{"id":2015,"date":"2022-12-08T11:30:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-08T16:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/?p=2015"},"modified":"2024-02-20T14:36:14","modified_gmt":"2024-02-20T19:36:14","slug":"gpa-on-resume","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/basics\/gpa-on-resume","title":{"rendered":"Should I Put My GPA on My Resume?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Your grade-point average, or GPA, can demonstrate your achievements in school and show employers you\u2019re knowledgeable about the major you\u2019re studying. However, GPA is far from a determining factor of your potential in the workforce. It isn\u2019t always reflective of your experience and skills. So, should you put your GPA on your resume<\/a>? We\u2019ll walk you through the main scenarios of when you should (and shouldn\u2019t) list your GPA on your resume and how to do it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Should You List Your GPA on Your Resume?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When to list your GPA on your resume comes down to two main factors: how long ago you attended school and how high your GPA is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCommon myths are that GPA is not relevant on your resume, only GPAs relating to your background are important, only list your GPA if the audience requires it, or only list the GPA if you do not have much to offer in terms of achievements,\u201d Matthew Warzel, certified professional resume writer and former Fortune 500 recruiter, says. \u201cAlways include your GPA if you\u2019re early career.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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\u201cEarly career\u201d means you\u2019re looking for your first professional role and are usually less than three years out of school. \u201cYou do not need to include your GPA or graduation date once you\u2019ve been in the workforce for over 3-5 years,\u201d Warzel says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other factor is how high your GPA is. Typically, include a GPA only if it\u2019s above 3.5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a flow chart to help determine whether to include your GPA on your resume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Do Recruiters Look for GPAs on Resumes?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, there\u2019s no one answer to whether recruiters truly care about your GPA. According to a recent survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employees<\/a>, 37% of employers plan to screen resumes by GPA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More often than not, it depends on the specific company and role you’re applying for. Some recruiters and hiring managers<\/a> will value this metric, while others might care more about your programming skills<\/a> or customer service experience, for example. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your industry is important, too. For example, candidates applying to engineering and accounting<\/a> roles should expect employers to look for GPAs on their resumes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>>MORE: <\/strong>How to Write a Resume for an Internship (With Template)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome companies want to see education information and GPA details as part of their internship program recruitment strategies, but other companies simply don\u2019t care and focus their attention on what the candidate can bring to the table and not their past educational accomplishments,\u201d Daniela Herrera, director of recruitment operations and ED&I at R\/GA, says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herrera says she never looks at GPA information and typically skips over the education section, too. Despite this, she notes there are positions that do require specific education. Adding your GPA for those applications is important, if not required. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are industries and roles that actually require a college degree, like medicine or law, for example,\u201d she says. \u201cIn those cases, having your GPA information can be beneficial for the recruiter and hiring manager to understand a bit more about your educational path.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you fit the requirements to include your GPA on your resume \u2014 you\u2019re both early career, and your GPA is above a 3.5 \u2014 it shouldn\u2019t hurt to include it, even if the recruiter or hiring manager isn\u2019t looking specifically for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMost often, recruiters<\/a> are interested in ensuring you have the mandated items crossed off \u2014 mandatory certifications, mandatory software aptitude, etc. \u2014 and then your work history and role responsibilities,\u201d Warzel says. \u201cThere may be that off chance it comes down to you and one other person who looks identical to you [on paper] and the quirky recruiter or hiring manager decided GPA was the final separator.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Put Your GPA on Your Resume<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve decided it\u2019s right for you to include your GPA on your resume. Luckily, this is a relatively easy addition to your resume, especially if you already have an education section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where to Put GPA on Your Resume<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Because your GPA is about your educational achievements, it should go into the education section of your resume along with items like your school name, major (and minor), and degree. You can include this in one line or two, depending on what you have space for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>>MORE: <\/strong>How to Write a Resume With No Work Experience<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples of how to include your GPA in this section of your resume include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bachelor of Science, Software Engineering<\/a> (3.8 GPA), Example University (2022)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sample University, Economics
GPA 3.7 | Spring 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bachelor of Arts, Psychology Major, Communications Minor (GPA 3.9)
Example University, 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bachelor of Science, Finance (Concentration in Corporate Finance), Sample University 2022
Phi Beta Kappa, GPA 4.0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bachelor of Science, Computer Science (3.5 GPA), Example University 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you don\u2019t need to include your GPA anymore \u2014 because you\u2019ve been in the workforce long enough \u2014 you can still keep your education on your resume, but remove the parentheses or section with your GPA.\u00a0Learn how to add your Forage certificate to your resume<\/a> to showcase top skills to employers. (Haven\u2019t completed a free job simulation yet? Check out Forage\u2019s job simulation catalog<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more guidance on the job application process, explore our Job Application Basics series below. This five-part series will show you how to increase your chances of getting hired. Start with the intro, then check out all five parts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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