College GPA Calculator
Enter your grades and credits to find your semester and cumulative GPA. Add a previous GPA from your transcript, and see what average you need next to reach a target.
Your GPA
GPA
3.41
Roughly a B+ average.
- Credits counted
- 12
- Quality points
- 40.9
- Classes counted
- 4
Show the working
| Course | Grade | Credits | Points | Quality points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENG 101 | A | 3 | 4 | 12 |
| MATH 121 | B+ | 4 | 3.3 | 13.2 |
| PSY 201 | A− | 3 | 3.7 | 11.1 |
| BIO 110 | C+ | 2 | 2.3 | 4.6 |
GPA = total quality points ÷ total credits counted = 40.9 ÷ 12 = 3.41. Quality points are the grade points times the credits.
What is a college GPA?
Your grade point average, or GPA, sums up your grades in a single number. In college it is weighted by credits, so a 4-credit course counts more than a 2-credit one. Most US colleges use a 4.0 scale, where an A is 4.0 and an F is 0.0. This free college GPA calculator finds your semester GPA and your cumulative GPA from your grades and credits, lets you add a previous GPA from your transcript, and shows the average you need in upcoming classes to reach a target.
How to use the college GPA calculator
- Choose your grading scale. The standard 4.0 scale with plus and minus is selected. Change it if your school uses another.
- Enter your courses. For each class, pick the grade and type the credits. The course name is optional. Press "+ Add course" for more rows.
- Add more semesters. Press "+ Add semester" to see your cumulative GPA across terms.
- Add a previous GPA (optional). Enter the cumulative GPA and GPA hours from your transcript, then add only new terms.
- Read your result. You get your GPA, the credits and quality points behind it, each term, and the full working.
How to calculate your college GPA
Use this formula. Grade points are the value of the letter, and quality points are the grade points times the credits.
GPA = total quality points ÷ total credits counted
For example, this fall semester works out as follows.
| Course | Grade | Grade points | Credits | Quality points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENG 101 | A | 4.0 | 3 | 12.0 |
| MATH 121 | B+ | 3.3 | 4 | 13.2 |
| PSY 201 | A− | 3.7 | 3 | 11.1 |
| BIO 110 | C+ | 2.3 | 2 | 4.6 |
| Total | 12 | 40.9 | ||
40.9 ÷ 12 = 3.408, which rounds to3.41. Simply averaging the four grade points would give 3.33, which is wrong because it ignores the credits.
How to calculate cumulative GPA
Add the quality points and the credits from all terms, then divide. Do not average your semester GPAs. Suppose a second semester has 6 credits at a 2.33 GPA. Across both terms, the cumulative GPA is (40.9 + 14.0) ÷ (12 + 6) = 3.05. Averaging the two semester GPAs would wrongly give2.87.
If your transcript already shows a cumulative GPA, enter it with its GPA hours under "Add a previous GPA" and enter only the new terms. Counting a term twice makes the result wrong.
How to calculate GPA on the quarter system
The formula is the same, with quarter units in place of credits. For example, an A in a 4-unit class, a B+ in a 5-unit class, and a B in a 4-unit class give 44.5 quality points over 13units, a GPA of 3.42. If you combine quarter and semester transcripts, convert quarter units to semester credits first by multiplying them by 2/3.
College GPA scale: letter grades to grade points
| Letter grade | Typical percentage | Grade points |
|---|---|---|
| A | 93–100% | 4.0 |
| A− | 90–92% | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87–89% | 3.3 |
| B | 83–86% | 3.0 |
| B− | 80–82% | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77–79% | 2.3 |
| C | 73–76% | 2.0 |
| C− | 70–72% | 1.7 |
| D+ | 67–69% | 1.3 |
| D | 63–66% | 1.0 |
| D− | 60–62% | 0.7 |
| F | Below 60% | 0.0 |
On this scale an A+ also counts as 4.0, and the calculator has an option that counts it as 4.33. The percentages are typical, not universal. Schools set their own cut-offs and sometimes their own grade points, so use your college catalog when it differs.
What is a good college GPA?
- 3.50 to 4.00
- Strong. Often needed for honors, competitive programs, and merit scholarships.
- 3.00 to 3.49
- A solid B average. A common minimum for scholarships and graduate programs.
- 2.00 to 2.99
- Meets the usual minimum to stay in good standing and to graduate. Some majors ask for more.
- Below 2.00
- Can put academic standing and financial aid at risk. Talk to an academic advisor early.
If you receive federal student aid, check your school’s satisfactory academic progress rules, which usually set a minimum GPA and a pace for completing your credits.
Which classes count toward your GPA?
Policies vary by college, so treat these as common patterns and confirm them in your catalog.
- Pass, no pass, and withdrawn
- Usually carry no grade points and are left out of both the points and the credits.
- Incomplete (I)
- Carries no points until a grade is given. Some colleges turn an overdue incomplete into an F.
- Transfer, AP, and IB credit
- Often counts toward your degree but not toward your GPA.
- Repeated courses
- Some colleges count only the newest or highest grade, and some count every attempt.
- Rounding
- Some schools round to two decimals and others cut off after two, so 3.408 can be 3.41 or 3.40.
Tips to raise your GPA
- Put your effort where the credits are. A grade in a 4-credit class moves your GPA twice as far as the same grade in a 2-credit class.
- Use the planner. Enter a target GPA and your upcoming credits to see whether it is within reach and what average it takes.
- The more credits you already have, the slower your GPA changes. A single semester moves a 100-credit GPA much less than a 30-credit one.
- Check your school’s repeat policy before retaking a course. In some places the new grade replaces the old one, and in others both count.
- Ask an advisor or the instructor early if a course is going badly. Many colleges allow withdrawals or incompletes up to a deadline.
What this calculator can and cannot do
It finds a credit-weighted GPA on a 4.0 scale from the grades you enter, for one term or several, and can include a previous GPA and plan a target. It counts every row you enter, so it does not apply retake rules, and it does not add honors or AP bonus points. Pass, no-pass, and withdrawn grades are left out. It cannot predict a course grade from your scores, and your official GPA is the one on your transcript.
GPA terms explained
- GPA
- Grade point average: total quality points divided by total credits counted.
- Grade points
- The value of a letter grade, such as 3.7 for an A−.
- Quality points
- Grade points multiplied by the credits of the course.
- Credit hours
- The weight of a course. A 4-credit course counts twice as much as a 2-credit course.
- GPA hours
- The credit hours that count toward your GPA. They can differ from the credits you have earned.
- Cumulative GPA
- Your GPA across every completed term.
- Semester GPA
- Your GPA for a single term.
Related calculators
More tools for students are on the educational and academic calculators page.
Frequently asked questions
What is a college GPA?
A college GPA (grade point average) is the average of your course grades, weighted by credits. Each letter grade is worth grade points, usually A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, and F = 0. A 4-credit class affects your GPA more than a 2-credit class.
How do I calculate my college GPA?
Multiply the grade points of each course by its credits to get quality points. Add up the quality points of all your courses, then divide by the total credits. For example, an A in a 3-credit course and a B in a 3-credit course give (4.0 × 3 + 3.0 × 3) ÷ 6 = 3.50.
How do I calculate my cumulative GPA?
Add the quality points and the credits from every term, then divide the total quality points by the total credits. Do not average your semester GPAs, because terms with more credits should count for more. If you already know your cumulative GPA and GPA hours, enter them under "Add a previous GPA" and add only the new terms.
What are GPA hours, and how are they different from earned credits?
GPA hours are the credits that count toward your GPA. Earned credits can include courses that do not, such as pass/no-pass classes or transfer credit. Use the GPA hours shown on your transcript or degree audit when you enter a previous GPA.
What is a good college GPA?
A 3.0 is a B average and is a common minimum for scholarships and graduate programs. A 3.5 or higher is considered strong, and 3.7 or higher is often needed for honors. Most programs require at least a 2.0 to stay in good standing. Requirements differ by school and program, so check yours.
Do pass/fail classes and withdrawals count toward GPA?
At many colleges, pass (P), no pass (NP), and withdrawn (W) grades do not carry grade points and are left out of the GPA, along with their credits. Policies differ, and some schools count a failing grade in a pass/fail class. The calculator treats P, NP, and W as not counted. Check your college catalog for the exact rule.
How do retaken courses affect my GPA?
It depends on your college. Some count only the newest or the highest grade, and some count every attempt. This calculator counts every row you enter, so enter a course once to count it once, or twice to count both attempts.
How do I calculate GPA on the quarter system?
Use the same formula with quarter units in place of credits. If you combine quarter and semester transcripts, convert quarter units to semester credits first by multiplying them by 2/3.
Does the calculator include honors, AP, or IB weighting?
No. College GPAs are normally unweighted by course difficulty. They are weighted only by credits. Extra points for honors or AP classes are mostly a high school practice.
What GPA do I need next term to reach my target?
Open "Plan your next grades", then enter your target GPA and the credits you still plan to take. The calculator finds the average you would need with the formula (target × total credits − current quality points) ÷ upcoming credits, and tells you if the target is out of reach.
Why does my result differ slightly from my school’s GPA?
Schools differ in their grade-point values, in how they round (some round, some cut off after two decimals), and in which classes they count. Choose the grading scale that matches yours, and treat your transcript as the official figure.