GPA Calculator
Calculate your GPA from letter grades and credit hours — weighted or unweighted.
What this calculator does
Calculates your GPA (Grade Point Average) from a list of courses, letter grades, and credit hours — the standard weighted-by-credit-hours calculation used by most US colleges and high schools for an unweighted GPA.
Who this is for
Students checking their current GPA before it appears on an official transcript, anyone calculating what grades they'd need this semester to hit a target GPA, or students comparing how a potential grade change would affect their overall average.
How this calculator works
Each grade converts to grade points on a standard 4.0 scale, multiplied by credit hours, then divided by total credit hours — the standard unweighted GPA formula used by most US colleges.
The formula
GPA = Sum of (Grade Points × Credit Hours for each course) ÷ Total Credit Hours. Standard grade point values: A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, F = 0.0, with plus/minus grades typically adding or subtracting 0.3-0.33.
Worked example
Three courses: an A (4.0) in a 4-credit class, a B (3.0) in a 3-credit class, and a C (2.0) in a 3-credit class. Total grade points = (4.0×4) + (3.0×3) + (2.0×3) = 16 + 9 + 6 = 31. Total credits = 4+3+3 = 10. GPA = 31 ÷ 10 = 3.1.
Weighted GPA: How It Differs
This calculator produces an unweighted GPA, capped at 4.0 regardless of course difficulty. Many US high schools instead report a weighted GPA, which adds bonus points for Honors, AP, or IB courses — typically an extra 0.5 for Honors and a full extra 1.0 for AP/IB, meaning an A in an AP class contributes 5.0 grade points instead of 4.0 on a weighted scale. This is why a strong student's weighted GPA can exceed 4.0 (sometimes reaching 4.5 or higher), while their unweighted GPA — the figure this calculator produces — stays capped at 4.0. Colleges typically see both numbers on an official transcript and evaluate weighted GPA in the context of how many advanced courses were actually available at that school.
What GPA Do Graduate Programs Expect?
Most graduate programs set a 3.0 minimum GPA as a baseline eligibility requirement, though this varies significantly by field and competitiveness. Highly competitive programs (top-tier MBA, medical school, PhD programs at research universities) often see successful applicants averaging 3.5-3.8+, while many master's programs in less competitive fields admit strong candidates with GPAs in the 3.0-3.4 range, especially when other factors (test scores, research experience, work history) are strong.
How each course contributes
Run the calculator above to see how much each course's grade points contribute to your overall GPA.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting this is unweighted. This calculator uses a standard 4.0 scale — if your school uses weighted GPA (extra points for Honors/AP/IB courses), your official transcript GPA may differ from this result.
- Entering credit hours instead of course count. A 4-credit course should count roughly 33% more than a 3-credit course toward your GPA — make sure credit hours reflect the actual course weight, not just "1 course = 1 credit."
- Not including a failed or withdrawn course. Depending on your institution's policy, an F or a withdrawal may still count toward your GPA even if you retake the course — check your school's specific retake policy.
- Averaging GPAs across semesters instead of recalculating from scratch. Simply averaging two semester GPAs together gives an incorrect result unless every semester had identical total credit hours — always recalculate cumulative GPA from the full list of courses and credits.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I just average my semester GPAs to get my cumulative GPA?
Only if every semester had exactly the same number of total credit hours, which is rare. The accurate method is to recalculate from the full list of every course, grade, and credit hour across all semesters combined.
Is this weighted or unweighted GPA?
Unweighted, using a standard 4.0 scale. If your school gives extra grade points for Honors, AP, or IB courses (weighted GPA), your official transcript figure may be higher than what this calculator shows.
How do credit hours affect my GPA?
Courses with more credit hours count proportionally more toward your overall GPA — a 4-credit A contributes more grade points than a 1-credit A, since GPA is a credit-weighted average, not a simple average of grades.
Does a plus or minus grade matter?
Yes — most US institutions use a plus/minus scale (A- = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, etc.) rather than treating all A grades or all B grades identically. This calculator uses the standard plus/minus point values.
How do I calculate weighted GPA?
Add bonus points to the grade value for advanced courses before averaging — typically +0.5 for Honors and +1.0 for AP/IB courses. This calculator produces the unweighted (capped at 4.0) figure only.
What GPA do I need for graduate school?
Most programs set a 3.0 minimum, though highly competitive programs (top MBA, medical school, research PhDs) often see successful applicants averaging 3.5-3.8+.