UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State student-athletes recorded another outstanding semester by recording a 3.32 term grade-point average (GPA) in the 2024 fall semester. The Nittany Lions had 636 students (77%) with a 3.0 semester GPA and 328 Dean’s List honorees (3.5 semester GPA). In addition, 75 full-time students tallied a 4.0 semester with 25 carrying a 4.0 cumulative GPA.
“I am so proud of our student-athletes and their ability to perform at the highest level academically and athletically. Our student-athletes continue to raise the academic bar, and to have 77% of our student-athletes with a 3.0 or better GPA and record number of Dean’s List honorees is nothing short of amazing,” said Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Patrick Kraft. “I love the pride our student-athletes take in representing the Blue & White each and every day. We are also so appreciative of the efforts of the Morgan Academic staff for providing guidance and resources to our student-athletes.”
2024 Fall Semester Notable Numbers:
3.32 semester grade-point average
3.26 cumulative GPA
636 student-athletes with 3.0 semester GPA (eighth-straight fall semester with 500+ student-athletes with a 3.0 term GPA)
75 full-time student-athletes with a 4.0 semester GPA
328 student-athletes on Dean’s List (3.5 GPA)
29 teams (of 31 total) with a 3.0 GPA or higher
Women’s Golf Posts Highest Team GPA
The women’s golf team recorded the highest team GPA among Penn State’s 31 programs during the fall with a 3.71 GPA, followed by the women’s gymnastics (3.69), men’s golf (3.63), women’s swimming & diving (3.59), women’s cross country and track & field (3.59).
Student-Athletes with 3.0 GPA or Higher; Fall Semester, 2020-24
Fall 2024 – 636 (fall and overall record)
Fall 2023 – 581
Fall 2022 – 584
Fall 2021 – 567
Fall 2020 – 742*
Fall 2019 – 535
* - alternative grading used due to COVID-19 pandemic
Student-Athletes Earning Dean’s List Honors; Fall Semester, 2020-24
(3.5 GPA or higher; minimum 12 credits)
Fall 2024 – 328 (fall and overall record)
Fall 2023 – 298
Fall 2022 – 302
Fall 2021 – 289
Fall 2020 – 327*
* - alternative grading used due to COVID-19 pandemic
Penn State Among the Nation’s Premier Athletic Programs in Comprehensive Excellence
Under the leadership of Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Patrick Kraft, Penn State has one of the nation's most comprehensive and successful athletic programs, featuring 800-plus student-athletes across 31 varsity programs (16 men's, 15 women's). The Nittany Lions' 31 programs are tied for the fourth-highest number of sports sponsored by a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) institution.
Penn State student-athletes earned a record-tying 93% NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and 11 programs earned perfect 100% ratings in the 2024 report. This is the eighth consecutive year the Nittany Lions have posted a record or record-tying performance in the classroom. Penn State is one of only eight schools that have won at least 10 NCAA Championships since 2013 and earned at least a 90 percent Graduation Success Rate (GSR) in the 2024 NCAA report (California, Florida, North Carolina, Stanford, USC, UCLA, Virginia).