GPA Calculator
Semester and cumulative GPA from course grades and credit hours, on the 4.0 scale.
What it does
Grade Point Average turns letter grades into one number. Each course gives grade points equal to its grade value times its credit hours, and GPA is total points divided by total credits. A 4 credit A moves the average more than a 1 credit A, which is exactly the point: heavier courses count more.
The tool above handles up to five courses per term. Enter each grade and its credits, plus your current cumulative GPA and earned credits. Unused course slots stay at zero credits so they drop out of the math.
This page uses the common unweighted 4.0 scale. Some high schools add extra weight for honors or AP classes, and some colleges use plus and minus values that differ slightly. When a scholarship or program line is at stake, confirm your school scale first.
How to use
- Enter your current cumulative GPA and credits earned. Use zero credits for a first term.
- For each course, pick the expected or earned letter grade and its credit hours.
- Leave unused courses at zero credits so they are skipped.
- Read the semester GPA first, then the new cumulative figure.
Formula
- grade value
- Points per credit: A 4.0 down to F 0.0.
- credits
- Course weight. Labs count less than lectures.
- old points
- Prior GPA times prior credits, carried forward.
Credits weight the average. Retaken courses follow school policy: some schools replace the old grade, others average both attempts. This tool averages what you enter, so adjust inputs to match your school rule.
Worked example
Example: 3.2 over 30 credits, then five courses
Current GPA 3.2 with 30 credits. New term: A in 4 cr, B+ in 3 cr, A- in 3 cr, B in 4 cr, C+ in 3 cr.
- Points: 4.0x4 = 16.0, 3.3x3 = 9.9, 3.7x3 = 11.1, 3.0x4 = 12.0, 2.3x3 = 6.9. Total 55.9.
- Term credits: 4+3+3+4+3 = 17.
- Semester GPA: 55.9 / 17 = 3.29.
- Old points: 3.2 x 30 = 96.0. New total: 96.0 + 55.9 = 151.9 over 47 credits.
- Cumulative GPA: 151.9 / 47 = 3.23.
Reference table
| Letter | Points | Rough percent |
|---|---|---|
| A / A- | 4.0 / 3.7 | 93 to 100 / 90 to 92 |
| B+ / B / B- | 3.3 / 3.0 / 2.7 | 87 to 89 / 83 to 86 / 80 to 82 |
| C+ / C / C- | 2.3 / 2.0 / 1.7 | 77 to 79 / 73 to 76 / 70 to 72 |
| D / F | 1.0 / 0.0 | 60 to 69 / below 60 |
Limits
- Unweighted 4.0 scale here. Honors weights differ.
- Plus and minus values vary by school.
- Pass/fail courses usually excluded.
- Transfer credits follow receiving school rules.
Common mistakes
- Averaging letter grades without credits, which treats a lab and a seminar as equals.
- Mixing weighted high school grades with an unweighted college scale.
- Forgetting retake policy. Replacement and averaging give different cumulative numbers.
- Rounding each course first. Keep decimals to the end, then round once.
- Reading the semester GPA as the cumulative one when prior credits are large.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
Two A courses at 3 credits plus a B at 4 credits?
Points 12 + 12 + 12 = 36 over 10 credits: 3.6 GPA.
All B grades across 15 credits?
3.0 times 15 over 15: 3.0 GPA.
Questions
How do I raise my cumulative GPA fast?
Take more credits with high grades: each term pulls the average toward the new term GPA, weighted by credits. With many earned credits, one term moves the total slowly.
Do all schools use the same scale?
No. Plus and minus values and honors weights vary. Use your registrar scale for official numbers and this page for planning.
How are pass/fail courses counted?
Usually excluded from GPA while still counting toward graduation. Enter zero credits here for such courses.
What GPA do scholarships want?
Often 3.0 for renewal and 3.5 or higher for merit awards, but rules differ. Check the exact terms, including credit minimums.
Can GPA exceed 4.0?
Only on weighted high school scales with honors or AP bonuses. Standard unweighted GPA caps at 4.0.