GPA Calculator
Compute weighted GPA with multiple grading scales.
| Course | Credits | Grade |
|---|
GPA Results
How to Use This GPA Calculator
This free GPA calculator computes your grade point average from the grades and credit hours of your courses. Choose your school's grading scale — 4.0, 4.3, 5.0, or a direct percentage — enter each course with its credits and grade, and press Calculate GPA. Use + Add Course for as many classes as you need. The results panel shows your GPA rounded to two decimals, total credits, total grade points, and an academic-standing label — all computed instantly in your browser.
The GPA Formula
A grade point average is a credit-weighted average of your grades. The formula is:
GPA = Total Quality Points ÷ Total Credit Hours
where each course contributes quality points as:
Quality Points = Grade Points × Credit Hours
- Grade points — the numeric value of a letter grade on your scale (A = 4.0, B+ = 3.3).
- Credit hours — the weight of the course. A 4-credit class moves your GPA twice as much as a 2-credit class.
- Quality points — grade points multiplied by credit hours for one course; sum these across all courses.
- Total credit hours — the sum of credits for every graded course.
The Standard 4.0 Grade-Point Scale
Most U.S. colleges convert letter grades to grade points with the 4.0 scale below. Some schools award 4.3 for an A+ (the 4.3 option above), and many high schools use a 5.0 scale for advanced courses.
| Letter Grade | Grade Points (4.0 Scale) |
|---|---|
| A+, 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 | 0.0 |
Worked Example: One Semester
A student takes four courses in one semester on the 4.0 scale:
| Course | Credits | Grade | Grade Points | Quality Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | 3 | A | 4.0 | 12.0 |
| Calculus | 4 | B+ | 3.3 | 13.2 |
| Chemistry | 3 | A− | 3.7 | 11.1 |
| History | 2 | B | 3.0 | 6.0 |
| Total | 12 | 42.3 |
Applying the formula: GPA = 42.3 ÷ 12 = 3.525 ≈ 3.53. The calculator rounds to two decimal places, so it displays a GPA of 3.53 for this semester.
Weighted GPA: Honors, AP, and IB Courses
An unweighted GPA treats every course the same and caps out at 4.0. Many high schools instead report a weighted GPA that rewards harder classes: honors courses typically add +0.5 to the grade points, and Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses add +1.0, so an A in an AP class is worth 5.0 grade points instead of 4.0.
Mini example: a student earns an A in Honors English (3 credits) for 4.5 × 3 = 13.5 quality points, an A in AP Calculus (4 credits) for 5.0 × 4 = 20.0, and an A− in a regular History class (3 credits) for 3.7 × 3 = 11.1. That is 44.6 quality points over 10 credits, so Weighted GPA = 44.6 ÷ 10 = 4.46 — well above the 4.0 unweighted ceiling (3.91 for the same grades). Because every school weights differently, colleges often recalculate GPAs on their own scale, so report both if your transcript shows both.
Cumulative GPA Across Semesters
Your cumulative GPA covers every graded course you have taken. Simply averaging your semester GPAs gives the wrong answer unless every semester has identical credits — instead, convert each semester back into quality points and re-apply the formula:
Cumulative GPA = Σ (All Quality Points Ever Earned) ÷ Σ (All Credits Ever Attempted)
Worked example: a student finishes fall with a 3.20 GPA over 15 credits — 3.20 × 15 = 48.0 quality points — then earns the semester above: 42.3 quality points over 12 credits. The cumulative GPA is (48.0 + 42.3) ÷ (15 + 12) = 90.3 ÷ 27 ≈ 3.34. A naive average of 3.20 and 3.53 would give 3.37, overstating the result because the weaker semester carried more credits.
How Much Can One Grade Move Your GPA?
The impact of a single grade depends entirely on how many credits you have already accumulated. Imagine a student with a 3.0 GPA:
- Small credit load: with only 9 credits completed (27.0 quality points), one 3-credit course swings the average hard: an A lifts the GPA to (27.0 + 12.0) ÷ 12 = 3.25, while a C drops it to (27.0 + 6.0) ÷ 12 = 2.75 — a half-point swing.
- Large credit load: with 90 credits completed (270.0 quality points), the same 3-credit course barely registers. An A moves the GPA to 282.0 ÷ 93 ≈ 3.03, and a C to 276.0 ÷ 93 ≈ 2.97 — a swing of only about 0.06.
The lesson: early grades carry the most leverage — repairing a GPA late in a degree takes strong grades across many credits, not one good class. To find the exam score you need to protect a course grade mid-semester, use our Grade Calculator, which computes the final-exam grade required for any target course grade.
FAQ
What scales does this GPA calculator support?
You can calculate on the standard 4.0 scale, a 4.3 scale (where an A+ is worth 4.3), a 5.0 scale often used for weighted high-school GPAs, or enter raw percentages directly. Switching scales keeps your entered courses and credits intact.
How is GPA calculated?
GPA equals total quality points divided by total credit hours. For each course, multiply the grade points of your letter grade (A = 4.0, B+ = 3.3, and so on) by the course's credit hours to get its quality points, add them up, and divide by the sum of all credits.
What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
An unweighted GPA uses the standard 4.0 scale for every class and caps at 4.0. A weighted GPA adds bonus points for advanced coursework — typically +0.5 for honors and +1.0 for AP or IB classes — so it can rise above 4.0. High schools use weighted GPAs to reward rigor; colleges often recalculate both on their own scale.
How do I calculate my cumulative GPA across semesters?
Do not average your semester GPAs. Multiply each semester's GPA by its credits to recover its quality points, add the quality points from all semesters together, and divide by the total credits attempted. For example, a 3.20 semester over 15 credits (48.0 points) plus a 3.53 semester over 12 credits (42.3 points) gives 90.3 ÷ 27 ≈ 3.34.
How much can one grade change my GPA?
It depends on your total credits. Early on, with only 9 credits at a 3.0, one 3-credit A raises you to 3.25 while a C drops you to 2.75. With 90 credits at a 3.0, the same course moves you only to about 3.03 or 2.97. The more credits you have banked, the harder your GPA is to move.
Can I include pass/fail or withdrawn courses?
No — pass/fail and withdrawn courses normally carry no grade points, so they are excluded from the GPA calculation entirely. Simply leave them out of the calculator; only enter courses that receive a letter grade or percentage.
What is considered a good GPA?
On a 4.0 scale, 3.0 (a B average) is widely considered good, 3.5 or higher is strong for scholarships and graduate school, and 3.7 or above is excellent. Many programs and honors societies set cutoffs at 3.0, 3.5, or 3.7, so know your exact GPA.