AP Exam Score Distribution
1 min read•march 8, 2024
Here is an aggregate of all scores from the 2023 exams 🌟
AP Score Distributions 2023
There is a wide variety between the subjects: some are on a normal bell curve and others are shifted more heavily in one direction.
- This is usually because of how College Board determines a “cut off” point for each score. It’s also affected by the test-takers themselves.
- For example, the world language test-takers are often native speakers and therefore earning 5s more frequently than a more general subject.
You can use the AP Score Calculators to guesstimate what your score might be!
| Exam | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Distribution |
| AP 2-D Art & Design | 2% | 14.40% | 40.70% | 31.50% | 11.50% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP 3-D Art & Design | 4.40% | 23.50% | 39.90% | 25.20% | 7.10% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪 |
| AP Art History | 11.60% | 23.80% | 27% | 23.80% | 13.80% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Biology | 12% | 23.60% | 27.20% | 23% | 14.30% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Calculus AB | 20.30% | 21.70% | 19.40% | 16.20% | 22.40% | 1 🟪🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Calculus AB/BC | 6.30% | 15.20% | 19% | 15.90% | 43.50% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Chemistry | 8% | 16.90% | 32% | 27.10% | 16% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Chinese | 6.60% | 5% | 15.40% | 18.80% | 54.20% | 1 🟪 2 🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Comparative Government | 13% | 16.20% | 31.20% | 23.20% | 16.40% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Computer Science A | 22.50% | 9.50% | 18.80% | 22.40% | 26.80% | 1 🟪🟪🟪 2 🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Computer Science Principles | 16.40% | 20.50% | 31.10% | 20.60% | 11.50% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Drawing | 2.10% | 13.10% | 36.10% | 32.90% | 15.70% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP English Language | 14.40% | 29.50% | 26.10% | 19.70% | 10.30% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP English Literature | 8.40% | 14.40% | 34.50% | 27.80% | 14.90% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Environmental Science | 19.90% | 26.40% | 17% | 28.40% | 8.30% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪 |
| AP European History | 11.60% | 29% | 25.20% | 21.30% | 12.90% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP French | 5.50% | 19.80% | 36.40% | 25.10% | 13.20% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP German | 12.80% | 19.20% | 24.90% | 21.30% | 21.80% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Human Geography | 31.60% | 14% | 18.40% | 20% | 16% | 1 🟪🟪🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Italian | 10.10% | 17.10% | 26.90% | 22.80% | 23.20% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Japanese | 14.90% | 8.20% | 17.50% | 8.60% | 50.80% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Latin | 18.40% | 24.90% | 28% | 16.50% | 12.30% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Macroeconomics | 13.70% | 21.60% | 24.70% | 22.90% | 17.10% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Microeconomics | 12.10% | 19.90% | 20.60% | 26% | 21.30% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Music Theory | 15.20% | 24.10% | 24% | 16.90% | 19.80% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Physics 1 | 26.40% | 28% | 18.50% | 18.30% | 8.80% | 1 🟪🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪 |
| AP Physics 2 | 6.40% | 23.80% | 34.90% | 18.50% | 16.50% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Physics C: E&M | 11.90% | 17.90% | 13.10% | 23.50% | 33.60% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Physics C: Mechanics | 12.50% | 14% | 20.70% | 26.30% | 26.40% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Psychology | 28% | 12.40% | 19.50% | 23.20% | 16.90% | 1 🟪🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Research | 3.10% | 12.50% | 44.70% | 26.40% | 13.30% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Seminar | 3.80% | 11.20% | 53.90% | 19.70% | 11.40% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Spanish Language | 2.70% | 13.50% | 29.60% | 30% | 24.30% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Spanish Literature | 10.10% | 22.50% | 35.60% | 23.30% | 8.50% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪 |
| AP Statistics | 23.80% | 16.20% | 22.70% | 22.20% | 15.10% | 1 🟪🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP US Government | 26.80% | 24% | 25.10% | 11.30% | 12.80% | 1 🟪🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP US History | 29.80% | 22.70% | 22.10% | 14.80% | 10.60% | 1 🟪🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP World History: Modern | 13% | 22.30% | 27.40% | 21.90% | 15.30% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
AP Exam Score Distribution
1 min read•march 8, 2024
Here is an aggregate of all scores from the 2023 exams 🌟
AP Score Distributions 2023
There is a wide variety between the subjects: some are on a normal bell curve and others are shifted more heavily in one direction.
- This is usually because of how College Board determines a “cut off” point for each score. It’s also affected by the test-takers themselves.
- For example, the world language test-takers are often native speakers and therefore earning 5s more frequently than a more general subject.
You can use the AP Score Calculators to guesstimate what your score might be!
| Exam | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Distribution |
| AP 2-D Art & Design | 2% | 14.40% | 40.70% | 31.50% | 11.50% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP 3-D Art & Design | 4.40% | 23.50% | 39.90% | 25.20% | 7.10% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪 |
| AP Art History | 11.60% | 23.80% | 27% | 23.80% | 13.80% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Biology | 12% | 23.60% | 27.20% | 23% | 14.30% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Calculus AB | 20.30% | 21.70% | 19.40% | 16.20% | 22.40% | 1 🟪🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Calculus AB/BC | 6.30% | 15.20% | 19% | 15.90% | 43.50% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Chemistry | 8% | 16.90% | 32% | 27.10% | 16% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Chinese | 6.60% | 5% | 15.40% | 18.80% | 54.20% | 1 🟪 2 🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Comparative Government | 13% | 16.20% | 31.20% | 23.20% | 16.40% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Computer Science A | 22.50% | 9.50% | 18.80% | 22.40% | 26.80% | 1 🟪🟪🟪 2 🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Computer Science Principles | 16.40% | 20.50% | 31.10% | 20.60% | 11.50% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Drawing | 2.10% | 13.10% | 36.10% | 32.90% | 15.70% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP English Language | 14.40% | 29.50% | 26.10% | 19.70% | 10.30% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP English Literature | 8.40% | 14.40% | 34.50% | 27.80% | 14.90% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Environmental Science | 19.90% | 26.40% | 17% | 28.40% | 8.30% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪 |
| AP European History | 11.60% | 29% | 25.20% | 21.30% | 12.90% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP French | 5.50% | 19.80% | 36.40% | 25.10% | 13.20% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP German | 12.80% | 19.20% | 24.90% | 21.30% | 21.80% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Human Geography | 31.60% | 14% | 18.40% | 20% | 16% | 1 🟪🟪🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Italian | 10.10% | 17.10% | 26.90% | 22.80% | 23.20% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Japanese | 14.90% | 8.20% | 17.50% | 8.60% | 50.80% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Latin | 18.40% | 24.90% | 28% | 16.50% | 12.30% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Macroeconomics | 13.70% | 21.60% | 24.70% | 22.90% | 17.10% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Microeconomics | 12.10% | 19.90% | 20.60% | 26% | 21.30% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Music Theory | 15.20% | 24.10% | 24% | 16.90% | 19.80% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Physics 1 | 26.40% | 28% | 18.50% | 18.30% | 8.80% | 1 🟪🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪 |
| AP Physics 2 | 6.40% | 23.80% | 34.90% | 18.50% | 16.50% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Physics C: E&M | 11.90% | 17.90% | 13.10% | 23.50% | 33.60% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Physics C: Mechanics | 12.50% | 14% | 20.70% | 26.30% | 26.40% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Psychology | 28% | 12.40% | 19.50% | 23.20% | 16.90% | 1 🟪🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Research | 3.10% | 12.50% | 44.70% | 26.40% | 13.30% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Seminar | 3.80% | 11.20% | 53.90% | 19.70% | 11.40% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP Spanish Language | 2.70% | 13.50% | 29.60% | 30% | 24.30% | 1 🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪🟪 |
| AP Spanish Literature | 10.10% | 22.50% | 35.60% | 23.30% | 8.50% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪 |
| AP Statistics | 23.80% | 16.20% | 22.70% | 22.20% | 15.10% | 1 🟪🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP US Government | 26.80% | 24% | 25.10% | 11.30% | 12.80% | 1 🟪🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP US History | 29.80% | 22.70% | 22.10% | 14.80% | 10.60% | 1 🟪🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
| AP World History: Modern | 13% | 22.30% | 27.40% | 21.90% | 15.30% | 1 🟪🟪 2 🟪🟪🟪 3 🟪🟪🟪 4 🟪🟪🟪 5 🟪🟪 |
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