7
Topics
IB Group 3 — Individuals and Societies
IB Economics 2026
IB Economics (revised 2022 syllabus) covers microeconomics, macroeconomics, and the global economy, with a strong emphasis on real-world application and sustainability. HL doubles the hours in Micro and Macro and adds market structures, firm theory, quantitative methods, and an additional Paper 3.
HL · 240hSL · 150h
HL & SL
Levels
30%
IA Weight
240h
HL Hours
Past Papers Archive
Browse IB Economics past papers
View the normalized archive for Economics, organized by session and file type.
Syllabus Topics
Official topic breakdown with approximate teaching hours.
| Topic | SL Hours | HL Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Economics (scarcity, choice, economic systems) | 10h | 10h |
| Microeconomics — Demand, Supply, Elasticity, Market Failure | 35h | 35h |
| HL Micro Extension — Firm Theory, Market Structures, Behavioural EconomicsHL only | — | 35h |
| Macroeconomics — GDP, AD/AS Model, Fiscal/Monetary Policy, Unemployment, Inflation | 40h | 40h |
| HL Macro Extension — Lorenz Curve, Gini Coefficient, Phillips Curve, MultiplierHL only | — | 30h |
| The Global Economy — Trade, Exchange Rates, Development, FDI, Aid | 45h | 45h |
| HL Global Extension — Marshall-Lerner, J-curve, Harrod-Domar Growth ModelHL only | — | 20h |
| Total | 150h | 240h |
Assessment Structure
External Assessment
Paper 1 (2 extended-response questions on Micro and Macro, SL 30% / HL 20%). Paper 2 (data response, SL 40% / HL 30%). Paper 3 (HL only — quantitative and policy analysis, 30%). IA: Portfolio of 3 commentaries (SL 30% / HL 20%).
Internal Assessment — Portfolio of Commentaries
HL: 20%SL: 30%
Three commentaries (~650 words each) written on real-world news articles, one per syllabus unit (Micro, Macro, Global Economy). Assessed on diagrams, analysis, and evaluation.
Exam Tips for IB Economics
1
Draw a labelled diagram for every concept — examiners expect them even when not explicitly asked
2
Use the DEED structure for Paper 1 essays: Definition, Explanation, Example, Diagram
3
Commentary IA: choose recent, specific articles — avoid overly broad topics like 'global inflation'
4
HL Paper 3: practise reading data tables quickly and constructing short policy arguments under time pressure
5
Show evaluation: 'however, in the long run…' and 'this depends on the PED…' signal higher-band thinking
Grade Boundaries
View all subjects →| Session | Level | Grade 7 | Grade 6 | Grade 5 | Grade 4 | Grade 3 | Grade 2 | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | HL | 76 | 62 | 50 | 37 | 24 | 13 | 100 |
| May 2024 | SL | 80 | 67 | 53 | 40 | 24 | 13 | 100 |
Grade boundaries shown are percentages. Actual boundaries vary by session and are set after grading. Use the score calculator →
Predict your IB Economics grade
Enter your component marks and see your predicted final grade based on grade boundaries.
Related IB Subjects
Frequently Asked Questions
What topics are in IB Economics?
IB Economics covers Introduction to Economics (scarcity, choice, economic systems), Microeconomics — Demand, Supply, Elasticity, Market Failure, HL Micro Extension — Firm Theory, Market Structures, Behavioural Economics, Macroeconomics — GDP, AD/AS Model, Fiscal/Monetary Policy, Unemployment, Inflation, HL Macro Extension — Lorenz Curve, Gini Coefficient, Phillips Curve, Multiplier, The Global Economy — Trade, Exchange Rates, Development, FDI, Aid, HL Global Extension — Marshall-Lerner, J-curve, Harrod-Domar Growth Model. HL students study additional depth and some HL-only extensions. Total teaching hours: HL 240, SL 150.
How is IB Economics assessed?
Paper 1 (2 extended-response questions on Micro and Macro, SL 30% / HL 20%). Paper 2 (data response, SL 40% / HL 30%). Paper 3 (HL only — quantitative and policy analysis, 30%). IA: Portfolio of 3 commentaries (SL 30% / HL 20%). The Internal Assessment (Portfolio of Commentaries) counts for 30% of the final grade at SL and 20% at HL.
What is the IB Economics IA?
The IB Economics IA is the Portfolio of Commentaries. Three commentaries (~650 words each) written on real-world news articles, one per syllabus unit (Micro, Macro, Global Economy). Assessed on diagrams, analysis, and evaluation. It accounts for 30% of the final grade at SL and 20% at HL.
Should I take IB Economics HL or SL?
Take HL if Economics is relevant to your university course (Business, finance, politics, and social science university applications.), or if you are genuinely strong in the subject. HL adds 90 extra hours of content and deeper examination requirements. SL is suitable if you need the subject for the diploma but it is not your primary focus.