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Minimum GPA to Graduate College: Is 2.0 Enough?

Guide · Updated 2026-11-09

The minimum GPA to graduate college is 2.0 at each of the six US schools or universities below, but each of those is the school’s own rule, and that 2.0 does not always measure the same credits. Check your own catalog for three things: the number, which courses it covers, and whether your major sets its own line.

What six schools publish

University Bachelor’s minimum What else the rule says
Boston University Cumulative GPA of 2.0 At least 128 units. Schools and colleges set their own standards and may require more units
BYU 2.0 BYU GPA and 2.0 cumulative GPA The cumulative figure includes credit transferred from other schools. The major’s GPA minimum applies too
Arizona State 2.00 across all ASU courses At least 120 credit hours. Some programs set a higher minimum
VCU Cumulative GPA of 2.0, which VCU equates with grade C Some programs ask for more, and the major GPA has its own 2.0 line
Indiana University, School of Public Health-Bloomington Cumulative GPA of 2.0 Also 2.0 in all courses in the major and in the minor (2024-25 bulletin)
UC San Diego 2.0 or higher No department may require more than 2.0 to continue in or graduate from an undergraduate major. A higher GPA in prerequisite courses can be set for entry to a major when demand exceeds capacity, with Educational Policy Committee approval

These six are examples, not a sample of all colleges. They agree on the number but not on which credits it covers or what else they require.

Which GPA has to reach 2.0

Your transcript can carry more than one GPA, and a rule can apply to any of them.

  • Cumulative GPA at this school. Arizona State’s 2.00 is across ASU courses.
  • Cumulative GPA with transfer credit. BYU checks this as well as its own BYU GPA, so a student needs both to reach 2.0.
  • Major GPA. Indiana’s School of Public Health applies 2.0 to the courses in the major and in the minor.

Made-up example. A student has a 2.4 cumulative GPA, but only a 1.9 in the major. At a school with a 2.0 major line, the cumulative GPA does not rescue the major GPA. Both lines must be met.

Passing every class is not the same as 2.0

A D can earn credit and still pull you under the line. UC San Diego lets a grade from A+ down to D, or a P or S, apply toward degree units, and still asks for a 2.0 GPA.

Made-up example, on a scale where C is 2.0 and D is 1.0. A student has 60 credits of C and 60 credits of D. Grade points are 60 × 2.0 + 60 × 1.0 = 180, across 120 credits, so the GPA is 180 ÷ 120 = 1.5. Every class was passed, and the student is still below 2.0.

How far are you from the line?

GPA is grade points divided by credits, so you can work out the average you still need.

Average needed = (target × total credits at the end − grade points so far) ÷ credits still to take

Grade points so far is your GPA times your credits so far. This works when each new course simply adds to the GPA. A retake can work differently, which the section below covers.

Made-up example 1: within reach. A 1.8 GPA over 90 credits, with 30 credits left. Grade points so far are 1.8 × 90 = 162. A 2.0 over 120 credits takes 2.0 × 120 = 240. You need 240 − 162 = 78 points from 30 credits, and 78 ÷ 30 = 2.6.

Made-up example 2: right at the limit. A 1.6 GPA over 100 credits, with 20 credits left. You hold 160 points and need 240, so 80 ÷ 20 = 4.0. On a 4.0 scale, that is an A in everything.

Made-up example 3: more credits needed. A 1.5 GPA over 105 credits, with 15 credits left. You hold 157.5 points, so (240 − 157.5) ÷ 15 = 5.5. That is above a 4.0, so the remaining 15 credits cannot close the gap on their own.

Made-up example 4: the major line. A 1.9 GPA over 36 major credits, with 6 major credits left. You hold 1.9 × 36 = 68.4 points. A 2.0 over 42 credits takes 84, so (84 − 68.4) ÷ 6 = 2.6.

The GPA Calculator runs this with your real courses. How to Raise Your GPA shows more scenarios by credit load.

When retakes change the math

A retake may be a way out of example 3, but the rules differ by school. Our raise your GPA guide shows schools that replace a grade, schools that keep the highest attempt and schools that count the later attempt even when it is lower. Ask your registrar how a retake counts before you sign up. Also ask whether the new grade changes the cumulative GPA, the major GPA or both.

Graduate degrees can have a higher line

At UC San Diego, the same regulation that sets the 2.0 bachelor’s line asks for a GPA of 3.0 or higher for a higher degree, and departments can set higher standards with Graduate Council approval.

Programs at one school can differ too. Mercy College of Ohio’s graduate catalog lists 3.0 for its Master of Science in Nursing and Master of Health Administration, and 2.8 for its Master of Physician Assistant Studies.

Where to find your own number

  1. Open your school’s current catalog or bulletin and search for “graduation requirements”.
  2. Check the catalog year you entered under, since rules can change. Ask your registrar which one applies to you.
  3. Open your major’s page and look for a separate GPA or a minimum course grade.
  4. Run a degree audit if your school offers one.

A school that publishes a 2.0 line may still expect more from some programs, as Arizona State’s and VCU’s wording shows. Your program’s page settles it.

Minimum GPA FAQ

Can you graduate college with a 2.0 GPA?

At all six above, a 2.0 meets the published line for the university or, at Indiana, the School of Public Health. You still need the required credits and anything your major adds.

Can you graduate with a GPA below 2.0?

Not at those six, whose rules set 2.0 as the floor for a bachelor’s degree. Other colleges may publish different rules, so read your own catalog.

Is a 2.0 GPA a C average?

On a scale where C is worth 2.0, yes. VCU’s rule describes a 2.0 as grade C.

Does my major GPA count separately?

It can. Indiana’s School of Public Health and VCU set a 2.0 line for the major. UC San Diego does not let departments ask for more than 2.0 to stay in or graduate from a major.

Do transfer credits count toward the minimum GPA?

It depends on the school. BYU counts them in one of its two checks, and Arizona State’s 2.00 is across ASU courses.

Any GPA you work out here is an estimate, not an official result.

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This guide is general information. Your school's rules come first. Found a mistake? Tell us.