College GPA Calculator
Calculate your college GPA in seconds. Add your courses, pick your grades, and get your semester or cumulative GPA instantly. Free, fast, and no sign-up required.
College GPA Calculator
How Your College GPA Is Calculated
Your GPA is a weighted average. Each course's grade earns a certain number of quality points, and those points are weighted by how many credits the course is worth.
The formula: GPA = Total Quality Points ÷ Total Credit Hours
Quality points for a course = grade value × credit hours. So an A (4.0) in a 3-credit course earns 12.0 quality points. A B+ (3.3) in a 4-credit course earns 13.2.
The credit hours matter. A B in a 4-credit lab pulls your GPA further than a B in a 1-credit seminar. That's why two students with the same letter grades can have different GPAs — it depends on where those grades land.
The 4.0 GPA Scale
| Letter Grade | Grade Points |
|---|---|
| A | 4.0 |
| A- | 3.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 |
| B | 3.0 |
| B- | 2.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 |
| C | 2.0 |
| C- | 1.7 |
| D+ | 1.3 |
| D | 1.0 |
| D- | 0.7 |
| F | 0.0 |
Most U.S. colleges use this standard scale. Some schools don't use plus/minus grades — if yours doesn't, just use the whole letter grades and ignore the rest.
Semester GPA vs. Cumulative GPA
Your semester GPA covers one semester only. It resets every term. Your cumulative GPA is the running average across all semesters since you started.
Most things that matter — Dean's List, academic standing, graduation honors — are based on your cumulative GPA. But tracking your semester GPA tells you whether you're trending up or down.
What Counts and What Doesn't
Pass/Fail courses usually don't factor into your GPA. You get credit but no quality points. Withdrawn courses (W) don't affect your GPA but do show on your transcript. Repeated courses vary by school — some replace the old grade, some average both. Transfer credits typically count toward your credit total but not your GPA at the new school.
How Many Credits Is a Full Semester?
A typical full-time semester is 12–18 credit hours. Most courses are 3 or 4 credits. If you're not sure about a specific course, check your syllabus or student portal.
Want to know what grade you need on your final? Try the Final Grade Calculator.
High school student? Use the High School GPA Calculator — it handles weighted and unweighted GPAs.
Curious where your GPA stands? See our GPA Scale guide for every GPA from 0.0 to 4.0.
GPANerd calculators are for informational purposes only. Always confirm your official GPA with your school's registrar. Grading scales and policies vary by institution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Add up the quality points for each course (grade value × credit hours), then divide by your total credit hours. Or just enter your courses above and we'll do it for you.
It's the standard grading scale used by most U.S. colleges. An A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, and F = 0.0. Most schools also use plus/minus grades (like B+ = 3.3 and A- = 3.7).
Your semester GPA only covers one term. Your cumulative GPA is the running average across every semester you've completed. Cumulative is the number that shows up on your transcript and matters for things like Dean's List and graduation honors.
Usually not. Most schools give you credit for a passing grade but don't include it in your GPA calculation. But if you fail a pass/fail course, some schools do count the F. Check your school's policy.
A withdrawal (W) typically doesn't affect your GPA at all. It shows on your transcript, but it carries no grade points. That said, too many W's can raise questions with financial aid or grad school admissions.
It depends on your goals. Above 3.0 is generally considered good. Above 3.5 is strong for grad school. Above 3.7 is Dean's List at most schools. But "good" is relative — a 3.2 in engineering is different from a 3.2 in communications.
It depends on your school. Some replace the old grade entirely (grade forgiveness). Some average the two attempts. Some count only the most recent. Your registrar's office can tell you which policy your school uses.