Is a 2.9 GPA Good?
A 2.9 GPA is below the 3.11 national average — an upward trend in recent semesters counts for a lot. The national high-school average is 3.11; the college average about 3.15.
2.9 GPA: below the 3.11 national average — below the 3.11 national average.
- Your GPA2.9
- HS national average3.11
- College average~3.15
- 4.0-scale position72%
Averages: NAEP High School Transcript Study; NCES (college).
The 2.9 GPA in numbers
National average (class of 2019 transcript study): 3.11 — 3.23 for girls, 3.0 for boys — and grade inflation has pushed ACT-tested cohorts to ~3.36 since. College is stingier: the average college GPA is about 3.15. Weighted scales muddy everything — a 2.9 unweighted with AP/IB rigor reads stronger than a 3.4 weighted in easy courses, because admissions offices recompute GPAs their own way.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 2.9 GPA good?
The national high-school average is 3.11 (latest national transcript study), so a 2.9 is below the 3.11 national average — an upward trend in recent semesters counts for a lot.
What colleges can I get into with a 2.9?
A large majority of U.S. colleges admit students in this range — match schools to your GPA band rather than chasing reach-only lists.
Can I raise a 2.9 GPA?
Each semester of straight-A work pulls a cumulative GPA up by less as credits accumulate — a junior-year 4.0 semester moves a 3.0 to about 3.17. Start now; slopes beat levels in admissions reads.
Sources & methodology
Sources: NAEP High School Transcript Study.