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Formula
GPA = Σ(grade points × credits) ÷ Σ credits
- grade points
- value of each letter grade on the 4.0 scale (A = 4.0, A− = 3.7, B+ = 3.3 … D− = 0.7, F = 0)
- credits
- credit hours of each course (use 1 per class if every class counts equally)
- Σ(grade points × credits)
- total quality points for the term
What a GPA measures
Your grade point average condenses a term of letter grades into one number between 0 and 4. Each letter is worth a fixed number of grade points, and each course counts in proportion to its credit hours, so a four-credit lab science moves your GPA more than a one-credit seminar. Colleges, scholarship committees and employers read it as a quick summary of your academic record.
This GPA calculator works out a single term, the grades on one report card or transcript page. To merge that term with everything you have already completed, take the result to the cumulative GPA calculator.
How to use the calculator
- For each course, choose the letter grade you earned, including plus or minus.
- Enter the credit hours. In high school, enter 1 for every class unless your school gives year-long or lab courses more credit.
- Leave unused rows blank. Rows with a grade but no credits, or credits but no grade, are flagged so nothing is silently skipped.
- Tick Weighted GPA if your school adds points for advanced classes, then mark each course as regular, honors or AP / IB.
The result shows your GPA to two decimals, total credits, total quality points and a course-by-course table. When weighting is on, the unweighted GPA appears alongside it, because many colleges recalculate applications on an unweighted 4.0 scale.
How to calculate GPA by hand
The method is the same in college and high school: multiply, add, divide.
Suppose a semester looks like this:
| Course | Grade | Grade points | Credits | Quality points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| History | B | 3.0 | 3 | 9.0 |
| Biology | A− | 3.7 | 4 | 14.8 |
| Statistics | C+ | 2.3 | 3 | 6.9 |
| Chemistry lab | A | 4.0 | 1 | 4.0 |
| Total | 11 | 34.7 |
GPA = 34.7 ÷ 11 = 3.15.
Notice that a straight average of the four grade points, (3.0 + 3.7 + 2.3 + 4.0) ÷ 4 = 3.25, overstates the result because the one-credit A counts as much as the four-credit biology course. Credit weighting is the step most people forget when they calculate GPA on a 4.0 scale by hand.
Weighted GPA with AP and honors classes
Many high schools reward harder courses with extra points. On the common scale used here, an honors class adds 0.5 and an AP, IB or dual-enrollment class adds 1.0, so an A in AP is worth 5.0. The bonus applies only to grades of C− and above; a D in an AP course is still a D. That mirrors the University of California, which gives an extra honors point only for A, B and C grades.
If the biology course above were AP, its 4 credits would earn 4.7 grade points each instead of 3.7. Quality points rise by 4 to 38.7, and the weighted GPA is 38.7 ÷ 11 = 3.52. A weighted GPA above 4.0 is therefore normal for a student with several AP classes.
Colleges handle weighting in different ways. Some use your school’s weighted GPA, some strip all weighting, and some (like the UC system) add their own capped number of honors points. Report the version the application asks for.
Letter grades and grade points
| Letter | Grade points | Typical percentage |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | 97% and above |
| A | 4.0 | 93–96.99% |
| A− | 3.7 | 90–92.99% |
| B+ | 3.3 | 87–89.99% |
| B | 3.0 | 83–86.99% |
| B− | 2.7 | 80–82.99% |
| C+ | 2.3 | 77–79.99% |
| C | 2.0 | 73–76.99% |
| C− | 1.7 | 70–72.99% |
| D+ | 1.3 | 67–69.99% |
| D | 1.0 | 63–66.99% |
| D− | 0.7 | 60–62.99% |
| F | 0.0 | Below 60% |
The grade-point column is the standard plus/minus scale used by registrars. The percentage column is a common 10-point scale, but individual teachers and schools set their own cutoffs, so check the syllabus if you need the letter for a specific course percentage. The grade calculator turns category scores into a percentage and letter first.
Where a GPA matters
- College admissions: high school GPA, often in both weighted and unweighted form.
- Academic standing: many colleges place students on probation below a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
- Scholarships and honors: many require a 3.0 or 3.5 and check it every term.
- Graduate school and first jobs: applications commonly ask for the overall and major GPA.
Before finals, use the final grade calculator to see what each exam needs to keep a course at the letter you want, then come back here to see the effect on the term.
Common mistakes
- Averaging letters without credits. Every course must be weighted by its credit hours.
- Leaving out an F. A failed course still counts unless your school has replaced it after a retake.
- Counting pass/fail courses. A pass carries credits but no grade points, so it stays out of the GPA.
- Mixing scales. Weighted and unweighted GPAs are not comparable; say which one you are quoting.
- Using the wrong plus/minus values. A few schools give A− 3.67 or B+ 3.33; small differences add up over a transcript.
Glossary
- Quality points: grade points × credits for one course; the numerator of the GPA.
- Credit hours: the weight of a course, usually close to its weekly class hours.
- Unweighted GPA: every A is 4.0 regardless of course level.
- Weighted GPA: advanced courses earn extra points, so the scale can exceed 4.0.
Worked examples
Four classes with plus and minus grades
A 4-credit A, a 3-credit B+, a 3-credit A− and a 2-credit C.
Inputs: Course 1 grade = A (4.0); Course 1 credits = 4; Course 2 grade = B+ (3.3); Course 2 credits = 3; Course 3 grade = A− (3.7); Course 3 credits = 3; Course 4 grade = C (2.0); Course 4 credits = 2
Quality points = 4 × 4 + 3.3 × 3 + 3.7 × 3 + 2 × 2 = 41 GPA = 41 ÷ 12 credits = 3.42
Answer: GPA 3.42 from 4 courses and 12 credits.
Weighted GPA with AP and honors classes
Five one-credit high school classes: an A in AP, a B+ in honors, a regular B, an A− in AP and a D+ in AP (D grades earn no AP bonus).
Inputs: Weighted GPA: add +0.5 for honors and +1.0 for AP / IB courses = Yes; Course 1 grade = A (4.0); Course 1 credits = 1; Course 1 type = AP / IB (+1.0); Course 2 grade = B+ (3.3); Course 2 credits = 1; Course 2 type = Honors (+0.5); Course 3 grade = B (3.0); Course 3 credits = 1; Course 4 grade = A− (3.7); Course 4 credits = 1; Course 4 type = AP / IB (+1.0); Course 5 grade = D+ (1.3); Course 5 credits = 1; Course 5 type = AP / IB (+1.0)
Quality points = 5 × 1 + 3.8 × 1 + 3 × 1 + 4.7 × 1 + 1.3 × 1 = 17.8 GPA = 17.8 ÷ 5 credits = 3.56
Answer: Weighted GPA 3.56 from 5 courses and 5 credits.
Edge case: a single failed course
One 3-credit course with an F. Failing grades count as 0 points but their credits still count.
Inputs: Course 1 grade = F (0.0); Course 1 credits = 3
Quality points = 0 × 3 = 0 GPA = 0 ÷ 3 credits = 0.00
Answer: GPA 0.00 from 1 course and 3 credits.
Assumptions and limitations
- Letter grades use the common US plus/minus 4.0 scale (A 4.0, A− 3.7, B+ 3.3, B 3.0, B− 2.7, C+ 2.3, C 2.0, C− 1.7, D+ 1.3, D 1.0, D− 0.7, F 0), as published by registrars such as the University of Rochester. An A+ counts as 4.0.
- Every course with a grade and credits counts, including failed courses, whose credits stay in the denominator. Pass/fail, withdrawn and audited courses should be left out because they carry no grade points.
- Weighted GPA adds 0.5 for honors and 1.0 for AP, IB or dual-enrollment courses, and only to grades of C− or better. That follows the University of California rule that D and F grades earn no honors point; your own school may use different bonuses.
- The result is shown to two decimals without further rounding rules; some schools truncate instead of rounding, which can differ by 0.01.
- Up to 10 courses per calculation; for more, add the GPAs of two batches with the cumulative GPA calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate GPA on a 4.0 scale?
Convert each letter grade to grade points (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, F = 0, with plus and minus grades 0.3 above or below), multiply each by the course's credit hours, add those products, and divide by the total credit hours.
Is a GPA calculator for high school different from one for college?
The arithmetic is the same. High schools often count each class as one credit and many report a weighted GPA with extra points for honors and AP classes, while colleges weight by credit hours and almost always report an unweighted GPA.
How much does an AP class add to my GPA?
On a typical weighted scale an AP, IB or dual-enrollment class earns one extra point, so an A counts 5.0 and a B counts 4.0. Honors classes usually earn half a point. Check your school's handbook, because some schools weight AP by 0.5 or not at all.
Do failed classes count in my GPA?
Yes. An F is worth 0 grade points, but its credits still count, so it pulls the average down. Many colleges let you retake the course and replace the F, which is the main way to undo the damage.
What is a good GPA?
A 3.0 (a B average) is a common minimum for scholarships, honors programs and many graduate schools, and 3.5 or higher is considered strong. The University of California, for example, requires at least a 3.0 weighted GPA in its required courses for freshman eligibility.
Why does my GPA differ from my school portal?
Schools differ in grade-point values for plus and minus grades, whether A+ counts above 4.0, which courses carry weight, and whether they round or truncate. Use the values in your own handbook if they differ from the standard scale used here.
Sources
- Grading System (Advising Handbook) — University of Rochester, Center for Advising Services. Checked October 10, 2026.
- GPA requirement (honors points) — University of California Admissions. Checked October 10, 2026.
- How to Calculate Your GPA on a 4.0 Scale — College Board BigFuture. Checked October 10, 2026.