Geography — QLD QCE scaling 2024

QTAC's verbatim 2024 scaling for Geography (QCAA code 0024). Raw median 69/100 mapped to scaled 70.98; top-decile raw 88 mapped to scaled 89.37.

Raw → scaled distribution (2024)

Percentile	Raw mark (/ 100)	Scaled mark (/ 100)	Adjustment
P99	96	93.39	-2.6
P90	88	89.37	+1.4
P75	79	82.41	+3.4
P50 (median)	69	70.98	+2.0
P25	59	56.08	-2.9

How Geography scaled in 2024

This subject scales up. The candidature performs slightly above the cohort median across all subjects, so raw marks are adjusted upward in the scaling process. A typical raw mark scales to a slightly higher scaled mark.

For Geography specifically: a median student in the cohort had a raw mark of 69/100 and ended up with a scaled mark of 70.98/100 — an adjustment of +2.0 from raw to scaled. A top-decile student (P90) had a raw mark of 88 mapping to scaled 89.37 — adjustment of +1.4.

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 Geography ↑

Year	Scaled mean (/ 100)
2022	68.13
2023	68.72
2024	70.98

Scaling has risen by +2.9 points over 2 years (2022: 68.13 → 2024: 70.98). 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 Geography

Subject complexity classification: medium. 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 Geography
University-student tutor	$60/hr
Experienced graduate	$85/hr
Registered teacher	$115/hr
Subject specialist	$145/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 Geography. Roughly neutral.
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 (56.08 → 89.37, a 33.3-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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