How GPA Is Calculated
Grade Point Average (GPA) is a weighted average of your grades, where each course's grade points are multiplied by its credit hours before being averaged. The formula is: GPA = (sum of grade points × credit hours for each course) ÷ (total credit hours). This means a 4-credit course with an A affects your GPA twice as much as a 2-credit course with an A, which is why simply averaging your letter grades without weighting by credit hours gives an inaccurate result.
Standard 4.0 Grade Scale
This calculator uses the common US 4.0 scale: 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 = 1.0, F = 0.0. Add a row for each course, enter its credit hours and grade, and click Calculate GPA. You can add or remove rows as needed to match your full course load or a single semester.
FAQ
Does every school use the same grade scale?
No, some schools use slightly different point values or include grades like A+ or D-. This calculator uses the most common standard 4.0 scale; check with your institution if you need an exact match to their policy.
Can I calculate a cumulative GPA across multiple semesters?
Yes, just add all courses from every semester you want included as rows — the calculator weights everything together into one overall GPA.
What happens if I leave credit hours blank?
Rows with no credit hours entered are treated as 0 and won't affect the calculation, since they contribute zero weight to the weighted average.