College GPA calculator
Enter each course’s credit hours and letter grade. You get your semester GPA on the scale your school uses, and with your earlier GPA added, your new cumulative GPA.
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How GPA is calculated
A GPA is an average weighted by credit hours. Each letter grade has a grade-point value (a B+ is 3.3 on the usual scale). Multiply that value by the course’s credit hours to get its quality points, add up the quality points for every course, and divide by the credit hours that carry a letter grade.
GPA = sum of (grade points × credits) ÷ sum of GPA credits
Credit hours matter. A 4-credit F pulls a GPA down four times as hard as a 1-credit A pulls it up: 4.0 × 1 + 0 × 4 = 4 quality points over 5 credits is a 0.80, not the 2.00 you get by averaging the two letters.
A worked example
A semester of four courses on the standard 4.0 scale:
| Course | Credits | Grade | Quality points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | 4 | B+ (3.3) | 3.3 × 4 = 13.2 |
| Calculus | 4 | A- (3.7) | 3.7 × 4 = 14.8 |
| English | 3 | A (4.0) | 4.0 × 3 = 12.0 |
| Psychology | 3 | C+ (2.3) | 2.3 × 3 = 6.9 |
Total: 46.9 quality points over 14 credits. 46.9 ÷ 14 = 3.35 for the semester.
Now the cumulative GPA. Say your transcript showed a 3.10 over 30 GPA credits before this semester. That is 3.10 × 30 = 93.0 quality points. Add the semester: 93.0 + 46.9 = 139.9 quality points over 30 + 14 = 44 credits, and 139.9 ÷ 44 = 3.1795, which rounds to 3.18. Averaging 3.10 and 3.35 would give 3.23, which is wrong because the two GPAs cover different numbers of credits.
4.0, 4.3 and 4.33 scales
Most US colleges use one of these. They differ in two places: what an A+ is worth, and whether a minus or plus moves a grade by 0.3 or by a third of a point. Your registrar’s website lists the one your school uses.
| Letter | 4.0 scale | 4.3 scale | 4.33 scale (thirds) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.33 |
| A | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| A- | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.67 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.33 |
| B | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| B- | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.67 |
| C+ / C / C- | 2.3 / 2.0 / 1.7 | 2.3 / 2.0 / 1.7 | 2.33 / 2.0 / 1.67 |
| D+ / D / D- | 1.3 / 1.0 / 0.7 | 1.3 / 1.0 / 0.7 | 1.33 / 1.0 / 0.67 |
| F | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The calculator also has a thirds scale with A+ capped at 4.0, and a scale with no plus or minus at all. Some schools have no A+ or no D-. If yours lists a grade the calculator offers but your school does not use, simply don’t pick it.
Pass/fail, W and retakes
- Pass/fail (P, S, CR). Credits toward graduation, but no grade points, so the course is left out of both the top and the bottom of the division. Choose “Pass (no GPA)” for it and the course is listed but not counted.
- W. No credits and no grade points in the GPA. A W can still count as attempted credits for financial aid progress rules.
- F. Counts in full: its credits go in the bottom of the division with zero quality points on top. That is why one F can cost more than several A’s gain.
- Retakes. Under grade replacement, the old grade and its credits leave your GPA and the new grade takes their place. Tick “Include my earlier GPA”, then choose the old grade under “Retake of”. If your school averages both attempts instead, leave it as “Not a retake”.
Want to know what you need from here? The raise GPA calculator works backward from a target cumulative GPA. For a high school transcript with honors and AP classes, use the high school GPA calculator.
Rounding
The calculator does exact arithmetic, then rounds half up to two decimals and also shows three. Some registrars cut off instead of rounding, so a 3.4999 is printed as 3.49 rather than 3.50; when the two differ, the result says so. Rounding is done on the exact value, so a GPA of exactly 3.925 shows as 3.93, not the 3.92 that ordinary floating-point code can produce.
GPA calculator FAQ
How do I calculate my GPA by hand?
Multiply each course’s grade points by its credit hours to get quality points. Add the quality points together and divide by the total credit hours that carry a letter grade. The worked example above does this for four courses.
What is the difference between a 4.0 and a 4.3 GPA scale?
On a 4.0 scale an A+ is worth 4.0, the same as an A. On a 4.3 scale an A+ is worth 4.3, so a GPA above 4.0 is possible. The other letters are usually the same. Choose the scale your registrar publishes.
How do I calculate my cumulative GPA?
Multiply your cumulative GPA so far by the GPA credits behind it to get your quality points so far. Add this term’s quality points and divide by all the GPA credits together. Averaging the two GPAs only works when both cover the same number of credits.
Do pass/fail classes affect my GPA?
A pass usually does not. It earns credits toward graduation but no grade points, so it is left out of the GPA. Schools differ on a failed pass/fail course, so check your registrar’s policy.
Does a W affect my GPA?
No. A W adds no credits and no grade points to your GPA. It can still matter for financial aid, whose progress rules count attempted credits.
Does retaking a class replace the grade?
It depends on your school. With grade replacement, the old grade and its credits leave your GPA. With grade averaging, both attempts count. To see the replacement case, tick “Include my earlier GPA” and choose the old grade under “Retake of”.
Why doesn’t my result match my transcript?
The usual reasons are a different scale (an A- worth 3.67 instead of 3.7), transfer or pass/fail credits handled differently, or a school that cuts off instead of rounding. The transcript is the official number.
Does this calculator send my grades anywhere?
No. The math runs in your browser. The grades, credits and course names you type are not sent to any server and are not saved, so reloading the page clears them.
These calculators are made by Silent Student, a desktop app that helps with coursework in Canvas and other course platforms. See how it works.