Free GPA Calculator
Add each class with its credit hours and letter grade to calculate your semester or cumulative GPA instantly. Works for high school and college on the standard 4.0 scale, with an optional 5.0 weighted scale for AP/Honors classes.
How GPA Is Calculated
GPA is a credit-weighted average, not a simple average of grades:
GPA = Σ(grade points × credit hours) ÷ Σ(credit hours)
A 4-credit A (4.0) counts more toward your GPA than a 1-credit A — that's why credit hours matter as much as the letter grade itself.
Standard 4.0 Grade Scale
- A / A- = 4.0 / 3.7
- B+ / B / B- = 3.3 / 3.0 / 2.7
- C+ / C / C- = 2.3 / 2.0 / 1.7
- D+ / D / D- = 1.3 / 1.0 / 0.7
- F = 0.0
Weighted vs. Unweighted GPA
An unweighted GPA treats every class equally on a 4.0 scale. A weighted GPA (often 5.0 scale) gives extra credit for Honors, AP, or IB classes to reflect their added difficulty — an A in AP Calculus might count as 5.0 instead of 4.0. Check with your school's registrar for which scale they officially report.
Worked Example
Suppose a semester has four classes: Biology (4 credits, A), Calculus (4 credits, B+), English (3 credits, A−) and History (3 credits, B). Multiply each grade's points by its credits:
- Biology: 4.0 × 4 = 16.0
- Calculus: 3.3 × 4 = 13.2
- English: 3.7 × 3 = 11.1
- History: 3.0 × 3 = 9.0
Total grade points: 49.3. Total credits: 14. GPA = 49.3 ÷ 14 = 3.52. A plain average of the four grades (4.0, 3.3, 3.7, 3.0) would give 3.50. The two 4-credit classes pull the real figure slightly higher because they carry more weight.
Semester GPA vs. Cumulative GPA
A cumulative GPA is not the average of your semester GPAs. It is the credit-weighted average of every class you have taken, so a heavier semester counts for more. If your first semester was a 3.0 on 12 credits and your second a 3.8 on 18 credits, the cumulative GPA is (3.0 × 12 + 3.8 × 18) ÷ 30 = (36 + 68.4) ÷ 30 = 3.48, not 3.4. To get a cumulative figure from this calculator, enter every class from every semester in one list.
How Weighted Scales Differ Between Schools
There is no single weighted GPA standard. Common conventions include adding a full point for AP or IB classes and half a point for Honors, capping the bonus so an A in a regular class stays at 4.0, or weighting only core academic subjects. Many colleges ignore the high school's weighting entirely and recalculate GPA on their own unweighted scale using academic classes only. The 5.0 toggle here adds one point to every grade except F, which matches the simplest convention. If only some of your classes are advanced, run the calculator separately for each group or check your transcript for the exact rule your school applies.
What It Takes to Raise a GPA
The more credits you have completed, the harder it is to move your cumulative GPA, because each new class is a smaller share of the total. The GPA you need over your next block of credits to reach a target is:
needed = (target × (current credits + new credits) − current points) ÷ new credits
With a 3.0 over 60 credits (180 grade points), reaching a 3.3 by the end of the next 30 credits requires (3.3 × 90 − 180) ÷ 30 = 117 ÷ 30 = 3.9 across those 30 credits. Reaching 3.5 in the same span would need a 4.5, which is impossible on an unweighted scale, so that target has to be set further out.
Pass/Fail, Withdrawals and Repeated Classes
Classes taken pass/fail usually count toward earned credits but are excluded from the GPA, so leave them out of the list here. A withdrawal (W) is normally excluded too. Repeated classes vary by institution: some replace the old grade with the new one, others average the two, and some keep both on the transcript. Check the registrar's policy before assuming a retake will erase a low grade.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's a good GPA? A 3.0 is generally considered solid, 3.5+ is strong, and 3.7+ is competitive for selective college admissions. Context matters — a 3.5 in a rigorous course load can outweigh a 3.9 in an easy one.
Does this calculate cumulative GPA across semesters? Yes — just add every class from every semester you want included, along with its credit hours. The tool doesn't distinguish semesters, only the total credit-weighted average.
Why do some schools use a 5.0 scale? To reward students who take more challenging Honors/AP/IB coursework. Toggle "5.0 scale" above to add a full point to A/B/C grades, a common (though not universal) weighting convention.
Can I use plus/minus grades? Yes — the calculator includes the full A+ through F scale with standard plus/minus grade points.
How do I work out the GPA I need to reach a target? Multiply your target GPA by the total credits you will have, subtract the grade points you already hold, and divide by the number of new credits. The formula and a worked example are in the "What It Takes to Raise a GPA" section above.
Do pass/fail classes affect GPA? Usually not. A Pass earns credit but no grade points, so it is left out of the calculation, while a Fail may be counted as an F at some schools. Check your institution's policy.
Is an A+ worth more than an A? On the standard 4.0 scale used here, both are 4.0. Some schools award 4.3 for an A+, which can push a GPA slightly above 4.0; if yours does, your transcript will show it.