To calculate your GPA, convert each letter grade to points, multiply by the credit hours, add up the results and divide by your total credits. The student in this guide has 15 credits and 50.3 quality points. That gives 50.3 ÷ 15 = 3.35.
- GPA = total quality points ÷ total credit hours.
- Quality points for a class = grade points × credit hours.
- On a plus and minus scale, an A is 4.0, an A- is 3.7, a B is 3.0 and a C is 2.0. Check your own school’s scale.
- Classes count by their credits. A 4 credit class has more pull than a 1 credit class.
- Pass, withdrawn and incomplete grades are usually left out.
The formula
GPA stands for grade point average. It is a credit-weighted average, which means every class counts in proportion to its credit hours.
- Write each grade as points on your school’s scale.
- Multiply the points by the credit hours of that class. The result is the quality points.
- Add the quality points for all classes.
- Add the credit hours for all classes.
- Divide the total quality points by the total credit hours.
Step 1: Grade points
Most US colleges use a 4.0 scale. The table shows a common plus and minus version, based on the grade pages of UNC Chapel Hill and Stanford. Some schools differ on the A+ and on the minus grades, so use the scale your registrar publishes.
| Grade | Points |
|---|---|
| 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 | 0.0 |
Step 2: A worked example
Take a student with five classes in one term. Each row multiplies the grade points by the credits.
| Class | Grade | Grade points | Credits | Quality points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calculus | B | 3.0 | 4 | 12 |
| English | A- | 3.7 | 3 | 11.1 |
| Biology | B+ | 3.3 | 4 | 13.2 |
| History | A | 4.0 | 3 | 12 |
| Yoga | C | 2.0 | 1 | 2 |
The credits add up to 15 and the quality points to 50.3. The GPA is 50.3 ÷ 15 = 3.353, which rounds to 3.35.
Why you cannot just average the grades
A plain average of the five grade points above is 3.20. The credit-weighted GPA is 3.35. The gap appears because the 1 credit yoga class, with a C, counts as much as the 4 credit calculus class in the plain average. In a GPA it counts a quarter as much.
This matters most when classes have different credit hours. If every class has the same credits, the two methods agree.
Which class moves your GPA most
Credits decide it. For this student, a different grade in the 4 credit calculus class would give a GPA of 3.62 with an A or 3.09 with a C. The same swing in the 1 credit yoga class gives 3.49 with an A or 3.35 with a C.
Step 3: Add a new term to your cumulative GPA
Your cumulative GPA covers every graded class so far. To add a term, you need the credits behind your current GPA. Suppose the student above had a 3.1 GPA over 45 credits before this term. The old quality points are 3.1 × 45 = 139.50. Add this term’s 50.3 to get 189.80, and divide by 60 credits. The cumulative GPA is 3.16.
Do not average the two GPAs. The mean of 3.1 and 3.35 is 3.23, which is wrong because the term is only 25% of the credits so far.
A short example you can do by hand
Three classes: a 3 credit B+ (3.3), a 3 credit A- (3.7) and a 2 credit B (3.0). Quality points are 3.3 × 3 = 9.9, 3.7 × 3 = 11.1 and 3.0 × 2 = 6.0. The total is 27.0 over 8 credits, so the GPA is 27.0 ÷ 8 = 3.375, which rounds to 3.38. Try it with your own classes before you open a calculator. Doing it once by hand makes every later result easier to trust.
Term GPA, cumulative GPA and major GPA
A term GPA covers one semester or quarter. A cumulative GPA covers every graded class at your school. A major GPA counts only the classes in your subject. They use the same formula on different sets of classes, so say which one you mean when a scholarship or program asks for a GPA.
If your school uses another scale
The method does not change. Only the grade points do. A school that scores an A as 4.3, or one that gives extra points for honors classes, still adds quality points and divides by credits. For percentages and high school classes, use the matching calculator.
Estimating your GPA before grades arrive
Enter the grade you expect in each class, then change one grade at a time to see the range. A perfect 15 credit term with a 3.1 GPA over 45 credits gives a cumulative 3.33. That is the ceiling for the term, and it shows how far one term can move the number. Plan with the grades you expect, then compare with the grades you want.
What gets left out
Pass, withdrawn and incomplete grades normally carry no grade points, so they do not count in the average. They may still count toward the credits you need to graduate. Your school’s policy decides this, and so does its rule on repeated classes.
Common mistakes
- Ignoring credits. A plain average treats every class alike.
- Using the wrong scale. A 4.0 scale and a 4.3 scale give different results for the same grades.
- Averaging term GPAs. Add quality points and credits instead.
- Counting a pass or a withdrawal. These normally have no grade points.
- Rounding early. Round only the final answer.
How to check your answer
Your transcript or student portal shows an official GPA. Calculate yours from the same classes and compare. A small gap usually means a different scale or a class your school treats differently. A large gap usually means a missing class or credit. Enter your classes in the calculator and see the quality points on each line.
Calculators that help
- GPA Calculator: your GPA from grades and credits, with the working.
- Cumulative GPA Calculator: your cumulative GPA after a new term.
- Target GPA Calculator: the average you need to reach a GPA goal.
Questions students ask
What is the formula for GPA?
GPA = total quality points ÷ total credit hours. Quality points are the grade points of a class multiplied by its credit hours.
How do you calculate GPA with different credit hours?
Multiply each grade’s points by its credits, add the results, and divide by the total credits. Classes with more credits count for more.
How do I calculate my cumulative GPA?
Add the quality points from all your classes, and divide by all your credits. If you only have your old GPA, multiply it by its credits to get the old quality points.
Do pass and withdrawn classes count in GPA?
Not usually. They normally carry no grade points. Check your school’s policy.
What is a quality point?
A quality point is the grade points of a class multiplied by its credit hours. A 3 credit A- is worth 3.7 × 3 = 11.1 quality points. Your GPA is the total quality points divided by the total credits.
Can a GPA be higher than 4.0?
On an unweighted 4.0 scale, no. Some schools add extra points for honors or AP classes, which can take a weighted GPA above 4.0. See the weighted and unweighted guide for how that works.
Is a GPA the same at every school?
No. Schools differ on plus and minus grades and on the A+. Use your own school’s scale.
