2024 Higher Education Report
Average College GPA in America
The national average college GPA is currently 3.15 at public universities and 3.30 at private universities. However, your major dictates your GPA far more than your university. See the breakdown below.
3.15
Public Universities
3.30
Private Universities
0.64
GPA Gap by Major
Average College GPA by Major
| Rank (Easiest to Hardest) | College Major Category | Average GPA |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Education | 3.62 |
| #2 | Language & Literature | 3.48 |
| #3 | Arts & Humanities | 3.35 |
| #4 | Social Sciences | 3.24 |
| #5 | Business | 3.18 |
| #6 | Nursing & Health | 3.15 |
| #7 | Engineering | 3.12 |
| #8 | Computer Science | 3.10 |
| #9 | Biology / Pre-Med | 3.08 |
| #10 | Chemistry & Physics | 2.98 |
Data aggregated from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and internal transcript analyses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know, based on what students are asking right now.
The average college GPA in the United States is roughly 3.15 at public universities and 3.30 at private universities. The overall national average sits around a 3.2, which equates to a 'B' letter grade.
Hard sciences (STEM) traditionally have the lowest average GPAs. Chemistry, Physics, and Biology often sit around a 2.9 to 3.0 average due to brutal grading curves and 'weed-out' classes.
Education and Language/Arts majors typically have the highest average GPAs, often sitting at 3.6 or above. These programs are less likely to grade on a strict bell curve.
Private universities (especially Ivy Leagues) are notorious for 'grade inflation'. Because students pay high tuition, professors are often discouraged from failing students, pushing the average GPA up to a 3.3 or even a 3.5 at some elite institutions.
It depends. Many top-tier finance, consulting, and engineering firms have strict GPA cutoffs (usually 3.0 or 3.5). However, most standard employers care far more about your internships and experience than your GPA.