A good GPA is 3.0 or higher on the unweighted 4.0 scale, and 3.5 or higher is strong. For context, the average US high school graduate finished with a 3.11 in 2019, according to the federal NAEP High School Transcript Study. Whether your own number is good depends on three things: whether it is weighted or unweighted, whether you are in high school or college, and what you need it for.
Not sure what your GPA is yet? Work it out with the GPA Calculator, or check a single class with the Grade Calculator.
Good GPA at a glance
Each GPA reads as the letter grade average it sits closest to. The last column compares it with the 3.11 national high school average.
| GPA | Letter average | vs. 3.11 average | How it usually reads |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | A in every class | +0.89 | The unweighted maximum |
| 3.8 | Between A and A− | +0.69 | Excellent |
| 3.7 | A− | +0.59 | Excellent |
| 3.5 | Between A− and B+ | +0.39 | Strong |
| 3.3 | B+ | +0.19 | Above average |
| 3.0 | B | −0.11 | About average |
| 2.5 | Between B− and C+ | −0.61 | Below average |
| 2.0 | C | −1.11 | Minimum for good standing at most colleges |
The letter mapping follows the standard 4.0 scale (A = 4.0, A− = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0, B− = 2.7, C+ = 2.3, C = 2.0). The full chart with percentages is in the GPA scale chart.
Is a 4.0 GPA good?
Yes, an unweighted 4.0 is the highest possible: an A in every class. If your school counts A+ as 4.3, or your 4.0 is weighted, it can mean something different. A weighted 4.0 that includes honors or AP bonuses may come from mostly B+ and A− grades, so check which one you have before comparing.
Is a 3.9 GPA good?
Yes. A 3.9 means nearly every grade was an A, with perhaps one A− or B+. It is in the range admitted students typically report at highly selective colleges, and at colleges that set Latin honors by GPA, it is often around the summa cum laude cut-off.
Is a 3.8 GPA good?
Yes. A 3.8 sits between an A and an A− average, about 0.7 above the national average. It meets the GPA requirement of nearly every scholarship and honors program, and at most colleges it is comfortably above dean's-list level.
Is a 3.7 GPA good?
Yes. A 3.7 is an A− average. It is competitive almost everywhere; at the most selective schools, where admitted students cluster near 4.0, it is solid but not a stand-out on its own, so course rigor and the rest of the application matter more.
Is a 3.6 GPA good?
Yes. A 3.6 is a mix of A− and B+ grades, about half a point above average. It clears the common 3.5 bar for dean's lists and many merit scholarships.
Is a 3.5 GPA good?
Yes. A 3.5 is halfway between an A− and a B+ average and is widely treated as the line for "strong": many dean's lists, honors programs and scholarships set their minimum at exactly 3.5. Because so many cut-offs sit there, the difference between a 3.48 and a 3.52 can matter more than the number suggests.
Is a 3.4 GPA good?
Yes, a 3.4 is above average: a B+ average with some A's. It meets the 3.0 minimum that many graduate programs and employers use, but falls just short of the common 3.5 honors threshold.
Is a 3.3 GPA good?
A 3.3 is a solid B+ average and about 0.2 above the national mean. It is a good GPA for most colleges and jobs, though it is below the typical range for very selective admissions.
Is a 3.2 GPA good?
A 3.2 is a B average with a few B+ or A grades, slightly above average. It is acceptable for most four-year colleges and for programs with a 3.0 minimum. An upward trend, such as stronger grades in the later terms, helps a 3.2 read better than a flat one.
Is a 3.1 GPA good?
A 3.1 is almost exactly the national average for high school graduates. It is a respectable B average that meets most program minimums, but it does not stand out on its own.
Is a 3.0 GPA good?
A 3.0 is a B average and just under the 3.11 national average. It is the single most common cut-off: many graduate programs, scholarships and employers that screen by GPA list 3.0 as their minimum. So a 3.0 is "good enough" for many requirements but leaves little margin.
Is a 2.8 GPA good?
A 2.8 is a B− average, below the national average. Most colleges will still consider it, and it is above the 2.0 minimum for good academic standing, but it is under the 3.0 cut-off many scholarships and graduate programs use.
Is a 2.5 GPA good?
A 2.5 sits between a B− and a C+ average, about 0.6 below average. Community colleges are generally open-admission, and some public universities publish minimums in the 2.0–2.5 range, so a 2.5 keeps those options open. It usually rules out GPA-based merit scholarships.
What is a good GPA in high school?
In high school, colleges look at your unweighted GPA alongside how hard your classes were. A 3.0–3.4 unweighted GPA is a reasonable target for most four-year colleges, 3.5–3.8 makes you competitive for many selective schools, and the most selective admit mostly students near 4.0. If your school reports a weighted GPA, remember it can exceed 4.0, so a 4.2 weighted is not directly comparable to a 4.0 unweighted. Weighted vs unweighted vs cumulative GPA explains the difference.
What is a good GPA in college?
College grading has its own milestones:
- 2.0 — the usual minimum to stay in good academic standing; falling below it often leads to academic probation.
- 3.0 — a common minimum for graduate school applications, many scholarships and employers that screen by GPA.
- 3.5 — a frequent dean's list and honors threshold.
- About 3.5, 3.7 and 3.9 — typical Latin honors cut-offs (cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude) at colleges that set them by GPA; many colleges use class rank percentages instead.
The average college GPA is also a little above 3.0. Stuart Rojstaczer and Christopher Healy's long-running study of grades at US four-year colleges found a mean of 3.11 in 2006–07, rising about 0.1 per decade (summary at Inside Higher Ed).
How much can you raise your GPA?
Because a cumulative GPA is weighted by credits, every new term moves it less than the one before. With 60 credits at a 3.0, a 15-credit term of straight A's lifts you to (3.0 × 60 + 4.0 × 15) ÷ 75 = 3.2. After 120 credits at 3.0, the same perfect term only reaches 3.11. The earlier you improve, the more it counts. To see where a term would leave you, enter your previous GPA and credits in the GPA Calculator, and use the Final Grade Calculator to see what each final exam needs to be.
FAQ
What is a good GPA on a 4.0 scale?
A 3.0 or higher is generally considered good, and 3.5 or higher is strong. A 3.0 is a B average; a 3.5 is between a B+ and an A− average.
What is the average GPA in the US?
The average high school graduate's GPA was 3.11 in 2019, up from 3.00 in 2009 and 2.68 in 1990, according to the NAEP High School Transcript Study. College averages are similar: about 3.1 at four-year colleges in the Rojstaczer and Healy data.
Is a weighted GPA better than an unweighted one?
Neither is better; they measure different things. A weighted GPA adds points for honors and AP classes, so it rewards course rigor, while an unweighted GPA treats every class the same. Compare weighted with weighted and unweighted with unweighted.
Do colleges care more about GPA or test scores?
Most admissions offices treat the high school transcript, meaning your grades and the difficulty of your classes, as the most important factor, with test scores, where submitted, as one input among several. Policies vary by college, so check each school's admissions page.
Can I calculate my GPA from percentages?
Yes. Convert each class percentage to a letter grade using the GPA scale chart, then enter the letters and credits in the GPA Calculator.