Case 1
- Maximum points in the exam
- 100
- Points you scored
- 81
2
Open with these valuesIHK Grading Scale Calculator
2
Result: 2German chambers of commerce mark vocational exams on a 100-point key. 92 points and above is a 1, from 81 a 2, from 67 a 3, from 50 a 4, from 30 a 5, and anything below is a 6. A pass starts at 50 points. Enter your maximum and your score to read the grade.
The numbers at a glance
Held fixed: Maximum points in the exam 100.0.
| Points you scored | Result |
|---|---|
| 0.0 | 6 |
| 25.0 | 6 |
| 50.0 | 4 |
| 75.0 | 3 |
| 81.0Your value | 2 |
| 100.0 | 1 |
| 125.0 | 1 |
| 150.0 | 1 |
Worked examples
Case 2
- Maximum points in the exam
- 100
- Points you scored
- 50
4
Open with these valuesCase 3
- Maximum points in the exam
- 200
- Points you scored
- 162
2
Open with these valuesHow it's calculated
percent = scored ÷ maximum × 100, then the IHK band 1–6
- StepEnter the maximum number of points the exam could award.
- StepEnter the points you actually scored.
- ResultRead the grade from 1 to 6; the table gives the decimal grade.
What this number means
Vocational exams run by the German chambers of industry and commerce are marked out of 100 points, and the same six bands turn those points into a grade everywhere in the country. The bands are not evenly spaced, which is the whole point of them. A 1 needs 92 points, so the top grade covers only nine points of the scale; a 4 covers seventeen, from 50 up to 66. That asymmetry is deliberate — it puts the pass line at half the marks while keeping the top grade hard to reach. This page does one thing with that key. It turns your score into a percentage of the maximum and reads off the band. If the exam was marked out of 100 anyway, the percentage is just your score; if it was not, the proportion comes first, and 162 of 200 is 81 percent, which is a 2. The raw percentage is compared against the band with no rounding step in between. That matters near a boundary: a score of 91.6 percent stays a 2 here, because the published table opens the grade 1 band at 92 and says nothing about rounding. Whether your chamber rounds an intermediate value, how the parts are weighted, and which subjects block a pass on their own are set by the examination rules of the chamber and by the training regulation for your occupation. Check them before trusting a result that sits on a boundary.
The key is published, not estimated
The six bands and the full decimal grade table come from the chamber of commerce leaflet cited below. Several chambers publish the same numbers, which is why the key counts as nationwide.
This is not a legal statement
Weighting of exam parts, blocking subjects and oral top-up exams are set by the examination rules of your chamber and by your training regulation. Those rules differ, and they outrank any calculator.
Nothing is rounded before the comparison
A result of 91.6 percent stays a 2 here. The published table opens the grade 1 band at 92 points and says nothing about rounding an intermediate value.
A pass begins at 50 points
Fifty points is the lower edge of the grade 4 band and therefore the pass line for a single exam part. One point below is a 5.
Commonly misread
The grades split the 100 points into six equal blocks.
They do not. Grade 1 covers nine points and grade 4 covers seventeen, which is why 66 points is still only a 4.
90 percent must be a 1, that is an A anywhere.
On this key 90 points is a 2, and the decimal table puts it at 1.6. The grade 1 band starts at 92 points.
Passing the written part means passing the exam.
The overall result combines several parts under the examination rules of your chamber. Some occupations also have subjects that block a pass on their own.
Reference table
| Points | Grade | Decimal grade |
|---|---|---|
| 100 to 92 | 1 — very good | 1.0 to 1.4 |
| 91 to 81 | 2 — good | 1.5 to 2.4 |
| 80 to 67 | 3 — satisfactory | 2.5 to 3.4 |
| 66 to 50 | 4 — sufficient | 3.5 to 4.4 |
| 49 to 30 | 5 — poor | 4.5 to 5.4 |
| 29 to 0 | 6 — insufficient | 5.5 to 6.0 |
Questions
How many points do I need for a 1?
Ninety-two points out of 100. The grade 1 band runs from 92 to 100 and is the narrowest band on the scale.
How many points do I need to pass?
Fifty points, the lower edge of the grade 4 band. Forty-nine points is a 5 and counts as failed for that part.
Does this key apply to every chamber?
The 100-point key with the bands at 92, 81, 67, 50 and 30 is published by chambers across Germany and is treated as nationwide. What differs is the examination rules around it.
What if my exam is not marked out of 100?
The score is converted to a percentage of your maximum first, and the percentage is read against the same bands. A score of 162 out of 200 is 81 percent and therefore a 2.
Where does the decimal grade come from?
The same leaflet lists a decimal grade for every point value, from 100 for 1.0 down to 0 for 6.0. The table above shows the range that belongs to each band.
Sources and last check
Information, not professional advice.