What is the Average GPA?

If you are applying to college or preparing your first resume, you might be wondering how your grades stack up against the rest of the country. Are you ahead of the curve, or falling behind?

The Average High School GPA

According to the most recent data released by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the average national high school GPA is a 3.0.

This means the average American high school student graduates with a solid "B" average. Over the last thirty years, this national average has slowly crept upward due to a phenomenon known as "grade inflation"—meaning it is statistically easier to earn an "A" today than it was in 1990.

If your GPA is exactly a 3.0, you are directly in the middle of the pack. You are eligible for admission to the vast majority of state public universities, though you may struggle to gain admission to highly selective private colleges.

The Average College GPA

In the United States, the average college GPA is approximately a 3.15. However, looking at the overall national average in college can be highly misleading because college grading varies drastically depending on two factors: the university you attend, and the major you choose.

1. Variance by Major

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) majors are notorious for rigorous grading curves and "weed-out" classes. The average GPA for a Chemistry or Engineering major is often significantly lower (closer to a 2.8 or 2.9) than the average GPA for an Education or Humanities major (often closer to a 3.3 or 3.4).

2. Variance by Institution

Some universities aggressively fight grade inflation by capping the number of "A"s a professor can give out. Other universities, most notably Ivy League institutions like Harvard and Yale, are famous for rampant grade inflation, where the median undergraduate grade is often an "A-". Therefore, a 3.3 at a strict public engineering school might represent more rigorous academic achievement than a 3.7 at an Ivy League.