what is considered a good atar

A “good” ATAR is usually anything at or above the low‑70s, while 80+ is widely seen as very good and 90+ as excellent, but what really matters is whether it gets you into the course you want.

What ATAR Actually Measures

The ATAR is a rank from 0.00 to 99.95 that compares your Year 12 performance to your age cohort, not a percentage mark.

Universities then use this rank (often with adjustments/bonus points) to decide who gets an offer for each course.

Rough Bands: Good, Very Good, Excellent

While every state, uni and student is different, people often talk about ATAR bands like this:

• Around 60: Respectable; opens up a fair number of courses, especially at less competitive or regional unis.

• 70–79: Common benchmark for “good” – gives access to many mainstream degrees (arts, business, science, teaching, etc.).

• 80–89: Often called “very good”; starts to unlock more competitive courses and more prestigious universities.

• 90–94: Generally seen as excellent; lets you apply broadly across almost all unis and lots of competitive programs.

• 95+: Elite range, typically competitive even for flagships like medicine, law (depending on state), and high‑demand double degrees.

How Your Goal Changes What’s “Good”

What is considered a good ATAR depends heavily on your target course and location.

• For many standard degrees (e.g., arts, general business, some sciences), something in the 70s–low 80s is often enough at many universities.

• For more competitive programs (e.g., engineering, law, health sciences), cut‑offs are often in the 80s–90s, sometimes higher.

• Some pathways (diplomas, TAFE, enabling programs) accept much lower ATARs or no ATAR at all and can lead into full degrees later.

Averages, Pressure and Perspective

On paper, the average ATAR for students who actually receive one is usually around 70, not 50, because many lower‑achieving students leave school early.

This means a 70 is statistically “around average”, even though it’s often talked about as “good”, and 80+ puts you clearly above that group.

Forum and student discussions often stress that your ATAR can shape your immediate options but does not define your long‑term success, and there are many back‑door and pathway options if your number is lower than you hoped.

Quick TL;DR

• 70+ = commonly considered a good ATAR.
• 80+ = very good and above average for uni‑bound students.
• 90+ = excellent, opening most doors, with 95+ in the top tier.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.