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How to calculate your college GPA
Your GPA is your total quality points divided by your total graded credit hours. Convert each letter grade to points, multiply by the class's credits, add them up, and divide by the credits. Here's each step with a worked example.
Updated · Arcavelo
Step 1
Convert each letter grade to grade points
Most US colleges use a 4.0 scale with plus and minus grades. An A is worth 4.0 points, an A- is 3.7, a B+ is 3.3, and each step down is worth 0.3 or 0.4 less, to 0.0 for an F.
Some colleges don't use minus grades, and a few count an A+ as 4.3. Your college catalog lists the exact scale, so check it if a grade isn't in the table.
| Letter grade | 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+ | 1.3 |
| D | 1.0 |
| D- | 0.7 |
| F | 0.0 |
Steps 2 and 3
Multiply by credit hours, then divide
Multiply each class's grade points by its credit hours to get its quality points. That's what makes a 4-credit class count more than a 1-credit lab. Then add up the quality points and divide by the credits you were graded in.
| Class | Credits | Grade | Points | Quality points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | 4 | A- | 3.7 | 14.8 |
| Calculus | 4 | B+ | 3.3 | 13.2 |
| English | 3 | A | 4.0 | 12.0 |
| Psychology | 3 | B | 3.0 | 9.0 |
| Total | 14 | 49.0 |
49.0 quality points ÷ 14 credits = 3.50 GPA
Only classes with a letter grade count. Leave out a class that hasn't been graded yet, and leave out Pass, W (withdrawal) and audit grades, which at most colleges earn no grade points.
Cumulative GPA
Add up every semester, don't average them
Your cumulative GPA is every semester's quality points divided by every semester's graded credits. Averaging your semester GPAs gives the wrong answer whenever the semesters have different credit loads.
Say the semester above (3.50 over 14 credits) is followed by a 3.00 over 16 credits, which is 48.0 quality points.
(49.0 + 48.0) ÷ (14 + 16) = 97.0 ÷ 30 = 3.23 cumulative GPA
Averaging 3.50 and 3.00 would give 3.25, which overstates it because the lower semester carried more credits.
Colleges also differ on rounding: some round to two decimals and some cut off the rest, so a 3.499 could show as 3.50 or 3.49. Your transcript shows which.
Planning ahead
What GPA do I need next semester?
Multiply your goal by your total credits after next semester, subtract the quality points you already have, and divide by next semester's credits.
Continuing the example, you have 97.0 quality points over 30 credits and want a 3.4 cumulative GPA after a 15-credit semester.
- Quality points needed in total: 3.4 × 45 = 153.0
- Quality points still to earn: 153.0 − 97.0 = 56.0
- GPA needed next semester: 56.0 ÷ 15 = 3.73, roughly an A- average
If the answer is above 4.0, the goal can't be reached in one semester. The more credits you already have, the slower your GPA moves: here, even straight A's next semester would bring it to 3.49.
Special cases
Grades that work differently
Policies on these vary by college, so your registrar's catalog has the final word. The usual rules are:
- Pass/fail: a Pass earns credit but no grade points. Some colleges count a failing grade.
- Withdrawal (W): shows on your transcript but doesn't count toward GPA.
- Incomplete (I): doesn't count until it's replaced by a grade, and may turn into an F if it isn't.
- Repeated classes: some colleges replace the old grade, others average both attempts.
- Transfer and AP credit: counts toward your degree, but usually not toward your GPA.
- Percentages: your syllabus decides which percentage earns which letter. Convert to a letter first, then to points.
FAQ
GPA questions
What is the formula for college GPA?
GPA = total quality points ÷ total graded credit hours. A class's quality points are its grade points (A = 4.0, B = 3.0 and so on) times its credit hours.
Can I average my semester GPAs to get my cumulative GPA?
No. Semesters with more credits count for more, so add up every semester's quality points and divide by every semester's graded credit hours. Averaging the GPAs only works when each semester has the same number of credits.
How do I convert a percentage to GPA?
Turn the percentage into a letter grade using your class syllabus (for example, 90 to 92 is often an A-), then use the letter's grade points. Cutoffs vary by class, so the syllabus is the source of truth.
Do pass/fail classes and withdrawals count toward GPA?
At most colleges a Pass earns credit but no grade points, and a W (withdrawal) counts toward neither, so neither changes your GPA. Some schools do count a failing grade in a pass/fail class, so check your registrar's policy.
Do transfer credits count toward my GPA?
Usually not. Transfer and AP credits count toward your degree, but most colleges calculate GPA only from classes taken at that college.
Does an A+ count as more than 4.0?
At most colleges an A+ is worth 4.0, the same as an A. A few use 4.3. Your school's catalog lists its scale.