GPA Calculator
Calculate your semester GPA from course credits and letter grades on the standard 4.0 scale, with optional 5.0/honors weighting and cumulative GPA.
Calculator Inputs
| Course name | Credits | Letter grade | Remove row |
|---|---|---|---|
Enter each course's credit hours and letter grade (e.g. "A", "B+", "F"). Course name is optional and doesn't affect the calculation.
The 5.0 scale adds +1.0 grade point to every passing grade — a common general convention for honors/AP/weighted courses, not a guarantee of your school's exact policy.
Optional: total credit hours completed before this semester, used only to compute a cumulative GPA. Leave at 0 to skip cumulative GPA.
Optional: your cumulative GPA before this semester, on the same scale selected above.
- Semester GPA
- —
- Total Weighted Quality Points
- 0.00
- Cumulative GPA
- —
About these results
CalcSpectrum calculators produce automated estimates using established formulas and the specific values you enter. Because real-world outcomes depend on input accuracy, mathematical assumptions, and rounding conventions, please verify critical figures with an appropriately qualified financial, tax, medical, legal, or other professional, as relevant.
How It's Calculated
Formula
This calculator computes a weighted credit-hour GPA: each course's grade points are multiplied by its credit hours, those products are summed, and the sum is divided by total credit hours. Letter grades map to grade points on "the standard 4.0 scale" — a common general convention (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), not a universal rule and not a guarantee of your specific school's official policy. An optional 5.0/honors scale adds +1.0 grade point to every passing grade (F stays 0.0), matching a common general convention for honors/AP/weighted courses. Courses with 0 credits contribute nothing to the GPA. If every course has 0 credits (or no courses are entered), the GPA is undefined rather than shown as 0.0. Negative credit values and unrecognized grade text are excluded from the calculation rather than blocking it.
Worked Examples
Two courses, unequal credit weights (4.0 scale)
- Course 1: A (4.0 points) x 3 credits = 12.0 quality points
- Course 2: B (3.0 points) x 4 credits = 12.0 quality points
- Total quality points = 12.0 + 12.0 = 24.0
- Total credits = 3 + 4 = 7
- GPA = 24.0 / 7 = 3.43 (rounded)
Three courses including a failing grade (4.0 scale)
- Course 1: A (4.0) x 3 credits = 12.0 quality points
- Course 2: C (2.0) x 3 credits = 6.0 quality points
- Course 3: F (0.0) x 3 credits = 0.0 quality points
- Total quality points = 12.0 + 6.0 + 0.0 = 18.0
- Total credits = 3 + 3 + 3 = 9
- GPA = 18.0 / 9 = 2.00
Honors/5.0 scale example
- Course 1: A on the 5.0 scale = 4.0 + 1.0 = 5.0 points x 3 credits = 15.0 quality points
- Course 2: B on the 5.0 scale = 3.0 + 1.0 = 4.0 points x 4 credits = 16.0 quality points
- Total quality points = 15.0 + 16.0 = 31.0
- Total credits = 3 + 4 = 7
- GPA = 31.0 / 7 = 4.43 (rounded)
Frequently Asked Questions
What grade-point scale does this calculator use?
By default, "the standard 4.0 scale" — a widely used general US convention (A = 4.0 down to F = 0.0, with +/- increments). You can optionally switch to a 5.0/honors scale that adds +1.0 to every passing grade, another common general convention for honors/AP/weighted courses.
Is this the same as my school's official GPA?
Not necessarily. This calculator uses common, general grade-point conventions, not any specific institution's official policy. Schools vary in their +/- increments, weighting rules, and rounding — always check your school's registrar or catalog for your official GPA calculation.
How are zero-credit courses handled?
A course with 0 credits contributes 0 to both the total quality points and total credits, so it has no effect on your GPA. If every course has 0 credits (or you haven't entered any courses), the GPA is undefined rather than shown as 0.0.
Why is there no dropdown for letter grades in the course table?
The shared course table currently supports text and number columns, not a per-row dropdown, so letter grades are typed as text (e.g. "A", "B+", "F"). Unrecognized entries are simply excluded from the calculation rather than causing an error.
What does the cumulative GPA field do?
If you enter your prior cumulative credits and prior cumulative GPA, this calculator blends them with your current semester's courses to estimate a new cumulative GPA. Leave prior credits at 0 to see only this semester's GPA.