▁gradu ating ▁sen iors ▁en roll ▁in ▁I vy ▁League ▁and ▁several ▁other ▁highly ▁select ive ▁colleg es . ▁ ▁G PA ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁job ▁market ▁According ▁to ▁a ▁study ▁published ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁a ▁one - point ▁increase ▁in ▁high - school ▁G PA ▁translated ▁to ▁an ▁ 1 1 . 8 5 % ▁increase ▁in ▁annual ▁ear nings ▁for ▁men ▁and ▁ 1 3 . 7 7 % ▁for ▁women ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁College ▁students ▁often ▁wonder ▁how ▁much ▁weight ▁G PA ▁car ries ▁in ▁their ▁employ ment ▁prospect s . ▁In ▁many ▁fields , ▁work ▁experience ▁( such ▁as ▁intern ships ) ▁gained ▁during ▁one ' s ▁time ▁in ▁college ▁are ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁factors ▁that ▁employ ers ▁consider . ▁Other ▁factors ▁include ▁choice ▁of ▁major , ▁volunte ering , ▁choice ▁of ▁ext rac urr icular ▁activities , ▁relev ance ▁of ▁course work , ▁G PA , ▁and ▁the ▁reputation ▁of ▁one ' s ▁college . ▁The ▁relative ▁importance ▁of ▁these ▁factors ▁do ▁vary ▁between ▁prof essions , ▁but ▁a ▁gradu ate ' s ▁G PA ▁is ▁often ▁relatively ▁low ▁on ▁the ▁list ▁of ▁factors ▁that ▁employ ers ▁consider . ▁There ▁is ▁also ▁criticism ▁about ▁using ▁gr ades ▁as ▁an ▁indicator ▁in ▁employ ment . ▁Arm strong ▁( 2 0 1 2 ) ▁claimed ▁that ▁the ▁relationship ▁between ▁gr ades ▁and ▁job ▁performance ▁is ▁low ▁and ▁becoming ▁lower ▁in ▁recent ▁studies . ▁Gra de ▁infl ation ▁at ▁American ▁colleg es ▁over