UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State student-athletes registered a stellar semester in the classroom with a 3.28 term grade-point average (GPA) in the 2025 spring semester. The Nittany Lions had spring records with 578 students (73%) with a 3.0 semester GPA and 291 Dean’s List honorees (12+ credits & 3.5 semester GPA). In addition, 62 full-time students tallied a 4.0 semester with 16 carrying a 4.0 cumulative GPA.
“Our student-athletes continue to raise the bar in the classroom, and I’m incredibly proud of what they achieved this spring,” said Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Patrick Kraft. “Having 29 teams with a 3.0 team GPA or higher while competing at the highest level speaks volumes about their work ethic, resilience and commitment to excellence. Seventy-three percent of our student-athletes posting a 3.0 GPA or higher is a reflection of the support from our Morgan Academic Center staff and the culture of success we’ve built across all 31 programs.”
2025 Spring Semester Notable Numbers:
3.28 semester grade-point average
3.31 cumulative GPA
578 student-athletes with 3.0 semester GPA
62 student-athletes with a 4.0 semester GPA
291 student-athletes on Dean’s List (3.5 GPA)
29 teams (of 31 total) with a 3.0 GPA or higher
“Once again, our student-athletes have shown how they can combine athletic excellence with outstanding achievements in the classroom,” said Jeff Adams, Senior Associate Vice Provost and Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education. “This data shows many of our student-athletes distinguishing themselves through their scholarship across the full spectrum of majors at Penn State. And, whether it is assisting our highest performing students in achieving their full potential or supporting those struggling in particular classes, the staff in the Morgan Academic Center deserves a great deal of credit for the support they provide.”
Women’s Gymnastics Posts Highest Team GPA
The women’s gymnastics team recorded the highest team GPA among Penn State’s 31 programs during the spring with a 3.78 GPA, followed by the women’s golf (3.77), men’s tennis (3.61), women’s swimming & diving (3.60) and women’s indoor and outdoor track & field (3.60).
Student-Athletes With 3.0 GPA or higher; Spring semester, 2021-25
Spring 2025 – 578
Spring 2024 – 596 (spring record)
Spring 2023 – 571
Spring 2022 – 546
Spring 2021 – 682*
* - alternative grading used due to COVID-19 pandemic
Student-Athletes earning Dean’s List honors; Spring semester, 2021-25 (3.5 GPA or higher; minimum 12 credits)
Spring 2025 – 291
Spring 2024 – 296 (spring record)
Spring 2023 – 267
Spring 2022 – 284
Spring 2021 – 299*
* - 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 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% GSR in the 2024 NCAA report (California, Florida, North Carolina, Stanford, USC, UCLA, Virginia).