Does GPA matter for investment banking jobs?
Yes, GPA matters! Bulge bracket banks and almost all other investment banks will look at your GPA when applying for a job and you should include it in your resume. Typically banks screen resumes based on GPA and will often remove anyone below 3.5. However, there is room for an exception here, and exceptional experience may bypass GPA requirements if one can prove competency or high value to the bank. Use the GPA conversion below and include the number on your resume.
What should I do if I have a low GPA?
The best way to manage your GPA on your resume is to frame it. Create a custom GPA for a subset of courses – Major GPA, Finance GPA, 3rd Year GPA, etc., until you find a way that it looks decent. In the interview you should explain why you created a subset or special GPA instead of just including your total average.
GPA conversion table
If you don’t go to a school that uses the GPA scale (like in Canada), you can use the table below as a guide. Note, there can be small differences but this should give you a good idea, as it is taken from the U.S. College Board.
Companies or universities may have varying conversion scales. If in doubt when applying for a position or enrollment, ask the company or university for the grading scale they use. Whenever unavailable, refer to the one below.
| Letter Grade | Percent | GPA |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97 - 100 | 4.0 |
| A | 93 - 96 | 4.0 |
| A- | 90-92 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87-89 | 3.3 |
| B | 83-86 | 3.0 |
| B- | 80-82 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77-79 | 2.3 |
| C | 73-76 | 2.0 |
| C- | 70-72 | 1.7 |
| D+ | 67-69 | 1.3 |
| D | 65-66 | 1.0 |
| E/F | Below 65 | 0.0 |
GPA conversion tips
When you do your GPA conversion, be sure to include a group of courses that helps improve your grade point average. For example, if you were really good at finance courses, calculate your “Finance GPA” and display it on your resume.
In addition to showing your GPA, include relevant courses and highlight some of your top grades, for example, Finance 101 A+, Accounting 101 A+, etc.
Additional resources
Thanks for reading CFI’s GPA conversion guide. To keep learning and progressing your career in investment banking or other areas of finance, these resources will be useful:
