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College GPA Calculator

Enter your letter grades and credit hours to calculate your semester GPA on the 4.0 scale. Add your current cumulative GPA to see where your overall GPA will land.

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  • U.S. grading scale
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Include your previous GPA (cumulative)

Semester GPA

Pick a letter grade for at least one class.

How to calculate your GPA

  1. Convert each letter grade to grade points using the 4.0 scale below.
  2. Multiply the grade points by the course's credit hours to get quality points.
  3. Add up all quality points and all credit hours.
  4. Divide total quality points by total credit hours.

GPA = Σ(grade points × credit hours) ÷ Σ(credit hours)

Worked example

A typical first semester

ENGL 101: A- (3.7) × 3 = 11.1

MATH 151: B (3.0) × 4 = 12.0

PSYC 100: A (4.0) × 3 = 12.0

CHEM 110 + lab: C+ (2.3) × 4 = 9.2

Total: 44.3 quality points ÷ 14 credits = 3.16 GPA.

Notice the C+ in the 4-credit chemistry class pulls the GPA down more than the A- in English lifts it. Credit hours act as the weight, so your biggest classes matter most.

The 4.0 GPA scale

Letter grades, percentages and GPA points
LetterPercentageGPA (4.0)
A+97–100%4.0
A93–96%4.0
A-90–92%3.7
B+87–89%3.3
B83–86%3.0
B-80–82%2.7
C+77–79%2.3
C73–76%2.0
C-70–72%1.7
D+67–69%1.3
D63–66%1.0
D-60–62%0.7
FBelow 60%0.0

Semester GPA vs. cumulative GPA

Your semester GPA covers one term. Your cumulative GPA covers every graded course you've taken at that school, and it's the number on your transcript, in graduate school applications and in scholarship renewals. Open Include your previous GPA in the calculator to combine them, or use the dedicated cumulative GPA calculator.

Want to know what it takes to reach a 3.0 or 3.5? The raise GPA calculator works out the GPA you need next term. Still in high school? Use the high school GPA calculator, which adds Honors and AP weighting.

GPA thresholds that matter in college

  • 2.0: the usual minimum for good academic standing and federal financial aid progress (SAP).
  • 3.0: common cutoff for merit scholarship renewal and many internships.
  • 3.5+: dean's list at many schools, and Latin honors often start around here.

Exact cutoffs differ by school, so confirm with your registrar or financial aid office.

Frequently asked questions

How is college GPA calculated?

Multiply each course's grade points (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, etc.) by its credit hours to get quality points. Add all the quality points and divide by total credit hours. A in a 3-credit class plus B in a 4-credit class: (12 + 12) ÷ 7 = 3.43.

Do pass/fail classes count in my GPA?

Usually not. A Pass (P or S) earns credit without affecting GPA. At many colleges an F in a pass/fail course does count. Leave pass/fail courses out of the calculator unless you failed one.

What happens to my GPA if I retake a class?

Many U.S. colleges replace the old grade with the new one (grade forgiveness); others average both attempts. Check your registrar's repeat policy, then enter only the grade or grades that count.

Does an A+ count as 4.3?

At most colleges an A+ is capped at 4.0, which is what this calculator uses. A few schools award 4.33. If yours does, your official GPA may be slightly higher.

What is a good college GPA?

A 3.0 is a common minimum for scholarships, honor societies and many internships. A 3.5 or higher is considered strong, and it's the usual threshold for cum laude and the dean's list at many schools.

Do W grades affect my GPA?

No. A W (withdrawal) appears on your transcript but carries no grade points, so it doesn't affect your GPA. It can affect financial aid progress, though.

How do I calculate my major or science GPA?

Use the same method with only the courses that count. For a major GPA, enter just the classes in your major; for a science GPA (often called BCPM for medical school), enter only biology, chemistry, physics and math courses. Law and medical school application services recalculate GPA with their own rules, so treat your result as an estimate.

Can I calculate GPA from percentages?

Convert each class's percentage to a letter grade first (for example, 88% is a B+, or 3.3), then enter the letters. The grading scale page lists the percentage range and GPA points for every letter.

Last reviewed by the GradeCalc team. See how we calculate.