Including Your GPA on Your Resume: Is it Really Necessary?
Applying for your first job after graduation or for an internship during school can be daunting. Many new job hunters are also not sure exactly what to include on their resumes. One common concern is whether or not you should include your GPA on your resume.
Thoughts vary on if including your GPA on your resume is necessary. A common consensus is that only new or recent graduates (or those still in school) should do so. Others suggest that only those with a very high GPA should mention it on job applications.
If you’re applying for an open position and can’t decide if you should include your GPA on your resume, read on for our expert advice.
What is a GPA?
GPA stands for Grade Point Average. This metric shows how well a candidate did across their educational program. The value could be a GPA out of high school or relating to a college or university program, depending on educational background.
To calculate GPA, each letter grade received is given a corresponding number value (usually up to 4.0 for an A+ grade.) These numbers are added together and divided by the total number of grades to get the overall grade point average.
Some people will have two GPAs, an overall program GPA, and a major-specific GPA.
Some suggest that only those with a very high GPA should mention it on job applications.
Should You Include Your GPA on Your Resume?
You probably knew what a GPA is! But the real question is if you should include your GPA on your resume.
Companies may be interested to see your GPA because, with little experience to assess, your grade point average is a good indicator of how you’ll perform. This is especially true if your major corresponds to the job. A high GPA shows academic achievement and indicates a strong work ethic and a desire to succeed. These are appealing qualities to a new employer.
However, a lot of companies use GPA as just one of many factors to assess a candidate. It’s unlikely that a hire, or even an interview invitation, will be made solely based on GPA.
GPA won’t be the only factor considered as some individuals find succeeding in a work environment easier than doing so in school, while others are the opposite. Cultural fit is also crucial when hiring entry-level candidates. If one candidate seems like a great fit with the current team, they may be given preference over someone with a higher GPA than them.
Employers will consider other factors such as experience with internships, part-time work, volunteer work, extracurriculars, and the like.
When to Include Your GPA on Your Resume
There are some situations when including your GPA on your resume is a good idea or even required.
Firstly, only consider mentioning your GPA if you are a recent graduate or still in school. This group includes those applying for their first full-time job and those applying for internships or part-time work during their education.
If GPA is requested in the job description, then you must include it on your resume. Otherwise, it’s always optional. However, if your GPA is over 3.5, it’s recommended that you mention it on your application no matter what (as long as you are a new graduate or in school.)
When mentioning your GPA, you should also include additional accolades, such as graduating with honors and being on the dean’s list.
Remember, you could be asked for your GPA later in the hiring process.
Only mention your GPA if you are a recent graduate or still in school.
When Not to Include Your GPA on Your Resume
You should only consider including your GPA on your resume if you are a new or recent graduate. It’s not recommended to include it once you have experience (working in a role a year or two past graduation.)
You should only mention GPA if you’re applying for your first full-time job out of school or internships during your education. This is because GPA becomes less and less relevant as work experience grows. If you didn’t perform well in a role after graduating, an employer won’t be impressed by a good GPA. Equally, if you do perform well, that is what a new employer will focus on. Including GPA will add no value to your application.
In addition, if you’re a new graduate and your GPA is low (or below 3.5), adding it can hurt instead of help your application. If not requested, then leave it out of your application.
High School GPA
If you move on to higher education, only include your high school GPA on job applications until you receive a higher education GPA. Most schools will supply your working GPA after your first semester. Once you have that, remove the high school GPA from job applications.
Where to Include Your GPA on Your Resume
If you’re going to include your GPA on your resume, you’ll need to place it in the “Education” section under your school’s name and degree.
It should be formatted as follows - “GPA: 4.0”
You can then also mention any honors you graduated with next to or under the GPA.
Want to learn more about how to optimize your job application? Read our 20 tips to boost your resume!
GPA becomes less relevant as work experience grows. Do not mention GPA if you graduated one to two years ago.
Major GPA vs. Overall GPA
Some applicants will include the GPA for their major classes instead of their overall GPA. Chances are, you’ll be applying for a position in an industry related to your major. Therefore, showing you excelled in your major classes can indicate you’ll also excel in the role.
You may consider doing this if your overall GPA is below 3.5, but your major GPA is above, or if your major GPA is higher than the overall one (but both are over 3.5.)
If doing this, make sure each type of GPA is clearly labeled. For example, “Major GPA: 4.0, Overall GPA: 3.8”
Additional GPA Tips
Most schools use the same GPA format, but there is some variation in the numerical values given to grades. Due to this, you may want to put the letter grade in brackets, for example, GPA: 4.0 (A+).
Of course, always include accurate and honest information on your resume. Never lie about your GPA! An employer may request a transcript to confirm the number you use, and if you lie, you definitely won't get the job.
Also, never round your GPA up or down. Put the exact GPA to two decimal places as is on your transcript. For example, if your GPA is 3.46, don’t round up to 3.5.
Always be honest about your GPA and consider including the corresponding letter grade to avoid confusion.
What if Your GPA is Below 3.5?
If still in school, then keep the importance of GPA in mind as you finish your classes. A little extra effort in your last few semesters can bring big payoffs once you enter the job market.
If you can’t raise your GPA to 3.5+, don’t worry! Having a GPA below 3.5 doesn’t mean you won’t find a job, and there are ways to make up for a lower grade point average.
Showcase Your Work Experience
One of these ways is to highlight work experience. Ultimately, GPA is a measure of academic achievement. While that generally translates into workplace success, it doesn’t always. Showing you have had success at work, especially if you have experience in the industry you’re applying to, is a significant plus.
Mention any part-time roles, internships, extracurriculars, or volunteer roles on your resume. Mention the skills you gained and how you grew and succeeded in those roles.
Increase Your Work Experience
Also, consider ways to increase your work experience before you apply for a role. These methods could include taking on a volunteer role relating to the position you want (for example, managing social media for a local charity), trying a freelance project, or getting an internship.
School Credibility
Employers will also look at your school. For example, a 3.4 GPA from an Ivy League school will probably be considered better than a 3.5 GPA from a school lower down the University league table.
In Conclusion
You'll find a range of reasons to include your GPA on your resume. There are also situations when you should leave your GPA off of a job application. Whether to include your GPA on your resume depends on many factors, including how long ago you graduated and how high your GPA is.
By reading the above advice, you should have a better understanding of whether or not it's appropriate to include your grade point average on your resume.