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GPA Calculator

Compute semester or cumulative GPA from course credits and letter grades on the standard 4.0 scale.

Planning & Life · Reviewed by FreeCalculators Editorial · Updated 2026-09-15

Your details

4.0=A, 3.7=A−, 3.3=B+, 3.0=B, 2.7=B−, 2.3=C+, 2.0=C, 1.7=C−, 1.0=D, 0=F

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How it works

Grade Point Average (GPA) compresses letter performance into one number by converting each grade to a point value, multiplying by course credits, and dividing total quality points by total attempted credits. The standard US 4.0 scale maps 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=1.0, F=0. Quality points for one course = grade points × credits. GPA = Σ(grade × credits) ÷ Σ(credits). Pass/fail courses with no letter grade are typically excluded — leave unused course slots at zero credits. Worked example on the five defaults: Course 1: 3 cr × 4.0 = 12.0; Course 2: 3 × 3.7 = 11.1; Course 3: 4 × 3.3 = 13.2; Course 4: 3 × 3.0 = 9.0; Course 5: 3 × 3.7 = 11.1. Total quality points = 56.4; total credits = 16; GPA = 56.4 ÷ 16 = 3.525 → 3.53. A four-credit B+ pulls GPA differently than a three-credit B+ because credits weight the average — this is why credit-weighted GPA matters for honours and probation cutoffs. Cumulative GPA across semesters sums all quality points and all credits ever attempted (including repeats per your school's repeat policy). Some institutions use plus/minus; others truncate at whole letters. Weighted high-school GPA adds bonus points for AP/IB courses — this engine uses the unweighted college 4.0 scale unless you manually enter inflated grade values.

Formula


                Quality points (one course) = grade points × credits
Total quality points = Σ (grade × credits)
GPA = total quality points ÷ total credits

Standard 4.0 scale
  A=4.0 · A−=3.7 · B+=3.3 · B=3.0 · B−=2.7 · C+=2.3 · C=2.0 · D=1.0 · F=0

Worked example — defaults (5 courses)
  3×4.0 + 3×3.7 + 4×3.3 + 3×3.0 + 3×3.7 = 56.4 quality points
  Total credits = 16
  GPA = 56.4 ÷ 16 = 3.53

Tips

  • Enter grade points, not letters — use 3.7 for A−, 3.3 for B+, per the field help.
  • Leave unused course slots at zero credits so they do not dilute the average.
  • Retake policies differ: some schools replace the old grade, others average both attempts.
  • Scholarship cutoffs often require cumulative GPA — include every graded course, not one semester.
  • A 4-credit course at 3.3 moves GPA more than a 3-credit course at the same grade — credits are the weight.

Frequently asked questions

How is GPA calculated on the defaults?
Multiply each course grade points by its credits, sum those products, divide by total credits. **56.4 quality points ÷ 16 credits = 3.53 GPA**.
What is a 3.53 GPA?
Between a B+ and A− average — solid good-standing performance at most US universities. Dean's list thresholds are often 3.5 or 3.6; **3.53** clears many of them.
What grade points should I enter for a B+?
**3.3** on the standard scale. A=4.0, A−=3.7, B+=3.3, B=3.0, B−=2.7, C+=2.3, C=2.0.
Why are quality points 56.4 but GPA is 3.53?
Quality points are the raw weighted sum (**56.4**); GPA divides that by **16 credits** to get a per-credit average (**3.53**). Both numbers describe the same semester — one is the numerator, one is the rate.
Does this calculator do weighted high-school GPA?
Not automatically — it uses the standard 4.0 scale. For AP/IB bonus points, enter the weighted grade value your school uses (e.g. 4.3 for an A in AP if that is your policy).