Is a 4.0 GPA Good?
A 4.0 GPA is at the very top of the unweighted scale — course rigor and essays now differentiate you. The national high-school average is 3.11; the college average about 3.15.
4.0 GPA: above the 3.11 national average — at the very top of the unweighted scale.
- Your GPA4.0
- HS national average3.11
- College average~3.15
- 4.0-scale position100%
Averages: NAEP High School Transcript Study; NCES (college).
The 4.0 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 4.0 unweighted with AP/IB rigor reads stronger than a 4.5 weighted in easy courses, because admissions offices recompute GPAs their own way.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 4.0 GPA good?
The national high-school average is 3.11 (latest national transcript study), so a 4.0 is at the very top of the unweighted scale — course rigor and essays now differentiate you.
What colleges can I get into with a 4.0?
Selectivity at the very top is about everything else — 4.0s are common in elite applicant pools.
Can I raise a 4.0 GPA?
There's no up from here — protect it and spend energy on rigor, testing, and activities.
Sources & methodology
Sources: NAEP High School Transcript Study.