How Your GPA Is Calculated
Your SUNY Empire grade point average (GPA) is based only on courses completed at Empire State University for which a letter grade is assigned, including courses taken through cross-registration at another institution. It does not include transfer credit or credit awarded for prior learning.
Grades of Incomplete (IN), Withdrawal (WD), Administrative Withdrawal (ZW), No Pass (NP), Pass (P), and No Grade (NG) are excluded from the GPA calculation.
If you repeat a course, only the highest grade and its credits count toward your GPA and toward credits attempted/completed. The earlier attempt still appears on your transcript, marked as repeated, but is excluded from your GPA once a new grade (A through F, or Pass/No Pass) is recorded for the repeat.
Source: SUNY Empire Grading and Evaluation Policy 100.044, eff. 09/01/2022 — verified Aug 2026
Minimum GPA to Graduate
SUNY Empire undergraduate students must maintain an overall cumulative GPA of 2.00, and a cumulative 2.00 GPA is a requirement for graduation.
A grade of D- or better is required for SUNY Empire to award credit for a course.
Source: SUNY Empire Grading and Evaluation Policy 100.044, eff. 09/01/2022 — verified Aug 2026
Credit for Prior Learning Isn't Graded
SUNY Empire does not assign letter grades to Credit by Evaluation or Credit for Prior Learning. Because these credits carry no letter grade, they are not included in your GPA calculation.
Source: SUNY Empire Grading and Evaluation Policy 100.044, eff. 09/01/2022 — verified Aug 2026
Frequently asked questions
What grading scheme does Empire State University, SUNY use?
Where does this Empire State University, SUNY grade scale come from?
Does choosing Pass/No Pass affect my GPA?
No. If you select the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) option for a course (up to 12 credits total across your program), the course is graded Pass or No Pass instead of a letter grade, and the result is not included in your GPA. A Pass requires work at the C- level or better.
Source: SUNY Empire Grading and Evaluation Policy 100.044, eff. 09/01/2022 — verified Aug 2026
What happens to my GPA if I repeat a course?
Only the highest grade and its credits count in your GPA and in credits attempted/completed. The original attempt stays on your transcript marked as repeated, but doesn't factor into your GPA once the repeat receives a grade of A through F, or Pass/No Pass.
Source: SUNY Empire Grading and Evaluation Policy 100.044, eff. 09/01/2022 — verified Aug 2026
