On this page
Formula
Weighted categories: grade = Σ(category score × weight) ÷ Σ weight. Points: grade = Σ points earned ÷ Σ points possible × 100
- category score
- your average in a category such as homework, quizzes or tests, in percent
- weight
- that category's share of the course grade from the syllabus, in percent
- Σ weight
- the weights entered so far; below 100% the result is your grade on work graded so far
What this grade calculator does
Every syllabus describes how the course grade is put together, and there are two common systems. In a weighted class each category (homework, quizzes, labs, tests, a project) is worth a fixed percentage of the grade. In a points class everything is added up and divided by the total possible. This grade calculator handles both and turns the result into a letter.
It is built for the middle of a term as much as the end. If only some categories have scores, it reports your current grade on the work graded so far instead of treating the missing work as zeros.
Teachers can use it the same way to double-check a student’s term grade before report cards go out, or to show a student exactly which category is pulling the average down. Parents often use it to make sense of an online gradebook that lists dozens of assignments.
How to use the calculator
Weighted categories mode
- Open your syllabus and list the grading categories with their weights.
- For each category that has scores, enter your average in that category and its weight.
- Skip categories with nothing graded yet. The result is labeled current grade and the remaining weight is shown separately.
Total points mode
- List the points you earned on each assignment, separated by commas.
- List the points possible in the same order.
- The result is total earned ÷ total possible, with points missed shown alongside.
If your weights don’t add up to 100, or you have weights in points or credits, the weighted grade calculator normalizes them for you.
How to calculate grades by hand
From categories. Suppose a syllabus sets homework at 20%, quizzes 20%, the midterm 25% and the final 35%, and your scores are 90%, 84%, 76% and 88%.
- 90 × 20 = 1,800
- 84 × 20 = 1,680
- 76 × 25 = 1,900
- 88 × 35 = 3,080
- Total: 8,460 ÷ 100 = 84.6%, a B
Before the final was graded, the same student had 1,800 + 1,680 + 1,900 = 5,380 over 65% of weight, so 5,380 ÷ 65 = 82.77%, a B−. That is the grade-so-far calculation the gradebook shows mid-semester.
From points. Quiz scores of 42/50 and 17/20, a test of 88/100 and a lab report of 71/80 add up to 218 out of 250 points:
218 ÷ 250 × 100 = 87.2%, a B+.
Notice that the 100-point test has five times the influence of the 20-point quiz. In a points class, big assignments dominate.
Percentage to letter grade
| Letter | Percentage range |
|---|---|
| A+ | 97% and above |
| A | 93–96.99% |
| A− | 90–92.99% |
| B+ | 87–89.99% |
| B | 83–86.99% |
| B− | 80–82.99% |
| C+ | 77–79.99% |
| C | 73–76.99% |
| C− | 70–72.99% |
| D+ | 67–69.99% |
| D | 63–66.99% |
| D− | 60–62.99% |
| F | Below 60% |
The calculator applies these cutoffs to the exact percentage, so 89.6% is a B+, not an A−. Some teachers round half points up; if yours does, the syllabus will say so.
Weighted categories or points: which system is your class using?
Look at the grading section of the syllabus. Phrases like “tests 40%, homework 20%” mean weighted categories. A list like “4 exams × 100 points, 10 quizzes × 10 points, 500 total” means points. Online gradebooks often show both: category percentages with weights, and inside each category the points for each assignment. In that case, average each category from its points first, then use weighted mode.
Planning the rest of the term
- Before an exam: to see what the final must be to keep a letter, use the final grade calculator, entering the grade from this page as your current grade.
- After a single test: turn “missed 6 out of 40” into a percentage with the test grade calculator, then update that category here.
- End of term: feed each class’s letter into the GPA calculator.
Common mistakes
- Averaging the category scores directly. A 95% in homework worth 10% doesn’t balance a 70% in tests worth 50%.
- Counting ungraded categories as zero. Leave them out to get your grade so far.
- Weights over 100%. Recheck the syllabus; the calculator flags totals above 100%.
- Forgetting dropped scores. If the lowest quiz is dropped, remove it before averaging the category.
- Assuming rounding. An 89.6% stays a B+ unless your teacher rounds.
Glossary
- Category: a group of assignments with one shared weight, such as quizzes.
- Weight: the percentage of the course grade a category is worth.
- Grade so far: your weighted average over only the categories that have been graded.
- Points possible: the maximum score an assignment can earn.
Worked examples
Syllabus with four categories
Homework 94% (15%), quizzes 81% (25%), tests 86% (40%) and a project 90% (20%).
Inputs (Weighted categories): Category 1 score = 94 %; Category 1 weight = 15 %; Category 2 score = 81 %; Category 2 weight = 25 %; Category 3 score = 86 %; Category 3 weight = 40 %; Category 4 score = 90 %; Category 4 weight = 20 %
Σ(score × weight) = 94 × 15 + 81 × 25 + 86 × 40 + 90 × 20 = 8,675 Grade = 8,675 ÷ 100 = 86.75%
Answer: Overall grade: 86.75% (B) from 4 weighted categories.
Grade so far, before the final
Labs 92% (20%), midterms 78% (30%) and homework 85% (25%); the 25% final has not happened yet.
Inputs (Weighted categories): Category 1 score = 92 %; Category 1 weight = 20 %; Category 2 score = 78 %; Category 2 weight = 30 %; Category 3 score = 85 %; Category 3 weight = 25 %
Σ(score × weight) = 92 × 20 + 78 × 30 + 85 × 25 = 6,305 Grade = 6,305 ÷ 75 = 84.07%
Answer: Current grade: 84.07% (B) from 3 weighted categories.
Points-based class
Four assignments: 47/50, 18/20, 92/100 and 36/45 points.
Inputs (Total points): Points earned = 47, 18, 92, 36; Points possible = 50, 20, 100, 45
Grade = 193 ÷ 215 × 100 = 89.77%
Answer: 193 out of 215 points is 89.77%, a B+.
Edge case: one category
A single category worth 100% with a score of 59.5%, just under the D− cutoff.
Inputs (Weighted categories): Category 1 score = 59.5 %; Category 1 weight = 100 %
Σ(score × weight) = 59.5 × 100 = 5,950 Grade = 5,950 ÷ 100 = 59.5%
Answer: Overall grade: 59.5% (F) from 1 weighted category.
Assumptions and limitations
- Category weights are percentages of the course grade and must total 100% or less. For weights on another scale (points, credits, multipliers) use the weighted grade calculator.
- When the weights entered add up to less than 100%, the grade is divided by the weight graded so far, which is how online gradebooks report a current grade before every category has scores.
- In points mode every point counts equally, so a 100-point exam counts five times as much as a 20-point quiz.
- Letters follow a common US 10-point plus/minus scale (A+ 97%, A 93%, A− 90%, B+ 87% … D− 60%, F below 60%) applied to the exact percentage without rounding. Your teacher's cutoffs may differ.
- Extra-credit scores above 100% are accepted, up to 200% per category.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate grades in a weighted class?
Multiply each category average by its weight, add the results, and divide by the total weight. Homework at 95% worth 10% and tests at 80% worth 90% give (95 × 10 + 80 × 90) ÷ 100 = 81.5%.
How do I calculate my grade percentage from points?
Add the points you earned on every assignment, add the points possible, divide the first total by the second and multiply by 100. 172 points out of 200 is 86%.
What is my grade if some categories have no scores yet?
Leave those categories out. The calculator divides by the weight you entered rather than 100%, giving your current grade on the work graded so far, and shows how much weight is still to come.
Why is my grade different from the gradebook?
Usually because of a missing or zero assignment, a dropped lowest score, or a category whose weight changed. Check that each category average matches the gradebook before comparing totals.
Can I use this grade calculator for college classes?
Yes. College syllabi list grading categories and weights the same way high school ones do; enter each one as a category, or use points mode if the syllabus grades out of a point total.
Is the letter grade the same at every school?
No. The 90/80/70/60 boundaries are common, but plus and minus cutoffs and the A+ threshold vary. Check the grading scale in your syllabus.
Sources
- Use Weighted Assignment Groups in Your Canvas Course — University of Chicago, Academic Technology Solutions. Checked October 10, 2026.
- Grade Scale — Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. Checked October 10, 2026.