Quick answer: GPA is the sum of grade points × credits divided by the total credits. On the common 4.0 scale, courses graded A (3 credits), B+ (4), A− (3), B (3) and C (2) earn 49.3 quality points over 15 credits, a GPA of 3.29. Schools differ on whether A+ is 4.0 or 4.3, so check your own scale.
Your grade point average (GPA) sums up how you are doing in one number. Scholarships, honors, graduate school applications and some jobs look at it, so it pays to know where you stand and what a strong or weak semester will do to it.
Enter each course with its letter grade and credit hours. The GPA updates as you go. To see the effect on your overall record, add your current GPA and the credits you have already completed in the optional section.
How GPA is calculated
Each letter grade is worth a number of grade points. Each course’s points are multiplied by its credits to give quality points, and the total is divided by the total credits.
Cumulative GPA = (new quality points + old GPA × old credits) ÷ (new credits + old credits)
The scale used here is the common US 4.0 scale: A+ and 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. Some schools give an A+ a 4.3, use plus and minus differently, or add extra weight to honors and AP classes. If yours does, check your school’s grading policy.
A worked example
Example. Five courses with grades A (3 credits), B+ (4), A− (3), B (3) and C (2) earn 49.3 quality points over 15 credits, a GPA of 49.3 ÷ 15 = 3.29.
Grade point values
| Letter grade | Grade points |
|---|---|
| A+ and 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 |
The 4.0 scale used by this calculator.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Ignoring credit hours. A 4-credit course counts more than a 1-credit course, so a simple average of grades is wrong.
- Using a different scale to your school. Weighted GPAs, plus-and-minus grades and 5.0 scales are common, so check the school’s policy.
- Counting courses that do not count. Pass or fail and audited courses are usually left out, so give them zero credits or remove them.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my GPA?
Multiply each course’s grade points by its credits, add these up, and divide by your total credits. This calculator does that for you as you enter your courses.
What is a good GPA?
Above 3.0 is generally considered good, and 3.5 or higher is strong. What counts as good depends on your school, program and goals. Competitive programs often expect higher.
How do I work out my cumulative GPA?
Open the optional section and enter your current GPA and the credits behind it. The calculator combines them with the current semester, weighting each by credits.
Does a course with 0 credits count?
No. Courses with zero or empty credits are ignored, which is how pass/fail or audit courses are usually treated.
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Sources and further reading
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