Points grade calculator
In a points-based course your grade is points earned divided by points possible, times 100: 412 of 480 points is 85.83%. Enter your points and the points still to come to see your grade now, the best you can finish with, and how many points you need for an A, B or C.
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How do you calculate your grade with points?
Add up the points you have earned on everything graded, add up the points those assignments were worth, divide the first by the second and multiply by 100. Every point counts the same, so a 100-point exam moves your grade ten times as much as a 10-point quiz.
grade = points earned / points possible × 100
The calculator takes either your two totals or a list of assignments such as 43/50 18/20 88/100, which it adds up for you. It reads your letter from the scale you choose, with or without whole-percent rounding.
Current grade and total grade in Canvas
Canvas grades by points unless your instructor turns on weighted assignment groups: Instructure’s guide says that “by default, Canvas calculates the Total grade based on the points possible” (How do I weight the final course grade based on assignment groups?). Canvas also shows two numbers. The current grade counts only graded assignments, and the total grade counts “both graded and ungraded assignments,” so work not yet graded pulls it down as if it were a zero. You switch between them with the “Calculate based only on graded assignments” checkbox on your Grades page (How do I view my grades in a current course?).
This calculator shows both: your grade so far matches the current grade, and the “if you score 0 on the rest” figure matches the total grade. If your Canvas course uses weighted groups instead, use the Canvas grade calculator.
A worked example
A course is worth 1,000 points. So far 480 points have been graded and you have earned 412 of them. The other 520 points, the final exam included, are still to come.
- Grade so far: 412 / 480 × 100 = 85.83%, a B on the common syllabus scale (B from 83 to 86.99).
- If you scored 0 on the rest: 412 / 1,000 = 41.2%.
- Best you can finish with: (412 + 520) / 1,000 = 93.2%, so an A is still possible.
- For an A (93%): 930 − 412 = 518 of the 520 points left, an average of 99.62%.
- For a B (83%): 830 − 412 = 418 points, an average of 80.38%, so you could lose 102 points and keep the B.
Press “Fill in the example” in the calculator to see the full table for every letter.
How many points do I need to get an A?
Multiply the A cutoff by the total points in the course, divide by 100, and subtract the points you already have. With a 93% cutoff in a 1,000-point course, you need 930 points in all. If the answer is more than the points left, the A is out of reach without extra credit. If it is zero or less, you have already secured it.
points needed = cutoff % × (points possible so far + points still to come) / 100 − points earned
The calculator rounds the points needed up to a whole point when all your numbers are whole, so the number it gives is always enough. If your instructor rounds grades to a whole percent, choose that option and a cutoff of 93 needs only 92.5%.
Points courses and weighted courses
If your syllabus lists categories with percentages, such as homework 20% and exams 50%, the course is weighted and points in one category do not trade one for one with points in another. Use the weighted grade calculator for that. If the syllabus lists point values for every assignment and a total, such as 1,000 points, this calculator is the right one.
Which calculator to use
This one is for a course graded by total points. For one test’s percentage and how many questions you can miss, use the test score calculator. If only the final is left and your syllabus gives it a percentage weight, the final grade calculator answers that directly. To turn the percentage into grade points, use the percentage to GPA calculator, and to schedule the work still to come, the assignment calculator.
Points grade calculator FAQ
How do I calculate my grade with points?
Divide the points you have earned by the points possible on the graded work, then multiply by 100. 412 points out of 480 is 412 / 480 × 100 = 85.83%.
How many points do I need to get an A?
Multiply the A cutoff (often 93% or 90%) by the total points in the course, divide by 100, and subtract the points you have. In a 1,000-point course with 412 points earned, an A at 93% needs 930 − 412 = 518 more points.
What if I don’t know how many points are still to come?
Add up the point values of the remaining assignments and exams from your syllabus or the course’s assignment list. Without that number the calculator can still show your grade so far, but not what you need.
Why is my Canvas total grade lower than my current grade?
The total grade counts assignments that have not been graded yet as if they were zero, while the current grade counts only graded work. Instructure describes both on its guide to viewing grades. The gap closes as the remaining work is graded.
Does extra credit work in a points grade?
Yes. Add the extra points to the points you have earned without adding them to the points possible. Your grade can then go above 100%, and the calculator says so.
Is a points grade the same as a weighted grade?
No. In a points course every point counts the same. In a weighted course each category has a fixed share of the grade however many points it holds, so you need the weighted grade calculator instead.
Does this calculator send or save my grades?
No. The math runs in your browser, and the numbers and names you type are not sent to any server or stored on your device. Close the tab and they are gone. Like every page on this site, the page itself is counted in our visit statistics, which never include what you type.
Silent Student is a desktop study app that works inside Canvas and other course sites. See how it works if you are curious.