Where does your ATAR actually rank?
Most students know their ATAR but not what it really means. "Is 80 good?" sounds simple. But 80 means you outperformed 80% of your entire age cohort, not just the students who sat the exams. Enter your ATAR to see both figures and exactly where you sit relative to university entry requirements.
Querying population data…
Detailed ATAR percentile
Full distribution by state and sex.
National ATAR distribution (approximate, 2024)
| ATAR range | % of ATAR-eligible students | Cumulative from top |
|---|---|---|
| 99.00-99.95 | ~1% | ~1% |
| 95.00-98.95 | ~4% | ~5% |
| 90.00-94.95 | ~7% | ~12% |
| 85.00-89.95 | ~8% | ~20% |
| 80.00-84.95 | ~9% | ~29% |
| 70.00-74.95 | ~9% | ~47% |
| 60.00-64.95 | ~8% | ~64% |
| 50.00-59.95 | ~13% | ~77% |
| Below 30.00 | ~5% | 100% |
University entry ATAR ranges (2025 entry, approximate)
| University tier | Typical ATAR cutoff range |
|---|---|
| Group of Eight (Go8) | 85-99+ (varies by course) |
| Innovative Research Universities | 70-90 |
| Australian Technology Network | 65-85 |
| Regional/newer universities | 50-75 |
| Minimum (most universities) | 30-50 (pathway programmes) |
Frequently asked questions
A "good" ATAR depends on what you want to study and where. The median for ATAR-eligible students is approximately 69, so any score above 70 places you in the top half. An ATAR of 80+ puts you in roughly the top 20-30% of ATAR-eligible students, competitive for most courses at most universities. An ATAR of 90+ (top 12%) opens doors to competitive courses at Group of Eight universities.
An ATAR of 80 means you performed better than 80% of your age cohort, placing you in approximately the top 20% of all Year 12 students. Among ATAR-eligible students only, 80 typically falls around the 65th-70th percentile. This score is competitive for the majority of university courses across Australia. For medicine, law, and dentistry at Go8 universities, 80 would not meet the cutoff.
A lower-than-expected ATAR does not close university doors. First, check whether your ATAR still meets the cutoff for your preferred course. Second, investigate adjustment factors: many universities offer bonus points. Third, consider change of preference. Fourth, pathway options include TAFE diplomas, enabling courses, and transfer after first year.
Yes. Most Australian universities offer alternative entry pathways: enabling programmes (free preparatory courses), portfolio-based entry, mature-age entry, TAFE diploma articulation, and Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) scores. Approximately 40% of domestic university students enter through non-ATAR pathways.
- UAC (Universities Admissions Centre, NSW/ACT). ATAR Distribution Statistics 2024. uac.edu.au.
- VTAC (Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre). ATAR Distribution Data 2024. vtac.edu.au.
- QTAC, TISC (WA), SATAC (SA/NT) ATAR distribution data 2024.
- ACARA National Report on Schooling in Australia 2023. acara.edu.au.