There is no single GPA for cum laude. Some schools publish a fixed number, some rank students against their graduating class, and some require both. The eleven schools below show how far the rules spread.
Schools with a fixed GPA cutoff
Five of the eleven schools set the requirement as a GPA band. Johnson & Wales, San Marcos and Wilmington share the same three cutoffs: 3.50, 3.70 and 3.90.
| School | Cum laude | Magna cum laude | Summa cum laude |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson & Wales University | 3.50 to 3.69 | 3.70 to 3.89 | 3.90 to 4.00 |
| California State University San Marcos | 3.5 to 3.69 | 3.7 to 3.89 | 3.9 and above |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | 3.50 | 3.70 | 3.90 |
| University of Illinois Chicago | 3.50 to 3.74 | 3.75 to 3.89 | 3.90 and above |
| Virginia State University | 3.00 to 3.49 | 3.50 to 3.79 | 3.80 to 4.00 |
Virginia State's cum laude band starts at 3.00, half a point below the others. Illinois Chicago moves magna up to 3.75.
Cal State San Marcos adds a second test. It computes two GPAs, one from courses taken at San Marcos and an overall GPA that includes transferred coursework, and it uses the lower of the two. Both must clear the cutoff.
Schools that add a class-rank test
Two schools require a GPA and a place in the class.
| School | Rule |
|---|---|
| University of Connecticut | Cum laude needs at least a 3.0 total GPA and class rank in the 75th percentile or above in your school or college. Magna needs a 3.4 and the 85th percentile. Summa needs a 3.7 and the 95th percentile. You also need at least 54 calculable credits at UConn. |
| Penn State | Distinction goes to bachelor's candidates in the top 12 percent of their college's graduating class who have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.50 and at least 60 credits at Penn State. The 12 percent divides into 2 percent summa cum laude, 4 percent magna cum laude and 6 percent cum laude. |
At these schools a 3.6 can miss out if your college's graduating class is strong that year. The GPA is a floor, and the rank decides.
Schools that rank by class percentile
Four schools in the sample set honors by share of the class.
| School | Rule |
|---|---|
| Boston University | Honors go to the top 30 percent of the class in each school or college: summa cum laude the top 5 percent, magna the next 10 percent, cum laude the next 15 percent. No Latin honors are given below a 3.0 GPA. |
| Yale College | General Honors go to no more than 30 percent of the class, and summa cum laude to no more than the top 5 percent. |
| Cornell University, College of Arts and Sciences | Summa is the top 5 percent by cumulative GPA, magna the next 10 percent, and cum laude the next 15 percent. |
| University of Michigan, Ross School of Business (BBA) | Cum laude is the top 30 percent, magna the top 15 percent and summa the top 5 percent by cumulative GPA. |
Percentile systems have no fixed target beyond floors like Boston University's 3.0, so the GPA you need changes with each graduating class. Ross publishes the lowest GPAs that qualified in 2024-25: 3.766 for cum laude, 3.859 for magna and 3.927 for summa. A student who graduated a year earlier or later could have faced different cutoffs.
How to find your school's rule
Find three things in your own catalog before you set a target.
- Which kind of rule applies. Search your registrar's site for "Latin honors" or "graduation with distinction". You are looking for a GPA range, a percentage of the class, or both.
- Which GPA counts. San Marcos uses the lower of a GPA from courses taken there and an overall GPA that includes transfer work. Check whether your school does something similar.
- How many credits you need at the school. UConn asks for 54 and Penn State for 60. A transfer student can fall short on credits before GPA matters.
If your school uses a fixed GPA, the cum laude calculator shows how far you are from each band and the average your remaining credits must earn to reach it. If it ranks by percentile, no calculator can give you a stable target, and the best you can do is push your cumulative GPA as high as you can. The target GPA calculator tells you how much room your remaining credits leave. The guide to raising your GPA in one semester shows why that room shrinks as credits accumulate.
Sources
Checked 24 September 2026. Catalogs change each year, so confirm the current rule with your registrar.
- Johnson & Wales University catalog: Latin honors
- California State University San Marcos: graduating honors
- University of North Carolina Wilmington Registrar: Latin honors
- University of Illinois Chicago Registrar: Latin honors
- Virginia State University: graduation honors
- University of Connecticut Registrar: Latin honors
- Penn State Undergraduate Bulletin: distinction and honors
- Boston University Registrar: awards and achievements
- Yale College Programs of Study: honors
- Cornell College of Arts and Sciences Registrar: graduation honors
- University of Michigan Ross School of Business: BBA academic honors