Enter your courses, grades, and credit hours to calculate your GPA
Grade Point Average (GPA) is a weighted average of your course grades based on credit hours. Each letter grade corresponds to a quality point value on a 4.0 scale. Your GPA is calculated by multiplying each course's quality points by its credit hours, summing those products, and dividing by total credit hours.
GPA = Total Quality Points ÷ Total Credit Hours
For example, if you earn an A (4.0) in a 3-credit course and a B (3.0) in a 4-credit course: (4.0 × 3 + 3.0 × 4) ÷ 7 = 24 ÷ 7 = 3.43 GPA.
| Letter Grade | Quality Points | Percentage (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | 97–100% |
| A | 4.0 | 93–96% |
| A− | 3.7 | 90–92% |
| B+ | 3.3 | 87–89% |
| B | 3.0 | 83–86% |
| B− | 2.7 | 80–82% |
| C+ | 2.3 | 77–79% |
| C | 2.0 | 73–76% |
| C− | 1.7 | 70–72% |
| D+ | 1.3 | 67–69% |
| D | 1.0 | 60–66% |
| F | 0.0 | Below 60% |
GPA expectations vary by context. A 3.0 (B average) is generally considered acceptable, while a 3.5 or higher is considered strong. Most graduate school programmes require a minimum 3.0 GPA for admission, and competitive programmes expect 3.5 or above. Many scholarships require a minimum of 3.0 to 3.5, and Dean's List typically starts at 3.5.
Your semester GPA covers only the courses in a single term. Your cumulative GPA includes every course you have taken across all semesters. Cumulative GPA is what appears on your transcript and is used for graduation honours, graduate school applications, and employer evaluations. A strong semester can raise a low cumulative GPA, but the effect diminishes as you accumulate more credit hours.
The most effective way to raise your GPA is to earn higher grades in high-credit courses, since they carry more weight. Retaking a failed or low-grade course can help if your school replaces the old grade in the GPA calculation (grade replacement policies vary). Adding easy electives with good grades helps marginally, but the impact decreases as your total credit hours increase. Going from a 2.5 to a 3.0 typically requires earning mostly A's and B's for two or more consecutive semesters.
Multiply each course grade's quality points by the course's credit hours. Add up all the products, then divide by the total number of credit hours. This gives your weighted GPA on a 4.0 scale.
At most schools in the US, A+ equals 4.0, the same as an A. Some institutions award 4.3 for an A+, but this is uncommon. Check your school's specific grade point scale.
Most graduate programmes require a minimum 3.0 GPA. Competitive programmes in fields like medicine, law, and engineering typically expect 3.5 or higher. Some programmes consider the GPA in your major separately from your overall GPA.
Weighted GPA adds extra points for honours or AP courses — typically 0.5 for honours and 1.0 for AP, giving a possible 5.0 scale. This calculator uses the standard 4.0 unweighted scale. For weighted GPA, add the appropriate bonus before entering.
Most bachelor's degree programmes in the US require 120 credit hours. Some engineering and science programmes require 128–136. Full-time students typically take 12–18 credit hours per semester, completing their degree in 4 years at 15 credits per semester.