CL
Back to Calculators

GPA Calculator - Calculate Your Grade Point Average

Free GPA calculator to compute your Grade Point Average. Enter your courses, credits, and grades to instantly calculate your cumulative GPA on 4.0 or 5.0 scale.

8 min read

iAbout This Calculator

Your Grade Point Average (GPA) is one of the most important metrics in your academic career. Whether you're a high school student preparing for college applications, an undergraduate tracking your academic progress, or a graduate student maintaining scholarship requirements, knowing your GPA is essential. Our free GPA calculator makes it easy to compute your cumulative or semester GPA by entering your courses, credit hours, and letter grades. The calculator supports both the standard 4.0 scale used by most American institutions and the 5.0 scale used by some schools. Get instant, accurate results and understand exactly how each course contributes to your overall academic standing.

?How to Use

  1. 1

    Select your grading scale: Choose between the 4.0 scale (most common in US colleges) or 5.0 scale depending on your institution's system.

  2. 2

    Add your courses: Enter the course name (optional but helpful for reference), the number of credit hours, and the letter grade you received.

  3. 3

    Add more courses as needed: Click 'Add Course' to include additional classes. You can add as many courses as you need for your semester or cumulative calculation.

  4. 4

    Click Calculate: The calculator will compute your GPA by multiplying each course's grade points by its credit hours, then dividing the total quality points by total credit hours.

  5. 5

    Review your results: See your calculated GPA along with a detailed breakdown showing how each course contributes to your final average.

fFormula

GPA = \frac{\sum (Credit Hours \times Grade Points)}{\sum Credit Hours}

GPA is calculated by multiplying each course's credit hours by its corresponding grade points, summing all these quality points, and dividing by the total credit hours. This weighted average gives more influence to courses with more credits.

GPA
Grade Point Average (final result)
Credit Hours
Number of credits assigned to each course
Grade Points
Numerical value assigned to each letter grade (e.g., A=4.0, B=3.0)
Quality Points
Credit Hours multiplied by Grade Points for each course

Examples

Full-Time Semester

Inputs: courses: 5 courses, 15 total credits, grades: A, A-, B+, B, A
3.66 GPA

A full-time semester with strong grades. The A grades (4.0) offset the B+ (3.3) and B (3.0), resulting in a solid 3.66 GPA.

Dean's List Semester

Inputs: courses: 4 courses, 12 credits, grades: A, A, A-, A
3.93 GPA

Nearly perfect grades across all courses. One A- (3.7) instead of A (4.0) brings the GPA just below 4.0.

Mixed Performance

Inputs: courses: 5 courses, 16 credits, grades: A, B, C+, B-, A-
3.10 GPA

A mix of excellent and average grades. The C+ (2.3) significantly impacts the overall GPA despite other strong grades.

Recovery Semester

Inputs: courses: 3 courses, 9 credits, grades: A, A, B+
3.77 GPA

A lighter course load with strong focus results in a high GPA that can help recover from previous lower semesters.

Use Cases

College Applications

High school students calculate their GPA to include on college applications. Many universities have minimum GPA requirements for admission.

Scholarship Eligibility

Many scholarships require maintaining a minimum GPA. Track your GPA each semester to ensure you remain eligible for financial aid.

Graduate School Prep

Graduate programs often require a minimum undergraduate GPA. Calculate your cumulative GPA to assess your competitiveness.

Academic Probation

Students on academic probation can calculate what grades they need to raise their GPA above the required threshold.

Dean's List Goals

Determine what grades you need to achieve Dean's List recognition, typically requiring a 3.5 or higher GPA.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good GPA?
On a 4.0 scale: 3.5-4.0 is excellent (often Dean's List), 3.0-3.49 is good (B average), 2.5-2.99 is average, 2.0-2.49 is below average but passing. Requirements vary by institution, major, and goals (e.g., graduate school typically expects 3.0+).
How do plus and minus grades affect GPA?
Plus grades add 0.3 to the base (B+ = 3.3) and minus grades subtract 0.3 (B- = 2.7). An A+ is usually capped at 4.0, though some schools award 4.3. This system allows for more precise academic measurement.
What's the difference between semester and cumulative GPA?
Semester GPA reflects only one term's grades, while cumulative GPA includes all courses throughout your academic career. Employers and graduate schools typically focus on cumulative GPA.
Do all courses count toward GPA?
Most graded courses count. Pass/Fail courses typically don't affect GPA. Transfer credits may or may not count depending on your institution's policy. Withdrawn courses (W) don't impact GPA but may appear on transcripts.
Can I raise a low GPA?
Yes, but it becomes harder as you accumulate more credits. A student with 60 credits needs more A's to move their GPA than someone with 30 credits. Focus on high-credit courses and consider grade replacement policies if available.

Conclusion

Understanding your GPA is crucial for academic success and future opportunities. Whether you're aiming for the Dean's List, maintaining scholarship requirements, or preparing for graduate school, regularly calculating your GPA helps you stay on track. Use this calculator throughout your academic career to monitor progress, set realistic goals, and make informed decisions about course loads and study priorities. Remember that while GPA is important, it's just one measure of academic achievement. Combine strong grades with practical experience, research opportunities, and extracurricular involvement for the best outcomes.