GPA
Is a 3.5 GPA Good?
A 3.5 unweighted GPA is between a B+ and an A- average. It is 0.39 points above the national average of 3.11, and it matches or beats the average enrolled first-year student at 6 of the 58 colleges we track that publish an unweighted average.
National average
3.11
class of 2019
At or above average
6
of 58 colleges
Below average
52
of 58 colleges
6 colleges where a 3.5 matches or beats the average
The average unweighted GPA of each school's enrolled first-year class. Highest first.
- San Jose State University3.50 average
- University of Houston3.46 average
- Washington State University3.46 average
- University of Illinois Chicago3.45 average
- University of Arizona3.43 average
- Temple University3.42 average
The closest reaches for a 3.5
Colleges where the average enrolled GPA is higher than a 3.5, smallest gap first.
- Arizona State University3.52 average
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln3.54 average
- University of Kentucky3.58 average
- Oberlin College3.60 average
- Marquette University3.60 average
- University of Mississippi3.60 average
- Virginia Commonwealth University3.63 average
- Texas Tech University3.64 average
- University of Oklahoma3.64 average
- University of Utah3.64 average
- University of New Hampshire3.64 average
- University of Rhode Island3.65 average
A 3.5 against California's public minimums
Both systems recalculate your GPA from a-g courses first, so run your grades through the UC or CSU calculator for the number they will use.
- Cal State, California residents2.50 minimum, cleared
- Cal State, out of state3.00 minimum, cleared
- University of California, California residents3.00 minimum, cleared
- University of California, out of state3.40 minimum, cleared
Keep this list for a 3.5
Frequently asked questions
Is a 3.5 GPA good?
A 3.5 is 0.39 points above the national average of 3.11 for high school graduates. Among the 58 colleges in our dataset that publish an unweighted average GPA for enrolled first-years, a 3.5 is at or above that average at 6 and below it at 52. Whether it is good depends on which of those groups your target schools are in.
What letter grade is a 3.5 GPA?
On the standard 4.0 scale, a 3.5 is between a B+ and an A- average. An A is 4.0, an A- is 3.7, a B+ is 3.3, a B is 3.0, a B- is 2.7, a C+ is 2.3, and a C is 2.0.
Can I get into college with a 3.5 GPA?
Yes. A 3.5 is at or above the average enrolled GPA at 6 of the 58 colleges we track, and colleges admit students below their average every year. Course rigor, test scores, essays, and activities are read alongside the number.
College averages are the unweighted high school GPA each school publishes for its enrolled first-year class (Common Data Set or class profile). Schools that publish only a weighted GPA or a range are left out. National average: NAEP High School Transcript Study, class of 2019.
