Girona had the highest average mark in Catalonia in the 2026 PAU university entrance exams, with 6.428 points, according to the official 2026 statistics published by the Generalitat. For batxillerat students and families in Girona, that means the province still leads the Catalan ranking, even though the longer-term trend in average marks has moved down.
The same official Catalan data place Barcelona on 6.408, Lleida on 6.370 and Tarragona on 6.361. Girona remains first, but the gap is narrow and the figures show how closely matched the provinces are in this year’s results.
Using the 2026 Generalitat results together with earlier official PAU datasets, Girona’s average has fallen from 6.91 in 2022 to 6.428 in 2026. That is a drop of 0.482 points across the period covered by the available comparison. Readers can check the 2022 ministry dataset and the 2026 Generalitat statistics directly.
Those figures refer to the average PAU marks by demarcació, the territorial exam area used in Catalonia’s education statistics. For readers following education coverage across the region, see our news page for more reporting.
The broader picture is that most students passed. In a 2026 press release, the Government of Catalonia said the pass rate reached 95.68%, the fourth consecutive year above 94%. That statement comes from the official 2026 Generalitat press release. PAU, often called Selectivitat, is the set of exams used for university access in Catalonia and the rest of Spain.
For students in Girona, the combination of a high pass rate and a lower mean score suggests that many candidates are still clearing the exam, while overall marks are not as strong as they were a few years ago. That distinction matters because competitive university courses depend not only on passing, but also on final entry grades. Readers who want to check this year’s results or understand the admissions process can use the Generalitat’s PAU statistics portal and university access channels.
For families, the main takeaway is practical. Girona is still performing best in Catalonia on average, but students applying for high-demand degrees should continue to watch cut-off marks closely and not assume that a strong provincial ranking will guarantee a place. For schools and education administrators, the downward trend may also prompt closer review of preparation, subject choices and support for exam candidates.
