Support · Guide
How many credits do I need to graduate?
Most bachelor's degrees take about 120 credits, which is 15 a semester for four years. Here's what counts toward that total, why credits alone don't finish a degree, and how to work out how many semesters you have left.
Updated · Arcavelo
The short answer
How many credits a degree takes
A bachelor's degree is usually 120 semester credits, and an associate's degree is usually 60. Some colleges set the bar a little higher, and programs like engineering, nursing or education often need more. Your college catalog lists the exact number for your degree, and it's the number that counts.
A credit (or credit hour) roughly means one hour in class each week for a semester, plus about two hours of work outside class. So a typical 3-credit class meets about three hours a week.
Colleges on the quarter system count differently: a bachelor's there is usually about 180 quarter credits, which works out to the same amount of school.
Course load
How many credits to take each semester
To finish 120 credits in four years, take 15 credits a semester. 120 ÷ 8 semesters = 15, which is usually five 3-credit classes.
At most colleges, 12 credits is the minimum to count as a full-time student, which matters for financial aid, scholarships and housing. But 12 a semester is not on pace for four years: it takes 10 semesters to reach 120.
| Credits a semester | Credits a year | After four years | Semesters to 120 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 24 | 96 | 10 |
| 15 | 30 | 120 | 8 |
| 16 | 32 | 128 | 8 |
| 18 | 36 | 144 | 7 |
Many colleges charge a flat tuition for anything from 12 to about 18 credits, so taking 15 or 16 can cost the same as 12. Check your college's tuition page before you plan around it.
Worked example
How many semesters do I have left?
Subtract the credits you've earned from the total, divide by the credits you plan to take each semester, and round up.
Say you came in with 6 AP credits and have earned 39 more in college, so 45 in all.
120 − 45 = 75 credits left
- At 12 credits a semester: 75 ÷ 12 = 6.25, so 7 semesters
- At 15 credits a semester: 75 ÷ 15 = 5, so 5 semesters
- At 12 a semester plus one 6-credit summer: (75 − 6) ÷ 12, rounded up, is 6 semesters
That gap between 7 and 5 semesters is a full extra year of tuition, which is why the per-semester number matters more than it looks.
Requirements
Credits alone don't finish a degree
To graduate you need the total credits and every requirement inside them: your major, any minor, and general education. It's possible to reach 120 credits and still be missing a required class.
Your 120 credits usually split into three groups:
- Major: the classes your major requires, often a third to a half of the total.
- General education: the core classes every student takes, like writing, math and science.
- Electives: anything else, which fills the rest. A minor usually comes out of these.
Policies vary by college, so check your catalog. The usual rules are:
- AP, IB and transfer credit: counts toward your total if your college accepts it, but usually not toward your GPA.
- Failed and withdrawn classes: earn no credit, so the credits have to be made up.
- Repeated classes: usually count toward your credits only once.
- Pass/fail: a Pass earns credit, but some requirements must be taken for a letter grade.
- Upper-level and residency rules: many colleges require a minimum number of upper-level (300 and 400) credits, or a minimum number earned at that college.
Your college's degree audit (sometimes called a degree evaluation or academic progress report) checks all of this at once. Run it every semester before you register, not just senior year.
FAQ
Credit questions
How many credits do I need to graduate with a bachelor's degree?
Usually about 120 semester credits. Some colleges and programs, such as engineering or nursing, ask for more, so your college catalog lists the exact number for your degree.
How many credits is an associate's degree?
About 60 semester credits, which is 30 a year for two years.
How many credits should I take per semester to graduate in four years?
15. 120 credits ÷ 8 semesters = 15 a semester. Taking only 12 keeps you full-time at most colleges but takes 10 semesters to reach 120.
Do AP and transfer credits count toward graduation?
Usually yes, if your college accepts them. They count toward your total credits and can fill requirements, but they normally don't count toward your GPA. Your registrar decides which ones transfer and what they count as.
Do failed or withdrawn classes count toward my credits?
No. An F or a W earns no credit, so you'll need to make those credits up. A failed class usually still counts against your GPA unless you retake it under your college's repeat policy.
If I have 120 credits, can I graduate?
Not always. You also have to finish your major, any minor, and general education requirements, and some colleges require a minimum number of upper-level credits or credits earned at that college. A degree audit shows what's left.