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Average GPA for STEM Majors
Updated 30 July 2026
Science, technology, engineering, and math majors carry the lowest average GPAs of any discipline. A 3.0 in chemical engineering is a harder-earned grade than a 3.5 in most humanities fields, and grad schools and employers know it. Here is the field-by-field data and what a good STEM GPA actually looks like.
Average STEM Major GPA
2.97
Unweighted mean of the 15 STEM fields below, versus the 3.15 national all-major average.
Average Engineering GPA
2.88
Across the 5 engineering fields, from civil (2.92) down to aerospace (2.83).
STEM fields span 2.83 (aerospace engineering) to 3.31 (biology / pre-med). Most engineering, physics, chemistry, and math fields land below 3.0.
Average GPA by STEM Field (High to Low)
| STEM Field | Average GPA |
|---|---|
| Biology / Pre-Med | 3.31 |
| Nursing | 3.09 |
| Environmental Science | 3.06 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | 3.02 |
| Computer Science | 2.99 |
| Information Technology | 2.98 |
| Mathematics | 2.95 |
| Architecture | 2.94 |
| Engineering (Civil) | 2.92 |
| Chemistry | 2.90 |
| Engineering (Mechanical) | 2.90 |
| Engineering (Electrical) | 2.88 |
| Physics | 2.87 |
| Engineering (Chemical) | 2.85 |
| Aerospace Engineering | 2.83 |
Data compiled from NCES, individual university registrar reports, and published academic research. Averages are approximate national figures and vary by institution.
Why STEM GPAs Run Lower
Objective Grading
STEM courses rely on exams with right-or-wrong answers. There is less room for partial credit or effort-based assessment. A proof is correct or it is not; an engineering calculation works or it does not.
Curved Exams
Many STEM courses use curves that normalize grades, structurally capping the share of A grades. When the class average on an exam is 55%, even strong students may receive B grades.
Weed-Out Courses
Programs deliberately front-load difficult courses (organic chemistry, calculus II, introduction to circuits) designed to filter students. These have high failure rates and pull field averages down.
Cumulative Knowledge
STEM courses build on each other. Struggling in calculus I affects physics and every downstream engineering course. Early difficulty compounds, unlike humanities where courses stand more independently.
How a STEM GPA Is Read in Context
- * Medical schools compute a separate science GPA (BCPM: biology, chemistry, physics, math). 2025-2026 matriculants averaged around 3.75 science and 3.81 overall (AAMC Table A-16 means). See good GPA for med school.
- * Technical grad programs often weight major GPA over cumulative GPA. Many engineering programs treat a 3.2 in engineering as competitive against higher cumulative GPAs in non-technical fields.
- * Employers that screen by GPA most commonly use a 3.0 cutoff (NACE). Technical recruiters frequently apply a lower effective bar for STEM candidates and weigh projects and internships heavily.
- * Law schools do not adjust for major, which disadvantages STEM applicants whose GPAs are earned against tougher curves.
Common Questions
What is the average GPA for STEM majors?
Averaging the 15 STEM fields tracked below gives roughly 2.97, below the 3.15 national all-major undergraduate average. Individual STEM fields span 2.83 (aerospace engineering) at the low end to 3.31 (biology / pre-med) at the high end, with most engineering, physics, chemistry, and math fields landing below 3.0. This is an unweighted mean of field-level averages, so it treats each field equally rather than by enrollment.
What is the average GPA of an engineering student?
Engineering fields average around 2.88 cumulatively, among the lowest of any discipline. Civil engineering sits highest of the engineering fields at approximately 2.92 and aerospace engineering lowest at approximately 2.83, with mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering in between. Heavy math and physics requirements, curved exams, and difficult weed-out courses pull engineering averages down.
Is a 3.0 GPA good for a STEM major?
In most STEM fields, yes. A 3.0 is above the average for engineering, physics, chemistry, mathematics, and computer science, all of which average below 3.0 nationally. A 3.0 in aerospace or chemical engineering (field averages near 2.85) is comfortably above the field median. The same 3.0 in biology or nursing (field averages above 3.05) is closer to average. Sophisticated grad schools and employers read GPA in field context rather than against a single universal bar.
Why are STEM GPAs lower than other majors?
Four structural reasons. STEM courses rely on objective, right-or-wrong grading with little room for partial credit. Many use curves that cap the share of A grades. Programs deliberately include difficult early weed-out courses (organic chemistry, calculus, circuits) with high failure rates. And STEM knowledge is cumulative, so early struggles compound through the sequence. Humanities courses, by contrast, lean on essays, participation, and project work that support higher grade distributions.
How do medical schools treat a science GPA?
Medical schools calculate a separate science GPA, the BCPM (biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics), alongside the cumulative GPA, precisely because they know science grades are earned differently. For the 2025-2026 entering class, matriculants averaged around 3.75 science GPA and 3.81 overall (AAMC Table A-16 reports these as means). A strong BCPM signals readiness for the science-heavy medical curriculum, so it often carries more weight than the cumulative figure for applicants from lighter majors.
Do employers apply lower GPA cutoffs for STEM majors?
Some do. Among employers that screen by GPA, 3.0 is the most common cutoff (NACE Job Outlook surveys). Technical recruiters at engineering and science firms often understand that a 3.2 in engineering reflects different rigor than a 3.5 in a non-technical field, and some elite recruiters apply a lower effective bar for STEM candidates. Major GPA and demonstrated technical projects frequently matter more than the cumulative number for STEM hiring.