College GPA Calculator
Use this college GPA calculator to estimate your semester and cumulative GPA from your grades and credit hours. Enter individual courses to calculate your semester GPA, or include your current GPA and completed credits to see how a new semester may change your cumulative GPA.
Add Your Courses
Enter each course with its credit hours (most college classes are 3–4). Add your current GPA and completed credits to calculate your cumulative GPA across semesters. Pass/fail, withdrawn and incomplete grades are ignored because they usually do not affect GPA.
Result Summary
- Courses counted0
- Semester GPA0.00
- Cumulative GPA—
- StatusEnter grades
How Do You Use the College GPA Calculator?
Select the appropriate GPA scale, then enter each course’s grade and credit hours. The calculator converts the grades into grade points, weights them by course credits, and displays your estimated semester GPA.
To estimate a new cumulative GPA:
- Select your GPA scale. Use the scale published by your college whenever possible. If you need to compare different scales, use the GPA Scale Converter.
- Enter each course. Add the course name, grade, and number of credit hours.
- Add more courses or semesters. Include every GPA-bearing course you want calculated.
- Enter your current information. Add your current cumulative GPA and completed GPA credits.
- Review the results. Check the semester GPA, cumulative GPA, counted credits, and quality points.
“Completed credits” should mean credits included in your institution’s GPA calculation. Credits earned through pass/fail courses, transfer work, or other non-GPA coursework may appear on your transcript without entering the institutional GPA denominator.
How Is College GPA Calculated?
College GPA is calculated by dividing total quality points by total GPA-bearing credit hours. A course’s quality points equal its grade-point value multiplied by its credit hours.
The University of Illinois registrar’s GPA instructions use the same process: multiply grade points by course hours, total the quality points and GPA hours, and then divide the two totals.
For a broader introduction to the terminology, read the guide to understanding GPA
Your GPA ≥ minimum honor GPA
College GPA Formula
This credit weighting means a 4-credit course normally contributes more to GPA than a 1-credit course.
Common 4.0 Grade-Point Values
The following values represent one commonly used 4.0 scale. The UNC registrar’s grading system uses these values, but other institutions may assign different values.
| 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 |
Colleges can handle A+ differently. For example, Stanford uses a 4.3 value for A+, while other institutions cap an A+ at 4.0.
Do not assume that a particular percentage always equals the same letter grade. Percentage boundaries and grade-point values can vary by course and institution. If you only want an approximate letter equivalent, use the GPA-to-letter-grade calculator.
Worked Semester GPA Example
Suppose a student completes these courses:| Letter grade | Grade points | Grade points | Grade points | Grade points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | A | 4.0 | 3 | 12.0 |
| Biology | B+ | 3.3 | 4 | 13.2 |
| History | A- | 3.7 | 3 | 11.1 |
| Art | B | 3.0 | 2 | 6.0 |
| Total | 12 | 42.3 |
Difference Between Semester and Cumulative GPA
Semester GPA covers one academic term, while cumulative GPA combines GPA-bearing coursework across multiple terms. A major GPA is different because it includes the courses defined by a student’s major or program.
The Fort Hays State University major GPA policy illustrates why students should check their own program: it defines major GPA using courses required by the declared major, including specified supporting and experiential courses.
| GPA Type | What It Includes | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| Semester GPA | GPA-bearing courses from one term | Reviewing recent academic performance |
| Cumulative GPA | GPA-bearing coursework across multiple terms | Academic standing, graduation and applications |
| Major GPA | Courses assigned to a major or program | Departmental requirements and some applications |
How Can You Use Your GPA Result?
A calculated GPA is most useful when it leads to a specific next step.
- Compare the estimate with your student portal to identify missing or incorrectly entered credits.
- Use the Semester Grade Calculator when you first need to estimate the final grade in an individual course.
- Use the Final Grade Calculator to estimate the exam score needed to reach a course-grade target.
- Use the GPA Planner to estimate which future grades could move you toward a target cumulative GPA.
- Check whether a target GPA is mathematically reachable within the remaining credits.
- Confirm repeat-course rules before assuming that retaking a class will replace the original grade.
- Browse the complete collection of GPA calculators when you need a different calculation.
Learn More About GPA
Want to understand your grades better? Our blog breaks down how GPA works, how to raise it, and how to plan your next semester — all in plain language.
FAQs
How is college GPA calculated?
College GPA is calculated by multiplying each course’s grade-point value by its credit hours, adding the resulting quality points and dividing by the total GPA-bearing credits. The institution’s grading scale determines the value assigned to each letter grade.
What is the difference between semester GPA and cumulative GPA?
Semester GPA includes one academic term, while cumulative GPA combines GPA-bearing coursework across multiple terms. Cumulative GPA is credit-weighted, so semester GPAs should not be averaged when the semesters contain different credit totals.
How do I calculate cumulative GPA across all semesters?
Add the quality points from all GPA-bearing courses and divide them by the applicable credit hours. When starting with a current GPA, multiply that GPA by completed GPA credits, add the new term’s quality points and divide by the combined credits.
Why do credit hours affect GPA?
Credit hours determine how heavily a course contributes to GPA. The same letter grade in a 4-credit course normally contributes four times as many quality points as it does in a 1-credit course.
Can I calculate college GPA without credit hours?
You can calculate an unweighted average when all courses carry equal weight, but an accurate credit-based college GPA normally requires each course’s credit hours. If the credits differ, treating every course equally can produce the wrong result.
Do pass/fail courses, withdrawals or incomplete grades affect GPA?
Their treatment depends on institutional policy. Passing pass/fail grades, standard withdrawals and unresolved incompletes are commonly excluded, but a failing pass/fail grade or withdrawn-failing code may receive zero grade points. Check your academic catalog.
Do transfer credits or repeated courses count toward GPA?
Policies vary. Transfer credits may count toward degree completion without entering the institutional GPA, while repeated courses may use grade replacement, averaging, the highest grade or the latest grade. Follow the policy of the institution calculating the GPA.
What is considered a good GPA in college?
A good GPA is one that meets the requirement for the student’s academic or career goal. Because colleges, majors, scholarships, employers and postgraduate programs use different standards, there is no single GPA threshold that is good for every student.