GPA Calculator
Add your courses, credits and grades — get your semester and cumulative GPA instantly, on any scale.
Include previous semesters (cumulative GPA)
Enter credits and a grade for at least one course to see your GPA.
What a GPA really measures
Your grade point average is not a plain average of your grades — it is a credit-weighted average. A five-credit course pulls on your GPA more than a one-credit seminar, because each grade is first converted to grade points and then multiplied by the credits attached to it. The sum of those products, called quality points, is divided by the total credits you attempted. That single number is how admissions offices, scholarship committees, and graduate programs compare students who took completely different course loads.
Because the weighting is by credit, a strong grade in a heavy course can lift your average more than two strong grades in light ones — and one poor grade in a four-credit class can cost you more than you expect. Understanding the arithmetic below lets you predict how a single course will move your number before the term ends.
How grade points are assigned
Every letter grade maps to a fixed number of points. On the common US 4.0 scale an A is 4.0 and each step down subtracts roughly a third of a point. Different institutions cap the scale differently, which is why the same transcript can read as 3.7 on one scale and 4.1 on another.
| Letter | 4.0 scale | 4.3 scale | 4.5 scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.5 |
| A | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.5 |
| B | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.5 |
| C | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| D | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| F | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Worked example 1 — one semester
Four courses in a term on the 4.0 scale:
- Calculus, 4 credits, A → 4.0 × 4 = 16.0 quality points
- History, 3 credits, B+ → 3.3 × 3 = 9.9
- Chemistry, 4 credits, B → 3.0 × 4 = 12.0
- Seminar, 1 credit, A → 4.0 × 1 = 4.0
Total quality points = 41.9, total credits = 12. Semester GPA = 41.9 ÷ 12 = 3.49. Notice the single B+ in a 3-credit class barely moved the number, while the B in a 4-credit class did most of the damage.
Worked example 2 — cumulative across terms
Suppose you had already earned 30 credits at a 3.20 GPA and just finished the 12-credit term above at 3.49. Convert each back to quality points before combining:
- Prior: 3.20 × 30 = 96.0 quality points
- This term: 3.49 × 12 = 41.9
New cumulative GPA = (96.0 + 41.9) ÷ (30 + 12) = 137.9 ÷ 42 = 3.28. You cannot average 3.20 and 3.49 directly — the terms carry different credit weight.
Worked example 3 — a weighted AP boost
On a weighted high-school scale an A in a regular class is 4.0, but an A in an AP class earns +1.0. A student with an A in AP Biology (5.0), an A in Honors English (+0.5 → 4.5), and an A in regular Art (4.0), all 1 credit each, has a weighted GPA of (5.0 + 4.5 + 4.0) ÷ 3 = 4.50, while the unweighted figure is a flat 4.00.
Common mistakes
- Averaging GPAs directly. Combining semesters means summing quality points and credits, not averaging the two GPA numbers.
- Mixing scales. A prior GPA entered on a 4.5 scale next to 4.0 courses gives a meaningless result — convert first.
- Counting Pass/No-Pass courses. They usually carry credits but no grade points, so they belong in neither total.
- Forgetting retakes. Some schools replace the old grade, others average both attempts; the policy changes your real transcript GPA.
Where this estimate stops
This calculator reproduces the standard credit-weighted formula, but it cannot know your school's exact grade-point table, its rounding rule, or how it treats withdrawals, incompletes, and repeated courses. Treat the result as a close working estimate for planning, and rely on your official transcript or registrar for any figure that carries academic or financial consequences.
Sources & further reading
Frequently asked questions
How is GPA calculated?
Your GPA is a credit-weighted average of grade points. Each grade becomes points (on a 4.0 scale, A = 4.0, B = 3.0, and so on), those points are multiplied by the course's credits to get "quality points", and the total quality points are divided by the total credits. Example: an A (4.0) in a 3-credit course and a B (3.0) in a 4-credit course give (4.0×3 + 3.0×4) ÷ 7 = 24 ÷ 7 = 3.43. Pass/No-Pass courses carry no grade points and are left out of both totals.
Weighted vs unweighted GPA — how do AP/IB and Honors boosts work?
An unweighted GPA treats every course the same and caps at 4.0. A weighted GPA rewards harder courses by adding to their grade points — commonly +0.5 for Honors and +1.0 for AP or IB — so an A in an AP class can count as 5.0. Turn on "Weighted" (US 4.0 scale) and pick each course's type; this GPA calculator then shows both your weighted and unweighted GPA. A failing grade (F) stays at 0 and gets no boost.
4.5 vs 4.3 vs 4.0 — which scale does my school use, and how are conversions estimated?
Many US schools use a 4.0 letter scale (A = 4.0). Most Korean universities use a 4.5 scale (A+ = 4.5), while some such as KAIST and POSTECH use 4.3. Pick the scale your transcript uses. The conversion table gives a quick linear estimate between 4.0, 4.3, 4.5 and a percentage — it is approximate only, because every school maps grades differently, so treat it as a reference and not an official figure.
How do I calculate cumulative GPA across multiple semesters?
Open "Include previous semesters" and enter your prior cumulative GPA and the total credits you have already earned. The calculator turns your prior GPA back into quality points (prior GPA × prior credits), adds this semester's quality points and credits, and divides the totals — giving your new cumulative GPA. Make sure the prior GPA is on the same scale you selected above.
Is my data sent to a server?
No. Everything runs entirely in your browser — your courses, grades and credits never leave your device. Your entries are saved only in your browser's local storage so they are still there when you return, and you can wipe them any time with "Clear all". There is no sign-up and no tracking of what you type.