How to Calculate GPA

Your GPA (Grade Point Average) is one of the most important academic numbers in school. Colleges, scholarships, internships, and graduate programs often look at GPA when evaluating students.

Fortunately, calculating your GPA is actually pretty simple once you understand the formula.

Step 1: Convert Your Letter Grades to Grade Points

Most schools use a standard 4.0 scale for GPA calculation:

A = 4.0
B = 3.0
C = 2.0
D = 1.0
F = 0.0

Some schools include plus and minus grades, such as B+ or A-, which slightly adjust the grade points.

Step 2: Multiply Grade Points by Credit Hours

Each class has a certain number of credit hours. To calculate GPA correctly, you multiply the grade points for each course by the number of credits the course is worth.

For example:

Biology (4 credits) with a B = 3.0 × 4 = 12 grade points
History (3 credits) with an A = 4.0 × 3 = 12 grade points
Math (3 credits) with a B = 3.0 × 3 = 9 grade points

Step 3: Divide Total Grade Points by Total Credits

Once you add all grade points together, divide that number by the total number of credit hours you took.

Example:

Total Grade Points = 33
Total Credits = 10
GPA = 33 ÷ 10 = 3.3

Use Our GPA Calculator

Instead of doing this math manually, you can use our GPA calculator to instantly calculate your GPA.

Open GPA Calculator

Why GPA Matters

Your GPA plays an important role in academic success. Many scholarships, academic honors, and graduate school programs require a minimum GPA.

Because of this, students often track their GPA every semester to make sure they stay on track academically.