Your GPA (grade point average) is an average of your grades, weighted by how many credits each class is worth. Here's how to calculate it by hand, how weighted GPAs work, and how to figure out what it would take to raise yours.
Step 1: Convert letter grades to points
Most US high schools and colleges use a 4.0 scale:
| Letter grade | Grade points | Letter grade | Grade points |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | C | 2.0 |
| A− | 3.7 | C− | 1.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 | D+ | 1.3 |
| B | 3.0 | D | 1.0 |
| B− | 2.7 | D− | 0.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 | F | 0.0 |
Some schools count an A+ as 4.3, and some don't use minus grades at all. Check your school's handbook or registrar website for its exact scale.
If your grades are percentages, a common conversion is 93–100 = A, 90–92 = A−, 87–89 = B+, 83–86 = B, 80–82 = B−, and so on down to below 60 = F. Scales vary by school.
Step 2: Multiply by credits and add up
For each class, multiply the grade points by the class's credit hours. The result is sometimes called quality points. Then add up the quality points and the credits.
| Class | Grade | Points | Credits | Quality points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | A− | 3.7 | 3 | 11.1 |
| Calculus | B+ | 3.3 | 4 | 13.2 |
| Biology with lab | A | 4.0 | 4 | 16.0 |
| History | B | 3.0 | 3 | 9.0 |
| Spanish | C+ | 2.3 | 3 | 6.9 |
| Total | 17 | 56.2 |
Step 3: Divide
GPA = total quality points ÷ total credits = 56.2 ÷ 17 = 3.31.
If you had simply averaged the five grades (3.7, 3.3, 4.0, 3.0 and 2.3), you'd get 3.26. The credit-weighted figure is higher here because the two 4-credit classes had good grades. That's why credits matter.
Cumulative GPA
Your cumulative GPA combines every term. Don't average the semester GPAs; combine the quality points and credits instead.
Say you had a 3.2 GPA over 30 credits before this semester. That's 3.2 × 30 = 96 quality points. Add this semester's 56.2 points and 17 credits:
(96 + 56.2) ÷ (30 + 17) = 152.2 ÷ 47 = 3.24 cumulative GPA.
Weighted GPA (high school)
Many high schools give extra points for harder classes, commonly:
- Honors: +0.5
- AP, IB or dual-enrollment: +1.0
So a B in AP Calculus counts as 4.0 instead of 3.0. Here's one student's semester, with five classes of equal credit:
- AP Calculus: B (3.0 unweighted, 4.0 weighted)
- Honors English: A− (3.7 unweighted, 4.2 weighted)
- Biology: A (4.0)
- History: B+ (3.3)
- Spanish: A (4.0)
Unweighted GPA: 18.0 ÷ 5 = 3.60. Weighted GPA: 19.5 ÷ 5 = 3.90.
Colleges see both, and many recalculate GPAs in their own way, so a weighted GPA above 4.0 doesn't automatically beat a strong unweighted record.
What doesn't count
- Pass/fail classes usually don't affect GPA.
- Withdrawals (W) usually don't count either, though they appear on your transcript.
- Transfer credits often count toward your degree but not toward your GPA at the new school.
- Repeated classes follow school-specific rules: some replace the old grade, others average both.
How much can you raise your GPA?
It gets harder as you earn more credits, because each new class moves the average less. Using the example above (3.24 over 47 credits), how many credits of straight A's would it take to reach 3.5?
(3.5 × 47 − 152.2) ÷ (4.0 − 3.5) = 12.3 ÷ 0.5 = about 25 credits of all A's, roughly two full semesters.
The earlier you address a low GPA, the easier it is to move.
Calculate yours
The GPA Calculator handles letter grades with plus and minus, different credit hours and your previous cumulative GPA, so you can see your new cumulative GPA instantly.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 3.5 GPA good?
Does a W affect my GPA?
How do I convert my GPA to a percentage?
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