GPA Calculator — Semester & Cumulative GPA
Your GPA is the number colleges and employers look at first, but working it out by hand means juggling grade points, credit hours and weighted courses. This free GPA calculator does it for you: add one row per course with its grade, credits and level, and it works out your semester GPA, your total grade points and your cumulative GPA including any prior credits. It supports both the 4.0 and 5.0 scales, and adds +0.5 for Honors and +1.0 for AP / IB courses, so weighted GPAs above 4.0 are handled correctly. Whether you are checking what grades you need this semester to reach a 3.5, or seeing how one bad grade affects your cumulative average, you will get a clear answer in seconds. All calculations run in your browser, and nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
Your GPA Results
Semester GPA
0.00
Grade Points by Scale
On the 4.0 scale, A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1 and F = 0. On the 5.0 scale each passing grade is one point higher (A = 5, B = 4, C = 3, D = 2, F = 0). Honors courses add 0.5 and AP / IB courses add 1.0 to the grade points for that course, so a weighted GPA can rise above the scale maximum.
| Grade | 4.0 scale | 5.0 scale | + Honors | + AP / IB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 / 5.5 | 5.0 / 6.0 |
| B | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.5 / 4.5 | 4.0 / 5.0 |
| C | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.5 / 3.5 | 3.0 / 4.0 |
| D | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 / 2.5 | 2.0 / 3.0 |
| F | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
How to Use This Calculator
- Choose your GPA scale. Most US schools use the 4.0 scale; some use a 5.0 scale where each passing grade is worth one point more.
- Add one row per course. Pick the grade (A–F), enter the credit hours, and choose the level: Regular, Honors (+0.5) or AP / IB (+1.0). Use + Add Course for more rows and Remove to delete one.
- Enter prior GPA and credits if you have them. To get your cumulative GPA, add your previous cumulative GPA and the total credits you had already earned. Leave them blank or at 0 for a first semester.
- Click Calculate GPA. The semester GPA is your total grade points divided by your total credits, and the cumulative GPA blends in your prior record the same way.
Worked Example
Suppose you take three courses: an A in a 3-credit course, a B in a 4-credit course and a C in a 3-credit course, all Regular level on the 4.0 scale. The grade points are 4.0 × 3 = 12.0 for the A, 3.0 × 4 = 12.0 for the B and 2.0 × 3 = 6.0 for the C, giving 30.0 grade points over 10 credits. Your semester GPA is therefore 30 ÷ 10 = 3.00. If you already had a 3.40 GPA over 30 prior credits, your cumulative GPA becomes (30.0 + 3.40 × 30) ÷ (10 + 30) = 132 ÷ 40 = 3.30.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is GPA calculated?
GPA is total grade points divided by total credits. Each course contributes its grade points (A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0 on the 4.0 scale) multiplied by its credit hours. Add up all the grade points, add up all the credits, and divide. For example, 30 grade points over 10 credits is a 3.00 GPA.
What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
Unweighted GPA uses the plain grade points on a 4.0 scale, so the highest possible GPA is 4.0. Weighted GPA adds extra points for harder courses — usually +0.5 for Honors and +1.0 for AP or IB — so a student with top grades in advanced courses can have a weighted GPA above 4.0, such as 4.5.
What is the difference between semester GPA and cumulative GPA?
Semester GPA covers only the courses in one term. Cumulative GPA covers everything: it blends your semester grade points and credits with your prior GPA and prior credits, using the same total-points-divided-by-total-credits formula across your whole record.
What is a good GPA?
On the 4.0 scale, a 3.0 is a B average, a 3.5 is roughly a B+/A− average and a 3.7 or above is generally considered strong for competitive college admissions. What counts as good depends on your school, your courses and the colleges or employers you are aiming for — weighted GPAs above 4.0 are common at schools that offer Honors and AP courses.
How do I raise my GPA?
Because GPA is an average over all credits, recent high grades in more credits move it fastest. Retaking a failed or low-grade course (if your school replaces the grade), taking a full load and earning As, and choosing courses you can genuinely do well in all help. One semester of As over 15 credits moves a 3.0 cumulative GPA more than the same grades over 9 credits.