Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for performing memory-aware matrix factorization on a graphics processing unit. Aspects include determining one or more types of memory on the graphics processing unit and determining one or more characteristics of each of the one or more types of memory. Aspects also include assigning each of a plurality of memory accesses of a matrix factorization algorithm to one of the one or more types of memory based on the one or more characteristics and executing the matrix factorization algorithm on the graphics processing unit.