🎓 GPA Calculator
By ToolNimba Editorial Team · Updated 2026-06-19
This GPA calculator works out your grade point average on the standard US 4.0 scale. Enter the letter grade and the number of credit hours for each course, and the tool converts every grade to its point value, weights it by credits, and returns your overall GPA. Because it weights by credit hours, a course worth 4 credits counts more toward your average than a 1-credit elective. Add as many courses as you need to find a single-term or full-transcript GPA.
What is the GPA Calculator?
Your grade point average (GPA) is a single number that summarises your academic performance. Each letter grade is mapped to a point value: an A is worth 4.0, a B is 3.0, a C is 2.0, a D is 1.0 and an F is 0.0, with plus and minus grades landing in between (an A- is 3.7, a B+ is 3.3, and so on). To find your GPA you multiply each course's grade points by its credit hours, add those products together, and divide by the total number of credit hours. Weighting by credits is what makes the average fair: it gives heavier courses more influence than light ones.
It helps to know the difference between a few kinds of GPA. An unweighted GPA caps every course at 4.0 no matter how hard it is, which is the scale this calculator uses. A weighted GPA, common in US high schools, adds a bonus for honours, AP or IB classes so the scale can run up to 5.0 (an A in an AP class might count as 5.0 rather than 4.0). The two are not interchangeable, so always check which scale a school or application is asking for before you report a number.
There is also a difference between a term GPA and a cumulative GPA. A term (or semester) GPA covers only the courses you took in one period. A cumulative GPA pools every course across every term you have completed, again weighted by credit hours, to give your running average over your whole programme. Most transcripts show both, and it is usually the cumulative figure that scholarships, honour rolls and graduate programmes care about.
When to use it
- Checking your semester GPA before final grades are locked in.
- Working out the cumulative GPA you will report on a college or scholarship application.
- Seeing how a heavy course (more credit hours) will pull your average up or down.
- Comparing the GPA you need to reach the dean's list or stay off academic probation.
How to use the GPA Calculator
- Add a row for each course you want to include.
- Pick the letter grade you earned (or expect to earn) for that course.
- Enter the credit hours the course is worth.
- Read your weighted GPA, which updates as you add or change courses.
Formula & method
Worked examples
You earned an A in a 3-credit course, a B in a 4-credit course, and a C in a 3-credit course.
- Convert grades to points: A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0
- Multiply by credits: (4.0 × 3) = 12.0, (3.0 × 4) = 12.0, (2.0 × 3) = 6.0
- Sum the points: 12.0 + 12.0 + 6.0 = 30.0
- Sum the credits: 3 + 4 + 3 = 10
- Divide: 30.0 ÷ 10 = 3.0
Result: GPA 3.00
You earned an A- in a 4-credit course, a B+ in a 3-credit course, and an F in a 3-credit course.
- Convert grades to points: A- = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, F = 0.0
- Multiply by credits: (3.7 × 4) = 14.8, (3.3 × 3) = 9.9, (0.0 × 3) = 0.0
- Sum the points: 14.8 + 9.9 + 0.0 = 24.7
- Sum the credits (the failed course still counts): 4 + 3 + 3 = 10
- Divide: 24.7 ÷ 10 = 2.47
Result: GPA 2.47
Letter grade to grade points (US 4.0 scale)
| Letter grade | Grade points |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| F | 0.0 |
Rough percentage to letter grade guide (varies by school)
| Percentage | Letter grade |
|---|---|
| 93 to 100% | A |
| 90 to 92% | A- |
| 87 to 89% | B+ |
| 83 to 86% | B |
| 80 to 82% | B- |
| 77 to 79% | C+ |
| 73 to 76% | C |
| 70 to 72% | C- |
| 60 to 69% | D |
| Below 60% | F |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Ignoring credit weighting. Averaging the grade points directly (a plain mean) treats a 1-credit lab the same as a 5-credit core course. Always weight each grade by its credit hours.
- Mixing 4.0 points and percentages. A GPA is built from grade points, not raw percentages. Convert each percentage to a letter grade first, then to its point value, before averaging.
- Dropping failed courses from the total. An F is worth 0.0 points, but its credit hours still count in the denominator. Leaving them out inflates your GPA above the real figure.
- Confusing weighted high-school GPA with the 4.0 scale. A 5.0-scale weighted GPA from honours or AP classes is not the same number a college expects on a 4.0 unweighted scale. Report the scale the application asks for.
Glossary
- GPA
- Grade point average: the credit-weighted average of your grade points, usually on a 0 to 4.0 scale.
- Credit hour
- A unit measuring how much a course counts, often tied to weekly class time. Heavier courses carry more credit hours and more weight in your GPA.
- Weighted GPA
- A GPA that adds bonus points for harder classes (honours, AP, IB), letting the scale exceed 4.0, often up to 5.0.
- Cumulative GPA
- Your running GPA across every term you have completed, weighted by credit hours over your whole programme.
Frequently asked questions
How is GPA calculated?
Convert each letter grade to its point value on the 4.0 scale, multiply each by the course's credit hours, add up those products, then divide by the total credit hours. The result is your credit-weighted GPA.
What is a good GPA?
On a 4.0 scale, a GPA around 3.0 is solid, 3.5 and above is strong, and 3.7 or higher is often the bar for honours and competitive programmes. What counts as "good" depends on your school and goals, but 2.0 is usually the minimum to stay in good standing.
How do I calculate weighted GPA?
A weighted GPA gives bonus points to harder classes: an A in an AP or honours course may count as 5.0 instead of 4.0. Assign each course its weighted point value, multiply by credit hours, sum, and divide by total credits. This calculator uses the standard unweighted 4.0 scale.
Does a failed class count toward GPA?
Yes. An F is worth 0.0 grade points, and its credit hours still count in the total you divide by. That is why a single failed course can pull your GPA down sharply, especially if it carries a lot of credits.
How can I raise my GPA?
Earning higher grades in future courses lifts the average, and the effect is larger for high-credit courses. Retaking a failed or low-graded class (where the policy replaces the old grade) and avoiding new low grades both help. The more credits already on your transcript, the slower a single term moves the cumulative figure.
What is cumulative GPA?
Cumulative GPA is your overall average across every term you have completed, weighted by credit hours, rather than just one semester. It is the figure most scholarships, honour rolls and graduate programmes look at.