00	75.93
36.00	74.45
35.00	73.09
34.00	71.70
33.00	70.15
32.00	68.77
31.00	67.44
30.00	65.93

Official data Source: VTAC 2025 Scaling Report (11 Dec 2025) and VTAC 2025 Aggregate to ATAR Table. Data year: 2025.

How to use this data

Choosing subjects: scaling is a tie-breaker, not a strategy. A 40 in a study that scales slightly down beats a 25 in Methods. See how scaling works.
Checking a study score: what is a good study score shows what each score means against the state.
Methods question: does Maths Methods scale up looks at Methods across the range.

Scaling by subject group

Scaled score at study scores of 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 in 2025.

English studies

Study	25	30	35	40	45
English	22	28	33	39	45
English as an Additional Language	21	27	33	40	46
English Language	27	33	38	43	47
Literature	26	31	36	41	46

Mathematics

Study	25	30	35	40	45
Foundation Mathematics	16	20	26	32	40
General Mathematics	23	28	33	38	44
Mathematical Methods	28	35	41	46	49
Specialist Mathematics	36	43	48	51	54

Sciences

Study	25	30	35	40	45
Chemistry	28	34	39	44	47
Physics	26	32	37	42	47
Biology	25	31	36	41	46
Psychology	23	28	34	39	45
Environmental Science	23	28	33	39	44

Humanities and business

Study	25	30	35	40	45
Economics	26	31	37	42	46
Accounting	25	31	36	41	46
Legal Studies	23	28	34	40	45
Revolutions	23	29	34	40	45
Geography	23	28	34	39	45
Business Management	22	27	32	38	44

Where scaling matters most

Study score	Lowest scaled	Highest scaled	Studies scaled up	Level	Scaled down
25	16	42	33	9	53
30	20	46	36	4	55
35	26	50	37	3	55
40	32	53	37	8	50
45	40	54	37	17	41

The gap between studies is widest in the middle of the range and narrows at the top, where almost every study rewards an excellent score. More studies scale down than up because the strongest students cluster in a smaller group of studies, which pulls those studies up.

Two students, same ATAR

Scaling is often read as "pick studies that scale up". The 2025 numbers show why a higher study score in a study you are good at is usually worth more.

Student	Studies	Study scores	Aggregate	ATAR estimate
A	English, Methods, Chemistry, Physics, Biology	35 in each	153.60	89.30
B	English 35; Business Management, Psychology, Legal Studies, Health and Human Development	40 in the four others	153.70	89.35
A, weaker	Same as A	English 35, others 28	129.26	76.05
B, at 35	Same as B	35 in each	136.10	80.20

Student B reaches the same ATAR as Student A by scoring five points higher in studies that scale down. And a student who takes the "high scaling" mix but only manages 28s ends up below a student who scores 35s in studies that scale down. Choose the studies where you will score highest.

Common misreadings of the scaling report

"Scaled down means the study is easy." Scaling reflects how the students in a study perform across all their studies, not difficulty.
"A scaled score above 50 is an error." Scaled scores can exceed 50. Specialist Mathematics reached 54 at a study score of 45.
"2025 scaling predicts 2026." It is the best guide available, but every year is recalculated from that year's students.
"English scaling hurts everyone." English counts for every student, and at 45 it scaled to 45, level with the study score.

VCE scaling FAQ

Which VCE subjects get scaled up?

In 2025: languages such as Latin, French, German and Chinese Second Language, Specialist Mathematics, Mathematical Methods, Chemistry, English Language, Physics, Economics and Algorithmics, among others.

Which VCE subject scales down the most?

In 2025, Foundation Mathematics and Industry and Enterprise, where a study score of 35 scaled to 26.

Does English scale down?

Slightly in the middle: a 35 in English scaled to 33 in 2025. English Language scaled up (35 to 38) and Literature was close to even (35 to 36).

When is the next scaling report released?

VTAC publishes the scaling report after ATARs are released in December. The 2026 report is expected after 10 December 2026, and we update this page when it is out.

Why do small languages share one row?

Languages with ten or fewer students in the scaling population are not scaled on their own. VTAC applies an average adjustment and publishes one shared row.

Does Specialist Maths always scale up?

It has scaled up strongly for years, and in 2025 a study score of 30 became 43. But it is a demanding study: a low score in Specialist can still be worth less than a high score elsewhere.

How many VCE studies scaled down in 2025?

At a study score of 30, 55 of the 95 published rows scaled down, 4 stayed level and 36 scaled up.

Is Biology a good scaling subject?

Biology scaled slightly up in 2025: 30 became 31, 35 became 36 and 40 became 41.