How this GPA calculator works
Your GPA is an average, but not a plain one. A four-credit class moves it more than a one-credit class, so every grade is weighted by its credits. The calculator does three things for each row:
- Turns the letter grade into grade points using the table below.
- Multiplies those points by the class credits. The result is called quality points.
- Adds all quality points and divides by all credits.
A worked example
Say a college student finished a semester with these three classes:
| Class | Grade | Points | Credits | Quality points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calculus I | A | 4.0 | 4 | 16.0 |
| Intro to Psychology | B+ | 3.3 | 3 | 9.9 |
| Chemistry | C | 2.0 | 3 | 6.0 |
| Total | 10 | 31.9 |
31.9 quality points divided by 10 credits gives a GPA of 3.19. If you averaged the three grades without credits, you would get 3.10. The A in the four-credit class pulls the real GPA up.
Letter grade to GPA points
This calculator uses the standard plus/minus 4.0 scale, the most common conversion in the United States. The College Board’s own BigFuture chart is simpler (A 90–100, B 80–89, no plus or minus). The percentage ranges below are typical, but your school sets its own cutoffs.
| Letter | Percent | Grade points | Honors | AP / IB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97–100 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| A | 93–96 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| A- | 90–92 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 |
| B+ | 87–89 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 4.3 |
| B | 83–86 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| B- | 80–82 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
| C+ | 77–79 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 3.3 |
| C | 73–76 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 3.0 |
| C- | 70–72 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.7 |
| D+ | 67–69 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| D | 65–66 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| F | Below 65 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
For a longer walk-through with a high school example and cumulative GPA, read how to calculate GPA.
Weighted vs. unweighted GPA
An unweighted GPA treats every class the same, so the top possible score is 4.0. A weighted GPA rewards harder classes. The most common rule adds 0.5 points for Honors and 1.0 point for AP or IB, which is why weighted GPAs can go above 4.0.
A failing grade gets no bonus in either system: an F in AP Physics is still 0 points. That is how most schools handle it, and it is how this calculator works.
Colleges see both numbers on many transcripts, and a lot of admissions offices recalculate GPA with their own rules. When you compare yourself with a college's published average, check whether it is weighted.
If you take several Honors or AP classes, the weighted GPA calculator lets you set your school’s exact bonus and shows both numbers side by side. More on how colleges treat each one: weighted vs. unweighted GPA.
When your official GPA may differ
- Different scale. Some schools give A+ a 4.3, use a 5.0 scale for every class, or skip minus grades.
- Different weighting. Some districts add +1.0 for Honors or only weight junior and senior years.
- Repeated classes. Many colleges replace the old grade when you retake a class, so it is counted once.
- Transfer credits. Credits from another school often count toward graduation but not toward your GPA.
Your registrar or school counselor has the official rules. Use this tool to plan and to check your own math, and see how we calculate for every rule behind the numbers.