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GPA Calculator (4.0 Scale)
Pick a letter grade and the credit hours for each course to get your term GPA on the common 4.0 scale. Add your previous GPA and credits to see how the new term changes your cumulative GPA.
How GPA is calculated
A grade point average is a credit-weighted mean. Each letter grade maps to grade points, the points are multiplied by the course credit hours to give quality points, and the quality points are divided by the total credits attempted.
GPA = Σ(grade points × credits) ÷ Σ(credits)
For example, an A (4.0) in 3 credits and a B (3.0) in 3 credits gives 12 + 9 = 21 quality points over 6 credits, so the GPA is 3.50. A 4-credit course moves the average more than a 1-credit lab, which is why a plain average of letters is misleading.
For a cumulative GPA, the old GPA is treated as its quality points: previous GPA × previous credits. Those are added to this term's quality points and divided by all credits.
The grade-point scale used here
| Letter | Points | Letter | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ / A | 4.0 | C+ | 2.3 |
| A- | 3.7 | C | 2.0 |
| B+ | 3.3 | C- | 1.7 |
| B | 3.0 | D+ / D / D- | 1.3 / 1.0 / 0.7 |
| B- | 2.7 | F | 0.0 |
This is the most widely used US-style scale, but institutions set their own. Some give an A+ 4.3, some do not award minus grades, and some weight honors or advanced courses with an extra point. If your school differs, use the table in its handbook and adjust by hand. Outside the United States the same word may mean something else: the UK uses degree classes, and some countries use a 10-point or 5-point scale.
Planning with cumulative GPA
The more credits already completed, the less a single term can move the cumulative figure. A student with 90 credits at 3.0 who earns a 4.0 over 15 credits reaches only (270 + 60) ÷ 105 = 3.14. This is why early terms matter and why late recovery is slow.
To test a goal, add the previous GPA and credits, then change the expected grades for the coming term and watch the cumulative number. Repeat-course policies are a common complication: some schools replace the old grade, others average both. Enter the figures after your school's policy has been applied.
Common mistakes and limits
- Counting pass/fail courses. Courses graded only pass or fail usually earn credit but are left out of GPA. Set them to Not used.
- Mixing credit systems. Semester hours, quarter hours and European credit points are not interchangeable.
- Rounding early. Keep full precision until the end, as the calculator does, then round to two decimals.
- Treating an estimate as official. Only the registrar's transcript is authoritative, particularly for scholarships and admissions.
Worked example
Four courses this term: an A in a 3-credit course, a B+ in a 4-credit course, a B in a 3-credit course and an A- in a 2-credit course. Before this term the student had a 3.20 GPA over 30 credits.
Inputs
| Course 1 grade | A+ / A (4.0) |
|---|---|
| Course 1 credits | 3 |
| Course 2 grade | B+ (3.3) |
| Course 2 credits | 4 |
| Course 3 grade | B (3.0) |
| Course 3 credits | 3 |
| Course 4 grade | A- (3.7) |
| Course 4 credits | 2 |
| Previous cumulative GPA (optional) | 3.2 |
| Previous credits completed (optional) | 30 |
Result
Cumulative GPA after this term: 3.28.
| Quality points this term | 41.60 |
|---|---|
| Credits this term | 12.0 |
| Cumulative GPA | 3.28 |
| Total credits | 42.0 |
Course contributions
| Course | Grade points | Credits | Quality points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course 1 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 12.00 |
| Course 2 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 13.20 |
| Course 3 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 9.00 |
| Course 4 | 3.7 | 2.0 | 7.40 |
Accuracy note: Results are calculated in your browser from the values you enter. Check anything that matters for legal, academic or financial purposes against the official source.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate GPA with credit hours?
Multiply each course grade point value by its credit hours, add those quality points together, and divide by the total credit hours. This weights a 4-credit course more than a 1-credit course.
How do I calculate my cumulative GPA?
Multiply your previous GPA by your previous credits, add the quality points from the new term, and divide by the combined credits. Enter your earlier figures in the optional fields to do this.
Is an A+ worth 4.0 or 4.3?
It depends on the school. Many schools cap the scale at 4.0 so an A+ equals an A, while others award 4.3. This calculator uses 4.0, so adjust by hand if your institution differs.
Do pass/fail courses count toward GPA?
Usually not. They may count toward credits earned but are excluded from the average, so set them to Not used. Check your own school policy, since rules vary.
Can I use this for a weighted or honors GPA?
Not directly, because the scale is fixed at 4.0 for an A. If your school adds an extra point for honors courses, add that point to the grade manually before relying on the result.