Italian high school exam results 2025/2026 show slight rise in pass rate and drop in perfect scores

The Ministry of Education and Merit released data for the 2025/2026 school year showing that 96.7% of candidates were admitted to the final state exam, a modest increase from 96.5% the previous year. Among those who sat the exam, 99.8% earned a diploma, matching the prior year’s figure.

The share of students receiving a perfect 100 fell from 7.1% to 5.3%, while those awarded 100 with honors (lode) rose slightly to 2.9% (14,123 students). Grade distribution remained stable, with the largest band still being 71‑80 (30.1% of graduates) and notable growth in the 81‑90 and 91‑99 ranges.

Regional analysis highlighted the South’s dominance in top scores: Campania led with 3,018 lodi, followed by Puglia (2,104), Sicily (1,928) and Lazio (1,165). The northern and central regions showed fewer high‑score awards, concentrating more in middle‑range grades. Licei (academic high schools) continued to outperform technical and vocational schools in achieving the highest marks.