How to use the gpa calculator
- For each course, pick the letter grade and type the credit hours. Course names are optional and only help you read the table.
- Leave unused rows blank. A row counts only when it has credit hours.
- Open More options to choose whether A+ is worth 4.0 or 4.3, or to switch to a weighted GPA with honors and AP bonus points.
- To get a cumulative GPA, also enter your current GPA and the credits behind it. Read the semester GPA, the 3-decimal value and the quality points table.
Formula
Quality points = grade points x credit hours
GPA = total quality points / total credit hours
Cumulative GPA = (prior GPA x prior credits + term quality points) / (prior credits + term credits)
Grade points come from the standard US 4.0 scale: A+ 4.0 (or 4.3), 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.
Worked example
Take an A in a 4-credit course, a B+ in a 3-credit course and a C in a 3-credit course. Quality points are 4.0 x 4 = 16, 3.3 x 3 = 9.9 and 2.0 x 3 = 6, for a total of 31.9 over 10 credits.
GPA = 31.9 / 10 = 3.19. To three decimals it is 3.190.
Now add a record of 3.50 over 60 earlier credits. Cumulative GPA = (3.5 x 60 + 31.9) / (60 + 10) = 241.9 / 70 = 3.4557, which is 3.46 to two decimals and 3.456 to three.
Weighted version: an honors A in 3 credits (4.5 x 3 = 13.5), an AP B in 4 credits (4.0 x 4 = 16) and a regular C in 3 credits (6) give 35.5 / 10 = 3.55, while the unweighted GPA for the same grades is 3.00.
How the calculator treats each case
The tool follows the most common US college convention, and every assumption is shown so you can compare it with your own school.
- Courses with a pass/fail grade are listed in the table but left out of the GPA, because most schools do not give them grade points.
- A course with 0 credit hours cannot change a credit-weighted average, so it is also left out. If every course is excluded, the tool tells you instead of dividing by zero.
- Weighted GPA adds a bonus to the grade points before multiplying by credits. The honors and AP bonuses are editable, and no bonus is added to an F.
- Results are rounded half up to 2 and 3 decimals after the exact quotient is found, so a value like 3.975 shows as 3.98 and 3.975.
Why credit hours matter more than the number of courses
A GPA is a credit-weighted average, not a simple average of letters. A single D in a 5-credit lab pulls the result down more than a C in a 1-credit seminar. If you only want a plain mean of numbers, use the average calculator. To see how a single assignment or exam changes one course grade, use the grade calculator.
Planning a target GPA
To explore a goal, enter the grades you expect and watch the cumulative GPA move. Because older credits carry weight, a high prior credit count makes a single term change the total slowly. A term of 15 credits at 4.0 raises a 3.0 record of 30 credits to (90 + 60) / 45 = 3.33.
Assumptions and limits
- The scale is the standard US 4.0 scale with plus and minus grades. Schools that use a different scale, such as one without minus grades, will give different values.
- A+ is 4.0 by default. Choose 4.3 only if your school rewards A+ with extra points.
- Weighted bonuses default to +0.5 for honors and +1.0 for AP, IB or college-level courses. Your school may use other values, so change them in More options.
- Retaken courses, grade replacement, transfer credit rules and institutional rounding policies are not modeled. Enter only the grades that count.
- Nothing you type is sent anywhere. Calculations run in your browser.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good GPA?
It depends on the goal. On a 4.0 scale, 3.0 is a B average and is a common cutoff for many scholarships and graduate programs. Competitive programs often look for 3.5 or higher, but they also weigh course difficulty, test scores and experience.
Can a GPA be higher than 4.0?
Yes, on a weighted scale. Honors and AP courses add bonus points, so a student with many of them can exceed 4.0. An unweighted GPA on the standard scale tops out at 4.0, or 4.3 where A+ is rewarded.
Do pass/fail courses affect my GPA?
At most schools they do not. A passing grade earns credits toward graduation without grade points, and a failing grade is handled by school policy. This tool leaves pass/fail rows out of the average and tells you which ones it skipped.
How do I calculate a cumulative GPA?
Multiply your current GPA by the credits it covers to get your earlier quality points, add this term's quality points, then divide by the combined credits. Enter your GPA and completed credits in the optional boxes and the tool does it for you.
Why does my school show a slightly different GPA?
Schools differ in the grade scale, in how they round, and in policies for repeated courses and transfer credit. Use the official transcript for decisions and this calculator for planning.