GPA Calculator
Optional, for a running total.
- 3.445
- Term GPA
- 11
- Term credits
- 37.9
- Grade points
- :
- Cumulative GPA
The GPA calculator computes a term GPA from letter grades and credit hours on the standard 4.0 scale, and rolls it into a cumulative figure when you supply your previous GPA and credits earned. Credits are the weighting: a four-credit course affects your GPA a third more than a three-credit one.
How it works
GPA = sum(grade points x credits) / sum(credits)
- grade points
- A and A+ are 4.0, A− 3.7, B+ 3.3, B 3.0, and so on down to F at 0
- credits
- the credit hours for that course, which is what does the weighting
Cumulative GPA is not the average of your term GPAs. It is total grade points divided by total credits across everything, which is why a strong term with few credits moves the cumulative figure less than you might expect.
- A+ is treated as 4.0. Some institutions award 4.3, which raises a GPA above 4.0 and is not modelled here.
- The scale is unweighted. Honours and AP courses attract extra points at many schools, which this does not apply.
Examples
A three-course term
Mathematics
A, 4 credits
History
B+, 3 credits
Chemistry
B, 4 credits
Result
Term GPA 3.445 · 11 credits · 37.9 grade points
(4.0×4 + 3.3×3 + 3.0×4) / 11 = 37.9 / 11 = 3.445. The four-credit courses carry more weight than the three-credit one.
Rolling into a cumulative GPA
This term
3.445 over 11 credits
Previously
3.20 GPA over 45 credits
Result
Cumulative GPA 3.255
The 45 prior credits outweigh the 11 new ones four to one, so a strong term moves the cumulative figure by less than a tenth.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my cumulative GPA not the average of my term GPAs?
Because terms carry different numbers of credits. A 4.0 across 6 credits and a 3.0 across 18 gives a cumulative 3.25, not 3.5. Cumulative GPA is total grade points divided by total credits, which weights each term by its size.
Is A+ worth 4.0 or 4.3?
This calculator uses 4.0, which is the more common convention and keeps the maximum GPA at 4.0. Some institutions award 4.3 for an A+, allowing a GPA above 4.0. Check your institution’s scale, the difference compounds across a degree.
Does it handle weighted GPAs for honours or AP courses?
No. Many schools add a point for honours or AP classes, producing GPAs above 4.0, but the size of that bonus and which courses qualify vary too much between institutions to generalise. This is the unweighted 4.0 scale.
What do I enter for credits?
The credit hours the course is worth, as your institution states them, usually 3 or 4 for a standard course. If your system uses units or points instead, use those consistently; only the ratios matter.