Average Leaving Cert Points: 2021 to 2018
- T.J Hegarty
- January 20, 2022
The Leaving Certificate is the final exam for secondary school students in Ireland. In 2017, a revised grading system for the Leaving Cert and a new 8-points common scale was introduced, replacing the previous 14-point grading scale.
On this new scale, the highest grade is Grade H1 or O1, and the lowest is Grade H8 or O8 for the Higher Level (HL) and the Ordinary Level (OL). The points are calculated based on the results of the six best subjects in one year’s LC sitting.
This article will include the average Leaving Cert points of all subjects from 2018-2021, in both the Higher and the Ordinary levels. In short:
- The Highest LC Point
- Average LC Points In 2021
- Average LC Points In 2020
- Average LC Points In 2019
- Average LC Points In 2018
- Is 300 Points Good For LC
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What are The Highest Possible Points For Leaving Cert?
The Leaving Cert points are calculated based on the grades of the 6 best subjects. So, if the students get 100 points (H1) per subject, they will receive a maximum of 600 points. And if they also achieve H1-H6 grades in the Higher Level Mathematics, they will receive an additional 25 bonus points!
Therefore, the highest possible point that can be achieved in the Leaving Cert is 625 points.
What Is The Average Leaving Cert Points In 2021?
The average Leaving Cert points in 2021 were between 350-450 points, and about 27.9% of students were able to achieve that. The average LC grades across all subjects and levels saw a 2.6% grade inflation from 2020.
According to the CAO, among the 57,952 students who sat for the Leaving Cert in 2021, around 5.7% of students obtained 600+ points, and around 2.3% of students achieved the highest 625 points in the Leaving Cert 2021.
The average Leaving Cert points in the Higher Level (HL) and the Ordinary Level (OL) in 2021 are categorized below (nominal points only):
| Subjects | Average LC Points (HL) | Average LC Points (OL) |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | 79 | 36 |
| Agricultural Science | 72 | 21 |
| Ancient Greek | 90 | – |
| Applied Mathematics | 85 | 39 |
| Arabic | 90 | 30 |
| Art | 75 | 24 |
| Biology | 73 | 23 |
| Business | 73 | 27 |
| Chemistry | 76 | 25 |
| Classical Studies | 80 | 25 |
| Computer Science | 71 | 21 |
| Construction Studies | 72 | 20 |
| Design and Communication Graphics | 79 | 32 |
| Economics | 75 | 25 |
| Engineering | 73 | 26 |
| English | 72 | 30 |
| French | 72 | 27 |
| Geography | 72 | 25 |
| German | 73 | 28 |
| History | 76 | 28 |
| Home Economics | 75 | 25 |
| Italian | 83 | 27 |
| Irish | 75 | 28 |
| Japanese | 81 | 25 |
| Latin | 88 | – |
| Lithuanian | 78 | – |
| Mathematics | 73 | 30 |
| Music | 83 | 31 |
| Physical Education | 73 | 19 |
| Physics | 76 | 26 |
| Physics and Chemistry | 74 | 18 |
| Polish | 80 | – |
| Politics and Society | 72 | 21 |
| Portuguese | 77 | – |
| Religious Education | 76 | 19 |
| Russian | 94 | – |
| Spanish | 76 | 29 |
| Technology | 76 | 24 |
Average Leaving Cert Points In 2020
The average Leaving Cert points in the Higher Level (HL) and the Ordinary Level (OL) in 2020 are given below (nominal points only):
| Subjects | Average LC Points (HL) | Average LC Points (OL) |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | 76 | 34 |
| Agricultural Science | 69 | 22 |
| Applied Mathematics | 82 | 40 |
| Arabic | 84 | – |
| Art | 73 | 25 |
| Biology | 69 | 22 |
| Business | 70 | 26 |
| Chemistry | 74 | 26 |
| Classical Studies | 75 | 25 |
| Computer Science | 67 | 23 |
| Construction Studies | 71 | 24 |
| Design and Communication Graphics | 77 | 29 |
| Economics | 71 | 29 |
| Engineering | 72 | 25 |
| English | 69 | 28 |
| French | 70 | 26 |
| Geography | 68 | 25 |
| German | 71 | 25 |
| History | 72 | 27 |
| Home Economics | 72 | 22 |
| Italian | 76 | 26 |
| Irish | 73 | 31 |
| Japanese | 76 | 23 |
| Latin | 90 | – |
| Mathematics | 69 | 27 |
| Music | 80 | 29 |
| Physical Education | – | 20 |
| Physics | 73 | 27 |
| Physics and Chemistry | 69 | 20 |
| Politics and Society | 69 | 21 |
| Religious Education | 71 | 19 |
| Russian | 96 | – |
| Spanish | 72 | 27 |
| Technology | 73 | 25 |
Average Leaving Cert Points In 2019
The average Leaving Cert points in the Higher Level (HL) and the Ordinary Level (OL) in 2019 are given below (nominal points only):
| Subjects | Average LC Points (HL) | Average LC Points (OL) |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | 65 | 27 |
| Agricultural Science | 58 | 15 |
| Applied Mathematics | 70 | 25 |
| Arabic | 68 | 23 |
| Art | 66 | 27 |
| Biology | 63 | 21 |
| Business | 64 | 28 |
| Chemistry | 66 | 22 |
| Classical Studies | 67 | 16 |
| Construction Studies | 65 | 18 |
| Design and Communication Graphics | 70 | 26 |
| Economics | 64 | 27 |
| Engineering | 66 | 22 |
| English | 65 | 25 |
| French | 67 | 22 |
| Geography | 65 | 26 |
| German | 65 | 23 |
| History | 68 | 28 |
| Home Economics | 68 | 21 |
| Italian | 75 | 23 |
| Irish | 69 | 23 |
| Japanese | 70 | 22 |
| Latin | 80 | – |
| Mathematics | 64 | 25 |
| Music | 77 | 30 |
| Physics | 63 | 26 |
| Physics and Chemistry | 60 | 17 |
| Politics and Society | 63 | 21 |
| Religious Education | 67 | 16 |
| Russian | 91 | 39 |
| Spanish | 67 | 25 |
| Technology | 67 | 23 |
Average Leaving Cert Points In 2018
The average Leaving Cert points in the Higher Level (HL) and the Ordinary Level (OL) in 2018 are given below (nominal points only):
| Subjects | Average LC Points (HL) | Average LC Points (OL) |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | 65 | 26 |
| Agricultural Science | 62 | 14 |
| Applied Mathematics | 71 | 35 |
| Arabic | 67 | 20 |
| Art | 66 | 28 |
| Biology | 65 | 22 |
| Business | 64 | 28 |
| Chemistry | 65 | 22 |
| Classical Studies | 61 | 13 |
| Construction Studies | 65 | 18 |
| Design and Communication Graphics | 69 | 24 |
| Economics | 65 | 29 |
| Engineering | 69 | 22 |
| English | 65 | 26 |
| French | 65 | 21 |
| Geography | 64 | 26 |
| German | 66 | 24 |
| History | 67 | 27 |
| Home Economics | 67 | 24 |
| Italian | 72 | 22 |
| Irish | 69 | 24 |
| Japanese | 69 | 22 |
| Latin | 78 | – |
| Mathematics | 65 | 25 |
| Music | 75 | 30 |
| Physics | 63 | 26 |
| Physics and Chemistry | 59 | 14 |
| Politics and Society | 64 | 22 |
| Religious Education | 68 | 18 |
| Russian | 92 | 36 |
| Spanish | 68 | 26 |
| Technology | 68 | 24 |
Is 300 Points Good For The Leaving Cert?
The average Leaving Cert point is generally around 300-400 points for most years. But is it good or not, that entirely depends on the test taker’s intention.
For example, if you want to study for an advanced degree in a university such as law, engineering, medicine- then 300 points in the Leaving Cert will not be enough for you. You’ll need a minimum of 400 to the highest 625 points depending on the course.
However, if you want to study courses at Level 6 or 7 or do an apprenticeship or study in a Post Leaving Cert (PLC), then 300 points in the Leaving Cert will be more than adequate for you.
Conclusion
Leaving Cert can become quite hard depending on your preparation. So it’s best to start preparing early and begin with regularly solving past exam papers and taking help from available resources.
If you need extra help with Leaving Cert Maths, you can join our Online Maths Grinds. We provide weekly notes and questions to enhance your maths skills. Our small online classes consist of 6 students or less to ensure that every student gets the best guidance possible. We also offer WhatsApp support for any extra queries outside of our grinds!
You can check our online maths video resources or book a free trial grind to start your journey!
Good luck!
Recommended Reading: How To Study For Leaving Cert
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