GPA Calculator

Excel: the button above exports this calculation as a spreadsheet with live formulas, or download the blank template.

How GPA is calculated

Grade point average is a credit-weighted mean of your grades. Each letter grade maps to a number of grade points per credit, that number is multiplied by the course's credits, and the total is divided by the credits attempted:

GPA = sum(grade points x credits) / sum(credits)

Credits matter. An A in a 4-credit chemistry course pulls your GPA up more than an A in a 1-credit seminar, and a C in a heavy course drags it down more than a C in a light one.

The 4.0 scale

Letter	Percent (typical)	Grade points
A+	97 to 100	4.0
A	93 to 96	4.0
A-	90 to 92	3.7
B+	87 to 89	3.3
B	83 to 86	3.0
B-	80 to 82	2.7
C+	77 to 79	2.3
C	73 to 76	2.0
C-	70 to 72	1.7
D+	67 to 69	1.3
D	63 to 66	1.0
D-	60 to 62	0.7
F	below 60	0.0

Worked example

Using the five courses in the form above: Calculus I earns an A for 3 credits, Chemistry a B+ for 4, English Composition a C for 3, World History an A- for 3, and Studio Art a B for 2.

A  x 3 = 4.0 x 3 = 12.0
B+ x 4 = 3.3 x 4 = 13.2
C  x 3 = 2.0 x 3 =  6.0
A- x 3 = 3.7 x 3 = 11.1
B  x 2 = 3.0 x 2 =  6.0
total = 48.3 grade points / 15 credits = 3.22 GPA

Weighted GPA for honors, AP, and IB

High schools often reward harder courses by adding to the grade points before multiplying by credits: 0.5 for honors and 1.0 for AP or IB is the most common scheme, which is what the weighted option here uses. An A in an AP course is worth 5.0, a B in honors is 3.5, and an F stays at 0 regardless of level. Colleges frequently recompute a weighted GPA on their own scale, so treat the weighted figure as an estimate of how your school's transcript will read, not a universal number.

College versus high school GPA

College GPAs are almost always unweighted and credit-weighted exactly as above. High school GPAs vary: some schools weight, some do not, some count only core academic classes, and a few use a 100-point scale. When a college application asks for your GPA, report what your transcript shows and name the scale. Most admissions offices recalculate anyway.

How to raise your GPA

Because GPA is a running average, each new grade moves it less as credits accumulate. A student with 30 credits at 2.8 who earns straight As in a 15-credit semester climbs to 3.2; the same semester at 90 credits moves a 2.8 only to 2.97. To find the grade you need in a specific course, use the final grade calculator, and to see what a semester of target grades does to your average, add those planned courses as rows here with the grades you expect.

Retake failed or D-grade courses if your school replaces the earlier grade; many do.
Prioritize high-credit courses, since they carry the most weight.
Check whether pass/fail options are available for electives outside your major.

Frequently asked questions

Is an A+ worth more than an A?

On the standard unweighted 4.0 scale, no: both count as 4.0. A few schools award 4.3 for an A+, so check your registrar's policy if you are computing an official GPA.

What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?

Unweighted GPA caps every course at 4.0. Weighted GPA adds a bonus for harder classes, usually 0.5 for honors and 1.0 for AP or IB, so a B in an AP class counts as a 4.0 and the scale tops out at 5.0.

Do pass/fail or withdrawn courses count toward GPA?

Usually not. A pass earns credits but no grade points, so leave those courses out of the calculation. A failing grade in a pass/fail course is sometimes counted as an F, depending on the school.

How do I calculate my cumulative GPA across semesters?

Add the grade points from every semester and divide by the total credits attempted. Do not average semester GPAs directly unless every semester carried the same number of credits.

What GPA is considered good?

A 3.0 (B average) is the common cutoff for many scholarships and graduate programs, 3.5 is honors territory at most colleges, and 3.7 or above is typically required for the most selective graduate and professional schools.