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Formula
Weighted grade = Σ(gradeᵢ × weightᵢ) ÷ Σ weightᵢ; share of grade = weightᵢ ÷ Σ weight
- gradeᵢ
- the percentage score on assignment i
- weightᵢ
- how much assignment i counts, on any scale (percent, points, credits or a multiplier)
- Σ weightᵢ
- the sum of all weights entered, used to normalize them so the shares total 100%
Weighted averages for grades
A weighted grade is an ordinary average with one change: each score is multiplied by how much it counts. A final exam worth half the course should move your grade far more than a single homework set, and the weighted average makes that happen.
Most syllabi state weights as percentages that total 100, but real gradebooks are messier. Weights may add up to 80 because the final hasn’t happened, a teacher may count tests “double”, or you may want to average course percentages by credit hours. This weighted grade calculator accepts weights on any scale and normalizes them, so the shares always add up to 100%.
How to use the calculator
- Enter each assignment’s grade as a percentage.
- Enter its weight in whatever units you have: a percentage of the course, its point value, its credit hours, or a multiplier such as 1 or 2.
- Add up to ten rows; leave unused ones blank.
The result shows the weighted grade and letter, the sum of the weights, an unweighted average for comparison and a table of each assignment’s share of the grade and the points it contributes.
How to calculate weighted grades by hand
Take three graded items whose weights are course percentages adding up to 80:
| Item | Grade | Weight | Share (weight ÷ 80) | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research paper | 84% | 25 | 31.25% | 26.25 |
| Labs | 91% | 15 | 18.75% | 17.06 |
| Exam | 70% | 40 | 50% | 35.00 |
| Total | 80 | 100% | 78.31 |
- Multiply each grade by its weight: 84 × 25 = 2,100; 91 × 15 = 1,365; 70 × 40 = 2,800.
- Add the products: 6,265.
- Divide by the sum of the weights: 6,265 ÷ 80 = 78.31%.
The plain average of 84, 91 and 70 is 81.67%. The weighted grade is lower because the weakest score has the largest weight. If those three items are everything graded so far, 78.31% is also the current grade before the remaining 20% of the course.
Weights on other scales
Normalizing is what makes weights on any scale work. Some cases:
- Multipliers: quizzes count once and tests count twice. A quiz average of 88% and a test average of 74% give (88 × 1 + 74 × 2) ÷ 3 = 78.67%.
- Credit hours: course percentages of 92% (4 credits), 78% (3 credits) and 85% (1 credit) average to (368 + 234 + 85) ÷ 8 = 85.88%. This is the percentage version of the GPA calculator.
- Points: an assignment’s point value works as its weight. Entering 40 and 60 as weights is the same as 40% and 60%.
The same formula is the weighted arithmetic mean from statistics; the average calculator covers plain means, medians and modes.
Extra credit and dropped scores
Extra credit on a single assignment is easy to model: enter the grade above 100%, for example 105% on a project that offered five bonus points. Extra credit added to the course total, rather than to one item, is better handled after the weighted grade is calculated. If the lowest quiz is dropped, leave that row out instead of entering a zero.
Weighted grade or grade calculator?
Use this page when weights are irregular or you want to see each item’s exact share. When your syllabus lists categories that total 100% and you want your current grade and letter, the grade calculator is set up for that, including a points mode. To find what a remaining exam must be, use the final grade calculator.
Real uses in college and high school
- Checking a weighted grade in a college course whose gradebook shows only individual assignments.
- Seeing how much a heavily weighted project can lift or sink a class grade before you submit it.
- Averaging scores across several classes by credit hours for a scholarship form that asks for a percentage.
- For teachers, building a term grade when categories were re-weighted mid-semester.
Common mistakes
- Dividing by 100 when the weights don’t total 100. Always divide by the sum of the weights actually used.
- Mixing scales in one calculation. Don’t combine percent weights in some rows with multipliers in others.
- Entering points as grades. Turn 17/20 into 85% first; the weight column is for how much the item counts.
- Treating a partial total as final. If only 60% of the course is graded, the result is your average so far.
Glossary
- Weight: how much an item counts relative to the others.
- Normalized weight (share): weight ÷ sum of weights; the shares always add up to 100%.
- Contribution: grade × share, the points an item adds to the weighted grade.
- Unweighted average: the plain mean of the grades, with every item counted equally.
Worked examples
Weights that add up to 100
A paper at 88% (30%), a presentation at 95% (20%) and an exam at 72% (50%).
Inputs: Assignment 1 grade = 88 %; Assignment 1 weight = 30; Assignment 2 grade = 95 %; Assignment 2 weight = 20; Assignment 3 grade = 72 %; Assignment 3 weight = 50
Σ(grade × weight) = 88 × 30 + 95 × 20 + 72 × 50 = 8,140 Σ weight = 30 + 20 + 50 = 100 Weighted grade = 8,140 ÷ 100 = 81.4%
Answer: Weighted grade 81.4% (B−) from 3 assignments with weights totaling 100.
Weights that only add up to 60
Three graded pieces worth 15%, 25% and 20% of the course; the remaining 40% is not graded yet.
Inputs: Assignment 1 grade = 90 %; Assignment 1 weight = 15; Assignment 2 grade = 84 %; Assignment 2 weight = 25; Assignment 3 grade = 77 %; Assignment 3 weight = 20
Σ(grade × weight) = 90 × 15 + 84 × 25 + 77 × 20 = 4,990 Σ weight = 15 + 25 + 20 = 60 Weighted grade = 4,990 ÷ 60 = 83.17%
Answer: Weighted grade 83.17% (B) from 3 assignments with weights totaling 60.
Edge case: multipliers instead of percentages
A quiz counted once at 100% and a test counted three times at 70%.
Inputs: Assignment 1 grade = 100 %; Assignment 1 weight = 1; Assignment 2 grade = 70 %; Assignment 2 weight = 3
Σ(grade × weight) = 100 × 1 + 70 × 3 = 310 Σ weight = 1 + 3 = 4 Weighted grade = 310 ÷ 4 = 77.5%
Answer: Weighted grade 77.5% (C+) from 2 assignments with weights totaling 4.
Assumptions and limitations
- Weights can be on any positive scale and are normalized by their sum, so 25/25/50, 1/1/2 and 10/10/20 give the same result.
- Grades are percentages. Convert letter grades or points to a percentage before entering them.
- When the weights are course percentages that add up to less than 100, the result is the average of the work entered (the grade so far), not the final course grade.
- Grades above 100% (extra credit) are accepted up to 200%.
- The letter shown uses a common US plus/minus scale (A 93%, A− 90%, B+ 87% … D− 60%) without rounding.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate weighted grades?
Multiply each grade by its weight, add those products, and divide by the sum of the weights. Grades of 90 (weight 2) and 75 (weight 1) give (180 + 75) ÷ 3 = 85%.
What if my weights don't add up to 100?
Divide by whatever they add up to. That rescales the weights into shares of 100%. Weights of 20, 20 and 40 total 80, so the shares are 25%, 25% and 50%.
What is a weighted average grade?
An average in which some grades count more than others. A plain average treats every grade alike; a weighted average multiplies each grade by how much it counts before averaging, which is how most course grades are built.
How do I calculate a weighted grade percentage by hand?
Work out each item's share (its weight ÷ total weight), multiply each grade by its share, and add the results. The sum is the weighted grade as a percentage.
Can I weight grades by credit hours?
Yes. Enter each course's percentage as the grade and its credit hours as the weight. The result is a credit-weighted average percentage, the percentage counterpart of a GPA.
Why is my weighted grade lower than my average?
Your lowest scores are on the items with the most weight. If a 70% exam is worth half the grade, it pulls the result down more than two high quiz scores can lift it.
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.