Design — QLD QCE scaling 2024

QTAC's verbatim 2024 scaling for Design (QCAA code 0048). Raw median 69/100 mapped to scaled 61.67; top-decile raw 90 mapped to scaled 81.82.

Raw → scaled distribution (2024)

Percentile	Raw mark (/ 100)	Scaled mark (/ 100)	Adjustment
P99	98	86.94	-11.1
P90	90	81.82	-8.2
P75	82	75.26	-6.7
P50 (median)	69	61.67	-7.3
P25	58	48.42	-9.6

How Design scaled in 2024

This subject scales close to neutral. The candidature performs around the senior-secondary cohort median, so raw marks and scaled marks track each other closely. Scaling is not a major factor either way for this subject.

For Design specifically: a median student in the cohort had a raw mark of 69/100 and ended up with a scaled mark of 61.67/100 — an adjustment of -7.3 from raw to scaled. A top-decile student (P90) had a raw mark of 90 mapping to scaled 81.82 — adjustment of -8.2.

QCE General subjects are scored 0–100 raw. QTAC's inter-subject scaling runs a 40-iteration calibration algorithm that maps each subject's raw distribution to a scaled distribution based on how that subject's students performed across all their other subjects. The scaled mark is what counts for the ATAR aggregate; the raw mark is what your QCE certificate reports.

3-year scaling trend for Design ↑

Year	Scaled mean (/ 100)
2022	60.84
2023	61.18
2024	61.67

Scaling has risen by +0.8 points over 2 years (2022: 60.84 → 2024: 61.67). This typically reflects a strengthening candidature — more high-achievers picking this subject relative to other subjects.

3-year trend data sourced from the QTAC annual scaling reports 2022–2024. See all scaling trends.

Tutor rate context for Design

Subject complexity classification: low — broad tutor supply. Based on our subject-complexity model, this subject typically carries a -4% adjustment to the base AU tutor rate band — partly because of the qualified-tutor pool size, partly because of subject-specific marking and exam complexity.

Tutor tier	Typical rate for Design
University-student tutor	$60/hr
Experienced graduate	$75/hr
Registered teacher	$105/hr
Subject specialist	$135/hr

Estimates from the AU rate synthesis at /rates/. Use the rate estimator to add city and delivery format.

What this means for ATAR planning

Three reads of this scaling distribution matter for QCE students:

1. The median (P50) shows the typical adjustment for an average performance in Design. Negative — average performances are scaled down because the candidature underperforms in other subjects on average.
2. The P90 row shows where strong students land. Even in subjects with a low median scaled position, strong individual students typically score well in scaled terms — look at the P90 column before deciding a subject is "bad".
3. The spread P25→P90 (48.42 → 81.82, a 33.4-point spread) shows the room for movement within this subject. Bigger spreads mean tutoring leverage is higher.

Caveats

• This is 2024 data. QTAC recomputes scaling each year.
• QTAC publishes only subjects with 50+ students. Small-candidature subjects are excluded from the percentile tables.
• Applied subjects (e.g., Essential English, Sport & Recreation) use a different scaling scheme (3-band C/B/A) — see the QLD QCE overview for the Applied subject scaling table.
• To be ATAR-eligible in QLD, students need at least a C in English, EAL, Literature, English & Literature Extension, or Essential English. Only 50.1% of the 2024 cohort (28,845 of 57,594) was ATAR-eligible.

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