Average College GPA by Major: Are You Above the Curve?

The Unfair Comparison

Imagine two college roommates:

Roommate A is studying Mechanical Engineering and has a 3.1 GPA.

Roommate B is studying Communications and has a 3.8 GPA.

Roommate B might feel academically superior. But in the eyes of graduate schools and elite employers, Roommate A's 3.1 might actually be more impressive.

Why? Because grading curves are vastly different depending on what you study. This is why you should never compare your GPA to someone outside of your major.

Grade Deflation vs. Grade Inflation

In STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), professors often use Grade Deflation. This means they intentionally curve exams so the class average is a 'C' (2.0) or 'B-' (2.7). They do this to ensure only the absolute best students pass rigorous technical courses.

In many Humanities and Arts fields, professors experience Grade Inflation. The average grade given in an upper-level English seminar is often an 'A' or 'A-'.

The Average GPA by Major

Based on national data, here is the estimated average GPA across major fields of study:

#### STEM Majors (The Lowest Averages)

Chemistry: 2.90

Mathematics: 3.00

Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical): 3.05

Computer Science: 3.10

Biology (Pre-Med): 3.15

#### Business & Social Sciences (The Middle Averages)

Economics: 3.15

Accounting/Finance: 3.20

Psychology: 3.30

Business Administration: 3.35

Political Science: 3.40

#### Humanities & Arts (The Highest Averages)

Communications: 3.45

English / Literature: 3.50

History: 3.50

Fine Arts / Music: 3.60

Education: 3.65

What This Means For You

If you have a 3.2 GPA in Chemical Engineering, you should be incredibly proud. You are actually performing above average compared to your peers nationwide.

Employers at tech companies and engineering firms know these averages. They do not expect a 3.9 GPA from an engineering graduate. In fact, many top engineering firms set their resume cutoff at a 3.0.

If you want to track your major-specific GPA (excluding your easy Gen-Ed electives), use our College GPA Calculator and only input the classes related to your degree.