Free tool

Is my GPA competitive?

The median admitted GPA is 3.85 at top-10 US MS programs and 3.7 at top-25, where the middle half of admits fall between 3.5 and 3.85. Pick your target tier — US Top 25 MS, M7 MBA, Oxbridge, U15 Canada, Go8 Australia, or German TU9 — to see where your GPA lands against the admit distribution.
Check my GPA
6 admission tiers
Below 25th percentile
Your 3.40 is below the 25th percentile (3.5) for Top-25 US MS (Cornell, UMich, GT, UCLA class). Consider 1-2 tiers down or strong test scores + research to compensate.
25th %ile
3.50
Median
3.70
75th %ile
3.85
Benchmarks are approximate, drawn from program-published class profiles + cohort posts on Yocket / r/gradadmissions. Use them as a sanity check, not a verdict.
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Quick answers

Is a 3.5 GPA good for a US master's?

A 3.5 GPA is below median for Top-25 US MS (Cornell, UMich, GT, UCLA class): the middle half of admits sits between 3.50 and 3.85, with a median of 3.70. Measured against Top-50 US MS (Purdue, USC, TAMU class) the same 3.5 is competitive — it matches the 3.50 median exactly. Treat 3.5 as a solid top-50 profile that a strong GRE, research or work record can push into top-25 range.

What GPA do you need for a top-10 US master's?

Admits to Top-10 US MS programs (MIT, Stanford, CMU, Berkeley class) cluster between 3.70 and 3.95, with a median near 3.85. Below 3.70 you are under the 25th percentile of the admitted class, which usually needs research output, a publication or a strong industry record to offset. The tool above places your exact GPA in this distribution and in 11 other tiers, including UK, Canadian, Australian and German equivalents.

Is a 3.0 GPA enough for a master's in the US?

3.0 is the published admission floor at most US universities. Against Top-100 US MS (state flagships, regional R1s) it is below median — exactly the 3.00 that marks the 25th percentile of that admitted class. For Top-50 US MS (Purdue, USC, TAMU class) the same GPA sits below 25th percentile, under their 3.30 quartile. It clears the bar, but the rest of the application has to carry it.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What if my GPA is below the 25th percentile?
Two paths: (1) compensate with strong test scores (GRE 325+, GMAT 720+) and meaningful research / work experience, or (2) target one tier below where you'd otherwise apply. Both can produce strong outcomes.
Are these benchmarks official?
They're approximate — drawn from program-published class profiles, admit posts on Yocket, and cohort threads on r/gradadmissions. Use them as a sanity check, not a verdict. Each program publishes its own admitted-class average.