Highest scaling HSC subjects, and the full scaling table.
Filter by faculty, search any subject, and sort by the scaled mark you'd need at each percentile of the state cohort. Use it to weigh your subject choices with figures based on historic scaling patterns instead of schoolyard rumours.
Indicative figures · Updated June 2026
The highest scaling HSC subjects.
The top twenty by median (P50) scaled mark, the figure that best represents how a typical student in that course is scaled. Mathematics Extension 2 leads, and the next fifteen places are mostly Latin, Extension courses and language Continuers, nearly all with small candidatures of a few hundred students. That is the point: scaling reflects how strong a course's cohort is across all their other subjects, not how hard the course is. It is not a difficulty rating. Chemistry, English Advanced and Mathematics Advanced appear toward the bottom of this list and are taken by thousands of students each year, which is a fairer guide to what strong scaling looks like in a subject you can realistically pick. For everything else, read down the full table below rather than treating this ranking as a shortlist to pick from.
| Rank | Subject | P50 (median) | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mathematics Extension 2 | 44.7 | Very High |
| 2 | Latin Extension | 43.7 | Very High |
| 3 | Latin Continuers | 42.6 | Very High |
| 4 | Mathematics Extension 1 | 41.5 | Very High |
| 5 | Italian Extension | 39.3 | High |
| 6 | French Extension | 38.5 | High |
| 7 | Japanese Extension | 38.0 | High |
| 8 | German Extension | 37.9 | High |
| 9 | Chinese Extension | 37.5 | High |
| 10 | English Extension 1 | 36.9 | High |
| 11 | English Extension 2 | 36.5 | High |
| 12 | Music Extension | 36.3 | High |
| 13 | French Continuers | 35.4 | High |
| 14 | Music 2 | 35.1 | High |
| 15 | Chinese Continuers | 35.0 | High |
| 16 | German Continuers | 34.2 | High |
| 17 | Chemistry | 33.9 | High |
| 18 | Italian Continuers | 33.9 | High |
| 19 | English Advanced | 33.7 | High |
| 20 | Mathematics Advanced | 33.2 | High |
Full percentile breakdowns for every HSC subject, including P99, P90 and P75, are in the table below.
Scaling rewards subjects, not students.
The percentile columns show the scaled mark (out of 50 per unit) a student at that rank of the state cohort can expect. A higher number means the subject scales more generously — but remember the cohort matters too: stronger subjects are full of stronger students.
Percentile bands
P99 is roughly the top of the state; P50 is the median candidate. Your scaled mark sits somewhere on that curve.
Strength rating
A quick label from Very High to Low for how strongly the subject scales overall, based on its median band.
Pick for fit too
Don't chase scaling into a subject you'll hate. A Band 6 in a moderate subject beats a mid-band in a high one.
Showing all 86 subjects
| Mathematics Extension 2 | Mathematics | 49.6 | 48.3 | 46.9 | 44.7 | Very High | Master proofs and mechanics early. |
| Latin Extension | Languages | 50.0 | 48.4 | 47.0 | 43.7 | Very High | Build translation speed with unseen passages. |
| Latin Continuers | Languages | 49.0 | 47.7 | 46.1 | 42.6 | Very High | Consolidate grammar and vocabulary early. |
| Mathematics Extension 1 | Mathematics | 49.5 | 47.2 | 44.9 | 41.5 | Very High | Drill harder integration problems. |
| Italian Extension | Languages | 50.0 | 47.1 | 41.4 | 39.3 | High | Refine essay writing in the target language. |
| French Extension | Languages | 50.0 | 47.0 | 43.3 | 38.5 | High | Practise extended writing under timed conditions. |
| Japanese Extension | Languages | 48.3 | 45.0 | 41.2 | 38.0 | High | Sharpen kanji recognition and composition skills. |
| German Extension | Languages | 50.0 | 46.7 | 44.7 | 37.9 | High | Polish extended response writing early. |
| Chinese Extension | Languages | 48.3 | 44.4 | 41.2 | 37.5 | High | Build fluency in extended composition. |
| English Extension 1 | English | 48.3 | 43.9 | 40.9 | 36.9 | High | Focus on creative writing and critical essays. |
| English Extension 2 | English | 48.1 | 44.0 | 40.5 | 36.5 | High | Start the major work early and redraft often. |
| Music Extension | Other | 50.0 | 49.6 | 45.2 | 36.3 | High | Refine the composition or performance component early. |
| French Continuers | Languages | 48.0 | 44.2 | 40.5 | 35.4 | High | Immerse early — steady listening and speaking practice pays off. |
| Music 2 | Other | 48.7 | 44.9 | 40.8 | 35.1 | High | Balance performance, composition and musicology study. |
| Chinese Continuers | Languages | 48.6 | 43.5 | 40.2 | 35.0 | High | Build character recall and reading speed steadily. |
| German Continuers | Languages | 48.9 | 45.1 | 41.1 | 34.2 | High | Master case endings early to free up exam time. |
| Chemistry | Science | 47.6 | 43.6 | 39.8 | 33.9 | High | Learn the why behind each reaction. |
| Italian Continuers | Languages | 49.6 | 45.0 | 38.8 | 33.9 | High | Practise writing to prompts under timed conditions. |
| English Advanced | English | 46.9 | 42.6 | 38.9 | 33.7 | High | Refine analysis over memorised essays. |
| Mathematics Advanced | Mathematics | 47.5 | 42.9 | 38.9 | 33.2 | High | Build calculus fluency by repetition. |
| Economics | HSIE | 47.1 | 43.0 | 38.9 | 33.0 | High | Link theory to current events. |
| History Extension | HSIE | 47.0 | 42.7 | 38.1 | 32.9 | High | Build a strong historiography argument early. |
| Science Extension | Science | 46.4 | 41.0 | 37.1 | 32.5 | High | Start the scientific research project early. |
| Physics | Science | 47.2 | 43.0 | 38.8 | 32.2 | High | Practise deriving formulas, not memorising. |
| Japanese Continuers | Languages | 47.6 | 42.4 | 38.1 | 32.1 | High | Drill kanji and grammar patterns in short daily blocks. |
| Chinese in Context | Languages | 49.3 | 42.7 | 38.5 | 31.9 | High | Practise reading comprehension under timed conditions. |
| Spanish Extension | Languages | 47.2 | 40.3 | 36.5 | 31.6 | High | Practise extended writing under timed conditions. |
| Indonesian Continuers | Languages | 50.0 | 46.3 | 36.9 | 29.9 | Moderate | Consolidate affixes and sentence patterns early. |
| German Beginners | Languages | 49.2 | 42.5 | 35.9 | 29.0 | Moderate | Build vocabulary and grammar from the ground up. |
| Italian Beginners | Languages | 48.1 | 41.9 | 36.4 | 28.9 | Moderate | Practise speaking and listening from day one. |
| Studies of Religion II | HSIE | 46.0 | 40.5 | 35.4 | 28.1 | Moderate | Link depth study themes to core concepts. |
| Studies of Religion I | HSIE | 45.2 | 39.9 | 34.8 | 28.1 | Moderate | Link case studies to core beliefs and practices. |
| Korean Continuers | Languages | 48.6 | 39.4 | 34.1 | 28.0 | Moderate | Balance script fluency with speaking practice. |
| Spanish Continuers | Languages | 46.8 | 39.0 | 33.3 | 28.0 | Moderate | Grow vocabulary and verb conjugation steadily. |
| Software Engineering | Other | 47.3 | 40.5 | 34.6 | 27.2 | Moderate | Document your project and code clearly for the exam. |
| Biology | Science | 45.3 | 39.9 | 34.8 | 26.7 | Moderate | Connect modules with case studies. |
| Engineering Studies | Other | 45.9 | 39.6 | 33.6 | 26.4 | Moderate | Sketch and annotate — marks are in the detail. |
| Korean Beginners | Languages | 49.0 | 42.8 | 36.1 | 26.1 | Moderate | Build script fluency alongside vocabulary. |
| Spanish Beginners | Languages | 47.9 | 42.3 | 35.5 | 26.0 | Moderate | Practise speaking and listening from day one. |
| Legal Studies | HSIE | 45.7 | 39.9 | 34.4 | 25.9 | Moderate | Memorise key legislation and cases. |
| Modern History | HSIE | 46.0 | 39.2 | 33.7 | 25.8 | Moderate | Argue with evidence, not narration. |
| Modern Greek Beginners | Languages | 45.2 | 39.0 | 34.8 | 25.5 | Moderate | Build vocabulary and grammar from the ground up. |
| Geography | HSIE | 47.3 | 40.5 | 34.1 | 25.4 | Moderate | Master fieldwork and data skills. |
| Arabic Extension | Languages | 41.6 | 33.7 | 32.1 | 25.3 | Moderate | Refine reading and composition skills together. |
| Japanese Beginners | Languages | 44.2 | 40.1 | 33.5 | 24.8 | Moderate | Build script fluency alongside vocabulary. |
| Dance | Other | 44.4 | 39.6 | 32.5 | 24.3 | Moderate | Rehearse the core and major study components equally. |
| Chinese & Literature | Languages | 45.5 | 38.6 | 31.7 | 24.0 | Moderate | Balance literary analysis with language fluency. |
| French Beginners | Languages | 47.0 | 40.1 | 33.2 | 24.0 | Moderate | Practise speaking and listening from day one. |
| Enterprise Computing | Other | 46.1 | 39.1 | 31.7 | 23.7 | Moderate | Balance the major project with exam theory. |
| Drama | Other | 47.2 | 40.7 | 33.0 | 23.4 | Moderate | Strong group and individual components — rehearse both. |
| Business Studies | HSIE | 45.6 | 39.2 | 32.6 | 23.4 | Moderate | Use real company case studies. |
| Chinese Beginners | Languages | 48.1 | 39.0 | 34.7 | 23.3 | Moderate | Build vocabulary and grammar from the ground up. |
| Mathematics Standard 2 | Mathematics | 42.9 | 37.3 | 31.5 | 23.2 | Moderate | Nail exam technique and timing. |
| Earth & Environmental Science | Science | 43.4 | 37.1 | 31.5 | 23.2 | Moderate | Link fieldwork data to theory in exams. |
| Society & Culture | HSIE | 44.9 | 37.7 | 31.3 | 23.1 | Moderate | Strong PIP early to free up exam prep time. |
| Financial Services Exam | Other | 46.6 | 39.2 | 32.0 | 22.9 | Moderate | Connect financial procedures to real workplace scenarios. |
| PDHPE | Other | 43.5 | 37.3 | 31.3 | 22.8 | Moderate | Apply theory to scenarios. |
| Design & Technology | Other | 45.1 | 37.1 | 30.8 | 22.7 | Moderate | Major project and exam need equal attention. |
| Ancient History | HSIE | 44.4 | 37.4 | 30.9 | 22.5 | Moderate | Use primary sources to support arguments. |
| Textiles & Design | Other | 45.6 | 38.3 | 31.5 | 22.4 | Moderate | Major project quality drives most of your mark. |
| Modern Greek Continuers | Languages | 50.0 | 45.6 | 35.3 | 21.4 | Low | Consolidate grammar and vocabulary early. |
| Visual Arts | Other | 45.3 | 37.4 | 30.1 | 21.1 | Low | Start the body of work early. |
| Music 1 | Other | 43.8 | 36.4 | 29.0 | 20.4 | Low | Portfolio and performance together — plan your timeline. |
| English Standard | English | 39.7 | 31.5 | 26.1 | 20.0 | Low | Aim for a Band 6 to offset scaling. |
| English EAL/D | English | 45.3 | 37.6 | 30.3 | 20.0 | Low | Aim for a Band 6 to offset scaling. |
| Investigating Science | Science | 42.8 | 35.5 | 28.9 | 20.0 | Low | Link the scientific investigation to core content. |
| Entertainment Industry Exam | Other | 43.5 | 34.4 | 28.6 | 19.9 | Low | Link event and production scenarios to theory. |
| Information & Digital Technology Exam | Other | 40.6 | 32.3 | 27.0 | 19.9 | Low | Practise applying IT concepts to workplace scenarios. |
| Tourism, Travel & Events Exam | Other | 43.1 | 34.4 | 26.4 | 19.4 | Low | Connect industry procedures to real scenarios. |
| Agriculture | Other | 41.6 | 35.4 | 27.8 | 18.7 | Low | Link farm management theory to case studies. |
| Human Services Exam | Other | 39.1 | 32.1 | 25.1 | 18.1 | Low | Connect care procedures to real workplace scenarios. |
| Community & Family Studies | HSIE | 40.4 | 33.3 | 26.7 | 17.8 | Low | Case studies must be recent and specific. |
| Business Services Exam | Other | 39.1 | 32.9 | 26.1 | 17.8 | Low | Connect office procedures to real workplace scenarios. |
| Food Technology | Other | 43.3 | 35.6 | 27.3 | 17.6 | Low | Industry practices section carries heavy marks. |
| Hospitality Exam | Other | 41.2 | 33.6 | 25.9 | 17.5 | Low | Practical and exam components need equal focus. |
| Electrotechnology Exam | Other | 36.7 | 31.1 | 24.0 | 17.2 | Low | Connect trade procedures to real workplace scenarios. |
| Industrial Technology | Other | 39.6 | 32.7 | 25.4 | 16.6 | Low | Major project quality drives most of your mark. |
| Vietnamese Continuers | Languages | 40.3 | 30.7 | 25.1 | 16.3 | Low | Build listening and reading speed steadily. |
| Arabic Continuers | Languages | 42.6 | 34.4 | 25.0 | 15.5 | Low | Build script fluency and reading speed steadily. |
| Primary Industries Exam | Other | 36.2 | 29.9 | 23.5 | 15.2 | Low | Connect farm and industry procedures to theory. |
| Construction Exam | Other | 39.5 | 31.4 | 24.7 | 15.0 | Low | Connect trade procedures to real workplace scenarios. |
| Retail Services Exam | Other | 39.3 | 31.9 | 22.9 | 14.7 | Low | Connect customer service procedures to theory. |
| Mathematics Standard 1 | Mathematics | 34.7 | 27.7 | 20.2 | 12.5 | Low | Focus on exam technique and time management. |
| Automotive Exam | Other | 37.7 | 28.8 | 21.2 | 11.5 | Low | Connect trade procedures to real workplace scenarios. |
| Aboriginal Studies | HSIE | 42.6 | 33.8 | 23.6 | 11.0 | Low | Use case studies and primary sources to support arguments. |
| English Studies Exam | English | 25.0 | 16.4 | 12.9 | 8.3 | Low | Aim for a Band 6 to offset scaling. |
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What students & parents say
The tutors behind the numbers.
Our tutors average a 97.0 ATAR. They can help you turn a scaling table into a subject plan that fits you.
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Diva Parmar
ATAR 99.00Girraween High SchoolBachelor of Actuarial Studies / Commerce, UNSW
Maths Chemistry -
James Luong
ATAR 97.85Baulkham Hills High SchoolBachelor of Arts (Chemistry Honours, International Relations), Honours Class I The University of Sydney
Chemistry English Physics -
Heyu Liu
ATAR 97.75Girraween High SchoolBachelor of Arts / Law, UNSW
English Maths Biology -
Kirsten Marcello
ATAR 97.10Penrith Selective High SchoolBachelor of Commerce, UNSW
English -
Abhay Dhanger
ATAR 96.25Parramatta High SchoolBachelor of Actuarial Studies and Commerce, UNSW
English Maths Physics -
Pooja Undrakonda
ATAR 95.90Cheltenham Girls High SchoolBachelor of Biomedical Science, University of Notre Dame
English Maths -
Ravdeep Behl
ATAR 95.20Penrith Selective High SchoolBachelor of Data Science and Decisions, UNSW
English Maths -
Tristan Youdell
ATAR 97.20Trinity Catholic College AuburnBachelor of Actuarial Studies and Computer Science, UNSW
Maths
Frequently asked questions about HSC scaling
Which HSC subjects scale the best?
Ranked by median (P50) scaled mark, Mathematics Extension 2 scales highest, followed mainly by Latin and the Extension language courses. Almost all of them are small candidatures, which is the point: scaling measures how strong a course's cohort is across their other subjects, not how hard the course is. The full ranked table on this page lists every course.
Does Society and Culture scale well?
Society & Culture is rated Moderate in the table above. It scales roughly in line with subjects like Business Studies and Legal Studies, not among the highest or lowest on the list. Check its row for the exact percentile figures.
Do language Continuers courses scale well?
Most language Continuers courses scale strongly. French, Chinese, German, Italian and Japanese Continuers are all rated High in the table above, while Indonesian, Korean and Spanish Continuers sit at Moderate. Smaller, committed cohorts tend to lift scaling, though the exact figures shift from year to year, so check each language's own row for its percentiles.
Does French Continuers scale well?
Yes. French Continuers is rated High in the table above, with a P50 (median) scaled mark of 35.4 and a P99 scaled mark of 48.0, among the strongest of the language courses. A committed, well-prepared candidature tends to keep it there, though the exact figures move slightly each year.
Does Japanese Continuers scale well?
Yes. Japanese Continuers is rated High in the table above, with a P50 (median) scaled mark of 32.1 and a P99 scaled mark of 47.6. It scales a little below French, Chinese and German Continuers but still comfortably ahead of most non-language subjects.
Does Studies of Religion (SOR) scale well?
Studies of Religion II is rated Moderate in the table above, with a P50 (median) scaled mark of 28.1 and a P99 scaled mark of 46.0, similar territory to Legal Studies and Modern History. It's neither a high-scaling nor a low-scaling course; a strong, well-earned mark matters more than the subject label.
Does Business Studies scale well?
Business Studies is rated Moderate in the table above, with a P50 (median) scaled mark of 23.4 and a P99 scaled mark of 45.6. It scales in line with subjects like Legal Studies and Society & Culture, not among the highest or lowest on the table.
Does Engineering Studies scale well?
Engineering Studies is rated Moderate in the table above, with a P50 (median) scaled mark of 26.4 and a P99 scaled mark of 45.9, slightly ahead of Business Studies and Design & Technology in the median band.
Does Design and Technology scale well?
Design & Technology is rated Moderate in the table above, with a P50 (median) scaled mark of 22.7 and a P99 scaled mark of 45.1. Like other project-based courses, a strong major project plus a solid exam mark carries more weight than the scaling label.
Does Earth and Environmental Science scale well?
Earth & Environmental Science is rated Moderate in the table above, with a P50 (median) scaled mark of 23.2 and a P99 scaled mark of 43.4, level with Mathematics Standard 2 in the median band. Among the sciences only Investigating Science scales lower at the top end.
Does Investigating Science scale well?
Investigating Science is rated Low in the table above, with a P50 (median) scaled mark of 20.0 and a P99 scaled mark of 42.8, the lowest median of the sciences, behind Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth & Environmental Science. That doesn't make it a bad subject choice, just one where a strong, well-earned mark matters more than the scaling label.
Does Chemistry scale well for the ATAR?
Yes. Chemistry is rated High in the table above, with a P50 (median) scaled mark of 33.9 and a P99 scaled mark of 47.6, the strongest-scaling science in the table at both the median and the top end, just ahead of Physics. It also has a genuinely demanding syllabus, so it rewards students who commit to understanding the content rather than memorising it.
Do I need high-scaling subjects to get a high ATAR?
No. Your ATAR depends far more on how well you perform relative to your cohort than on which subjects you pick. A strong, well-earned mark in a subject you can commit to will typically outperform a mediocre mark in a "high-scaling" subject you're only taking for the label.
Why do the same marks scale differently across subjects?
UAC scales each course using the relative performance of that course's own cohort, not a fixed formula. A subject with a stronger overall cohort will lift scaled marks across the board, so the same raw HSC mark can convert to a different scaled mark depending on the subject.
Are these scaling figures official?
These figures are based on real HSC scaling data. Scaling shifts slightly each year as the cohort changes, so use them as a strong guide rather than a guaranteed result for any future year.
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