How the 4.0 GPA scale works
Your GPA is a single number that sums up all your course grades. Each letter grade earns points. An A earns 4.0 points. A B earns 3.0 points. A C earns 2.0 points. A D earns 1.0 point. An F earns 0 points.
Then the calculator multiplies each grade's points by the credits for that course. It adds those results and divides by your total credits. That gives your GPA. The formula is: GPA = sum of (grade points times credits) divided by sum of credits.
Here is a worked example. Suppose you took three courses. You earned an A in a 3-credit course. You earned a B+ in a 4-credit course. You earned a C in a 3-credit course. The points are 4.0, 3.3, and 2.0. Multiply each by credits: 4.0 times 3 equals 12. 3.3 times 4 equals 13.2. 2.0 times 3 equals 6. Add those: 12 plus 13.2 plus 6 equals 31.2. Divide by total credits (3 plus 4 plus 3 equals 10). 31.2 divided by 10 equals 3.12. Your GPA is 3.12.
This page uses the most common US scale. Your school may use different cut-offs. Always check your school's policy.
Letter grades, percentages, and grade points
The table below shows the most common US scale. It lists each letter grade, the percent range, and the grade points on a 4.0 scale.
| Letter | Percent | 4.0 points |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97-100 | 4.0 |
| A | 93-96 | 4.0 |
| A- | 90-92 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87-89 | 3.3 |
| B | 83-86 | 3.0 |
| B- | 80-82 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77-79 | 2.3 |
| C | 73-76 | 2.0 |
| C- | 70-72 | 1.7 |
| D+ | 67-69 | 1.3 |
| D | 63-66 | 1.0 |
| D- | 60-62 | 0.7 |
| F | Below 60 | 0.0 |
Notice that A+ and A both earn 4.0 points. The 4.0 scale caps the top grade at 4.0. An A+ does not push you above 4.0 on this scale. Some schools use a 4.3 scale instead. On that scale, an A+ earns 4.3 points. Everything else stays the same.
Percent-to-letter cut-offs vary by school. One school may call 90 percent an A-. Another may call it an A. The table above is the most common one, but your school's chart is the one that counts.
Weighted vs unweighted GPA
An unweighted GPA uses the 4.0 scale for every course. A weighted GPA adds extra points for harder classes. This site adds 0.5 points for honors courses. It adds 1.0 point for AP and IB courses. So an A in a regular class earns 4.0. An A in an honors class earns 4.5. An A in an AP or IB class earns 5.0.
Weighted GPAs can go above 4.0. A student with all AP A grades could have a 5.0 weighted GPA. Districts vary. Some cap weighted GPAs at a lower number. Some use a 6.0 scale. Check your school's rules.
Colleges often look at both. They may recalculate your GPA using their own method. The number your school reports is the one on your transcript.
What common GPAs mean
Here is a plain reading of some common GPA numbers. These are general guides, not rules about what any school will decide.
- 2.0: This is often the minimum for good standing at many colleges. It means mostly C grades.
- 3.0: This is a solid B average. It keeps many options open for college and programs.
- 3.5: This is a mix of A- and B+ grades. It is common on many honors lists.
- 3.7: This is mostly A- grades with some A grades. It is a strong number for many applications.
To find the letter grade for a GPA, look at the nearest number in the table. A 3.5 GPA is closest to an A- (3.7) or a B+ (3.3). It sits between them. A 3.7 GPA matches an A- exactly. A 3.0 GPA matches a B exactly. A 2.0 GPA matches a C exactly.
Your GPA is not a fixed label. It changes as you take more courses. The cumulative GPA formula is: (prior GPA times prior credits plus this term's points) divided by (prior credits plus this term's credits). For example, if you had a 3.0 GPA over 45 credits and then earned a 4.0 over 15 credits, the math is (3.0 times 45 plus 4.0 times 15) divided by (45 plus 15). That is (135 plus 60) divided by 60, which equals 3.25.
Every formula on this site is published at /how-we-calculate/. You can check the math yourself.