Your grades as one number
A grade point average, or GPA, turns a term full of letter grades into a single number between 0 and 4. Schools, colleges and scholarship forms use it to compare students quickly, and it is easy to work out once you know how many points each letter is worth and how much each course counts.
Add your courses, choose each grade and enter the credits, and this GPA calculator does the rest. It can weight honors and advanced courses, fold in the GPA you already have for a cumulative figure, and turn a percent into a letter grade.
How to use it
- For each course, pick the grade, the type of course and the credits or units. Press Add a course for more rows.
- Choose the scale your school uses: with plus and minus grades, or letters only.
- Tick Weighted GPA if your school adds points for honors or advanced courses.
- For a cumulative GPA, enter your GPA so far and the credits it covers.
- Read your GPA, with each course's points listed in the working.
The GPA formula
course points = grade points × credits
GPA = total course points ÷ total credits
cumulative GPA = (old GPA × old credits + new points) ÷ (old credits + new credits)Credits act as weights: a 4 credit course moves your GPA more than a 1 credit course. Weighted GPAs add 0.5 for honors and 1.0 for advanced courses on passing grades, which is a common approach, though schools set their own rules.
Worked example: four courses
- A in a 3 credit course: 4.0 × 3 = 12 points
- B+ in a 4 credit course: 3.3 × 4 = 13.2 points
- A− in a 3 credit course: 3.7 × 3 = 11.1 points
- B in a 3 credit course: 3.0 × 3 = 9 points
That is 45.3 points over 13 credits, so the GPA is 45.3 ÷ 13 = 3.48. If the B+ course were an honors course and the GPA weighted, it would count as 3.8, raising the total to 47.3 points and the GPA to 3.64.
GPA scale and percent conversion
| Letter | Points | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| A+ or A | 4.0 | 93 to 100 |
| A− | 3.7 | 90 to 92 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 87 to 89 |
| B | 3.0 | 83 to 86 |
| B− | 2.7 | 80 to 82 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 77 to 79 |
| C | 2.0 | 73 to 76 |
| C− | 1.7 | 70 to 72 |
| D+ | 1.3 | 67 to 69 |
| D | 1.0 | 63 to 66 |
| D− | 0.7 | 60 to 62 |
| F | 0 | Below 60 |
Schools vary. Some give A+ a 4.3, some use a 10 point percent scale, and many universities outside the US use different systems altogether. Check your school's handbook and adjust if needed.
Common GPA mistakes
- Averaging grades without credits. A 1 credit A and a 4 credit C do not average to a B.
- Mixing weighted and unweighted GPAs. Colleges often recalculate GPAs their own way, so keep both figures.
- Counting pass or fail courses. They usually carry credits but no grade points, so leave them out.
- Forgetting repeated courses. Many schools replace the old grade rather than averaging both.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my GPA?
Multiply each course's grade points by its credits, add up the results, and divide by the total credits. Grades of A in 3 credits and B in 4 credits give 12 + 12 = 24 points over 7 credits, a GPA of 3.43. Add your courses above and the calculator lists each step.
What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
An unweighted GPA treats every course the same on the 4.0 scale. A weighted GPA adds points for harder courses, commonly 0.5 for honors and 1.0 for advanced courses, so it can go above 4.0. Tick Weighted GPA to see both: the weighted figure as the answer and the unweighted one beneath it.
How do I work out my cumulative GPA?
Multiply your GPA so far by the credits it covers, add this term's grade points, and divide by all the credits together. A 3.2 over 30 credits plus a 3.8 term over 15 credits gives (96 + 57) ÷ 45 = 3.4. Enter your GPA so far and its credits to get it.
How do I convert a percentage to a GPA?
Find the letter band the percent falls in, then use that letter's points. On a common US scale, 88% is a B+, worth 3.3. Choose Percent to letter grade above to do it. Your school may draw the bands a little differently, so check its own scale.
What GPA is an A or a B?
On the 4.0 scale, an A is 4.0 and a B is 3.0. With plus and minus grades, an A− is 3.7, a B+ is 3.3 and a B− is 2.7. A 3.5 GPA is halfway between a B+ and an A− average, which many schools treat as strong work.
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