Written byFizza Butool ZaidiIELTS teacher for 10+ years, PTE for 5Updated 30 October 2026
Mean band by skill, 2024-2025
From ielts.org's test taker performance data on its test statistics page. ielts.org publishes means by gender, not one combined mean; 53.1% of test takers were women and 46.9% men. Rounded to two decimals.
| Test and group | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic, women | 6.41 | 6.34 | 5.96 | 6.04 | 6.25 |
| Academic, men | 6.39 | 6.29 | 5.89 | 5.94 | 6.19 |
| General Training, women | 6.65 | 6.08 | 6.20 | 6.46 | 6.41 |
| General Training, men | 6.58 | 6.02 | 6.05 | 6.31 | 6.30 |
Section averages across all test takers
ielts.org also reports an overall mean for each objectively marked section in 2024-2025: Listening 6.45, Academic Reading 6.32 and General Training Reading 6.05 (ielts.org).
78.9% of IELTS test takers in 2024-2025 took Academic and 21.1% General Training.
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What the average tells you
An overall 6.0 to 6.5 is around the middle of the IELTS population. Most university and visa requirements are set by what a course or role needs, not by the average, so compare yourself with your target, not the mean.
For the average by country, see average IELTS score by country. For which skill pulls scores down, see which IELTS section is hardest.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average IELTS score?+
About 6.2 overall for Academic and 6.3 to 6.4 for General Training in 2024-2025, from ielts.org's means by gender.
Which IELTS section has the lowest average?+
Writing in Academic (about 5.9 to 6.0) and Reading in General Training (about 6.0 to 6.1).
Is IELTS 7 above average?+
Yes. The 2024-2025 overall means were 6.19 to 6.41 depending on test and gender.
Where does ielts.org publish these figures?+
On its test statistics page, as downloadable spreadsheets for each year.
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