Your GPA (grade point average) is the average of your grades, weighted by how many credits each course was worth. It summarizes your academic performance in a single number.
Here’s how the standard calculation works, step by step, with a worked example you can follow.
The GPA formula
GPA = total grade points ÷ total credits
Each grade translates to a number of grade points — on the common US scale an A is worth 4.0, a B 3.0, a C 2.0. Every course then contributes:
Course grade points = grade points × course credits
Step-by-step example
Say your scale awards A = 4.0 and B = 3.0, and you took three courses:
- Biology, 4 credits, grade A → 4.0 × 4 = 16 points
- English, 3 credits, grade B → 3.0 × 3 = 9 points
- History, 3 credits, grade B → 3.0 × 3 = 9 points
Total grade points = 16 + 9 + 9 = 34. Total credits = 4 + 3 + 3 = 10.
GPA = 34 ÷ 10 = 3.4.
Credit weighting matters
Because GPA is credit-weighted, a grade in a 4-credit course moves your average twice as much as the same grade in a 2-credit course. That’s also why a single weak grade in a small class rarely sinks an otherwise strong semester.
Weighted scales
Some schools use a weighted 5.0 scale where honors, AP, or IB grades are worth extra points. On that scale an A might be worth 5.0 instead of 4.0. Always use the scale your own institution publishes — GPAs from different scales are not directly comparable.
Work out your own GPA
Enter your courses, grades, and credits into the free GPA calculator to see your result instantly. Combine multiple terms with the cumulative GPA calculator, or check what you need to reach a target with the target GPA calculator.
Your official GPA is always the one your school publishes — treat any calculator result as an estimate.
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