Your grade point average turns a semester of letter grades into one number on a 4.0 scale. This high school GPA calculator works out your semester GPA from this term's classes and, if you enter your previous GPA and credits, your new cumulative GPA — the number that appears on transcripts and college applications. It handles full-year and half-credit classes and lets you choose between a plus/minus scale and a simple A–F scale.
This page calculates an unweighted GPA. If your school adds points for honors or AP classes, use the weighted gpa calculator. To check a single test or assignment, the test grade calculator converts raw scores to letter grades.
How to use the high school gpa calculator
- Enter each class you took this semester with its letter grade and credits (1 for a standard class; 0.5 for a quarter or semester-only class at many schools).
- Pick the grading scale your school uses. If your report card has no pluses or minuses, choose Simple.
- To get your cumulative GPA, enter the GPA shown on your last report card and the total credits it covers.
- Read the semester GPA and the new cumulative GPA. Add or remove rows as needed.
Formula
Plus/minus scale: A+/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. Simple scale: A 4, B 3, C 2, D 1, F 0, the version shown by the College Board's BigFuture.
Worked example
Using the pre-filled semester: B+ (3.3), A− (3.7), B (3.0), A (4.0) and C+ (2.3), each worth 1 credit.
- Semester points: 3.3 + 3.7 + 3.0 + 4.0 + 2.3 = 16.3.
- Semester GPA: 16.3 ÷ 5 = 3.26.
- Previous record: 3.2 GPA over 12 credits = 38.4 points.
- Cumulative GPA: (16.3 + 38.4) ÷ (5 + 12) = 54.7 ÷ 17 = 3.22.
On the simple scale the same grades are 3 + 4 + 3 + 4 + 2 = 16, a 3.20 semester GPA — a reminder that the scale your school uses matters.
Why cumulative GPA moves slowly
Each new semester is averaged with everything before it, weighted by credits. After two years (around 24 credits), a straight-A semester of 6 credits lifts a 3.0 cumulative GPA only to (3.0 × 24 + 4.0 × 6) ÷ 30 = 3.20. Raising a GPA is easiest early in high school, which is why freshman and sophomore grades matter more than students often think.
Caveats and assumptions
- Schools differ: some count A+ as 4.3, some exclude PE or electives, and some use percentages rather than letters.
- Colleges may recalculate your GPA using only core academic subjects, as BigFuture explains.
- This calculator does not apply honors or AP weighting; see the weighted GPA calculator.
- Repeated courses may replace the earlier grade at some schools; check your handbook.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my high school GPA?
Convert each letter grade to points (A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0, with plus/minus adjustments if your school uses them), multiply by the class credits, add them up and divide by total credits.
What is a good high school GPA?
BigFuture reports the average U.S. high school GPA is about 3.0. Selective colleges often admit students well above that, but they also weigh course rigour.
How do I calculate cumulative GPA?
Multiply your previous GPA by your previous credits, add this semester's grade points, and divide by the combined credits.
Is a 3.5 GPA good in high school?
A 3.5 unweighted GPA is above the U.S. average of about 3.0 and is roughly an A−/B+ average.
Do half-credit classes count less?
Yes. A 0.5-credit class counts half as much toward your GPA as a 1-credit class.
Sources
- College Board BigFuture — How to Convert Your GPA to a 4.0 Scale — 4.0 scale, average GPA, how colleges recalculate
- NCES — High School Transcript Study — national high school grade and credit data
This calculator gives estimates for planning and education. Check measurements, local codes, supplier specs and your school's official policy before relying on a result. See our disclaimer and how we build and check calculators.