Track Your GPA Like a Pro
Whether you are a high school student planning for college or a college student keeping an eye on your scholarship requirements, this calculator handles every US GPA scale - unweighted 4.0, weighted 4.5, weighted 5.0, and percentage-based. Add your courses, pick your scale, and get your GPA instantly. No signup, no ads in the way, no data leaves your browser.
What Is a GPA?
GPA stands for Grade Point Average. It is a single number that summarizes your academic performance across all your courses. In the United States, GPA is the primary metric used by colleges, scholarship committees, and employers to compare students from different schools on a common scale.
Your GPA is calculated by converting each letter grade (A, B, C, D, F) into a numeric value, averaging those values across all courses, and (in college) weighting them by credit hours.
The Standard 4.0 Scale
Most US schools use the following unweighted 4.0 mapping:
| Letter Grade | Percentage | GPA Points |
|---|---|---|
| A / 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 | 60-69% | 1.0 |
| F | Below 60% | 0.0 |
Some schools award 4.3 for A+; others cap all A grades at 4.0. Always confirm with your school's official grading policy.
Weighted vs Unweighted GPA
There are two versions of GPA you will encounter:
- Unweighted GPA: Every course counts the same. The maximum is 4.0. This is the standard for comparing students across schools.
- Weighted GPA: Advanced courses (Honors, AP, IB, dual enrollment) get bonus points. The maximum can reach 4.5, 5.0, or even 6.0 depending on the school.
Common bonus structure:
- Regular course: +0.0
- Honors course: +0.5
- AP / IB / Dual enrollment: +1.0
If your transcript shows a GPA above 4.0, it is weighted. Colleges will recalculate it on their own scale for fair comparison.
How to Use This GPA Calculator
- Select your school type (High School or College) to enable the correct weighting options.
- Add each course one at a time - name is optional, but letter grade is required.
- Choose the course level (Regular, Honors, AP/IB) if your school uses a weighted scale.
- In college mode, enter the credit hours for each course (1-4).
- The GPA updates instantly as you add, edit, or remove courses.
- Use the toggle to switch between weighted and unweighted results.
All calculations run in your browser. Nothing is sent to our servers.
How GPA Is Calculated
High School (equal-weight courses)
GPA = Sum of grade points รท Number of courses
Example: English (A = 4.0), Math (B+ = 3.3), Biology (A- = 3.7), History (B = 3.0), Spanish (A = 4.0)
Sum = 18.0 รท 5 = 3.6 GPA
College (credit-hour weighted)
GPA = Sum of (grade point ร credit hours) รท Sum of credit hours
Example: Calculus (4 cr, A = 4.0), Physics (3 cr, B = 3.0), English (3 cr, A = 4.0), History (3 cr, B+ = 3.3)
Total points = (4.0ร4) + (3.0ร3) + (4.0ร3) + (3.3ร3) = 16 + 9 + 12 + 9.9 = 46.9
Total credits = 13
GPA = 46.9 รท 13 = 3.61
Weighted (high school with AP/Honors)
Same as unweighted, but add +0.5 for Honors and +1.0 for AP/IB to each course before averaging.
Example: A in an AP class = 4.0 + 1.0 = 5.0. A B+ in Honors = 3.3 + 0.5 = 3.8.
What Is a Good GPA?
| GPA Range | Rating | College Options |
|---|---|---|
| 3.8 - 4.0 | Excellent | Ivy League, top scholarships |
| 3.5 - 3.79 | Very good | Selective colleges, merit aid |
| 3.0 - 3.49 | Good | Most state universities |
| 2.5 - 2.99 | Average | Community college, some 4-years |
| Below 2.5 | Below average | Limited; consider CC pathway |
GPA in High School vs College
- High school: Usually 4.0 unweighted or 4.5-5.0 weighted. Courses carry equal weight.
- College: Almost always 4.0 unweighted. Courses carry 1-4 credit hours, which weight the GPA.
- Grade inflation: Common in high schools; less common in colleges.
- Honors/AP bonus: Common in high school; rare in college.
How Colleges Use Your GPA
Nearly every US college considers GPA in admissions, but not all GPA is treated equally:
- Selective colleges recalculate your GPA on their own scale, un-weighting or re-weighting to compare students fairly.
- Course rigor matters more than the raw number. A 3.9 with 6 APs often beats a 4.0 with zero APs.
- Upward trend matters. Improving from 9th to 12th grade can offset a weaker start.
Common Mistakes When Calculating GPA
- Forgetting to weight AP/IB courses when the school uses a weighted scale.
- Mixing credit hours incorrectly in college GPA.
- Using the wrong percentage-to-GPA table (tables vary by school).
- Including pass/fail courses (usually excluded).
- Combining weighted and unweighted numbers in the same calculation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a 4.0 GPA hard to get?
Yes. A 4.0 requires an A in every class. Very few students achieve it, especially with rigorous coursework.
Is a 3.5 GPA good?
Yes. A 3.5 unweighted is above average and competitive for most colleges and merit scholarships.
Can my GPA go above 4.0?
Only on a weighted scale (Honors, AP, IB). On an unweighted 4.0 scale, 4.0 is the maximum.
How do I convert percentage to GPA?
Use the standard table above. Example: 85% typically converts to a 3.0 GPA. Exact conversions vary by school.
Does GPA matter after college?
For your first job, sometimes. After 2-3 years of work experience, employers focus on your track record rather than GPA. Graduate school admissions still weigh GPA heavily.
How is a weighted GPA converted to unweighted?
Remove the bonus points from each course and re-average. A 4.5 weighted GPA usually converts to 3.5-3.7 unweighted, depending on the course mix.
Related Tools on Qudexa
- Grade Calculator - compute your final grade from exam scores
- GPA 4.0 Scale Explained - full guide to the 4.0 scale
- GPA System in America - how US grading works
- How to Convert GPA - 4.0, 5.0, 10-point, percentage