Case 1
- Grade points this term (grade value × credits, added up)
- 45.3
- Credits this term
- 13
- Prior GPA (leave the credits at 0 to ignore)
- 3.2
- Prior credits
- 0
3.48
Open with these valuesGPA Calculator
3.48
Result: 3.48GPA = total grade points ÷ total credits. Multiply each course grade's point value by its credits, add them up, divide by the credits. 45.3 grade points over 13 credits give a GPA of 3.48. A prior record folds in through its own credits, not as a second average.
Worked examples
Case 2
- Grade points this term (grade value × credits, added up)
- 24
- Credits this term
- 6
- Prior GPA (leave the credits at 0 to ignore)
- 3.2
- Prior credits
- 0
4.00
Open with these valuesCase 3
- Grade points this term (grade value × credits, added up)
- 12
- Credits this term
- 3
- Prior GPA (leave the credits at 0 to ignore)
- 3
- Prior credits
- 12
3.20
Open with these valuesHow it's calculated
GPA = (grade points + prior GPA × prior credits) ÷ (credits + prior credits)
- StepLook up each course grade's point value in the table below.
- StepMultiply each by that course's credits and add the products.
- ResultEnter that sum and the total credits; add a prior record if you want the cumulative GPA.
What this number means
A grade point average is a weighted mean: every course counts as heavily as it carries credits. Santa Clara University states the rule plainly — multiply each grade point value by the units of the course, add these across all courses, and divide by the total units graded. That is the whole calculation, and it is why a three-credit A moves the average further than a one-credit A. This page asks for the two sums instead of course-by-course rows. The result is identical and the page handles any number of courses, but it cannot show you a per-course breakdown, and the multiplication of grade value by credits is yours to do. The table above gives the point value of every letter so you can. The prior record works the same way. A previous GPA multiplied by the credits behind it recovers the grade points already earned, and those join the sums. Averaging two GPAs instead would be wrong whenever the two terms carry different credit loads. Leave the prior credits at zero and the term stands alone. The 4.0 scale with plus and minus steps is the common convention, not a law. Schools that grade in whole letters, or that count A+ as 4.3, use different point values — enter the ones your institution publishes and the arithmetic here still holds.
Sums, not course rows
This calculator takes the totals rather than one row per course. It handles any number of courses, but it does not break the result down course by course.
One scale among several
The values here are the 4.0 scale with plus and minus steps. Some schools grade in whole letters only, some count A+ as 4.3, and pass/fail courses usually stay out of the GPA entirely.
Cumulative means credits, not averages
A prior GPA joins through the credits behind it. Averaging this term's GPA with last term's would only be right if both carried the same credit load.
Commonly misread
Averaging the four grade values and calling it the GPA
Weight each grade by its credits first. Four courses graded A, A, A and F are not a 3.0 unless all four carry the same credits.
Leaving a failed course out of the credits
An F contributes zero grade points but its credits stay in the denominator. That is exactly what drags the average down.
Averaging this term's GPA with the previous one
Fold the prior record in through its credits. Two GPAs only average correctly when both rest on the same number of credits.
Reference table
| Letter grade | Grade points | 3 credits earn |
|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | 12.0 |
| A− | 3.7 | 11.1 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 9.9 |
| B | 3.0 | 9.0 |
| B− | 2.7 | 8.1 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 6.9 |
| C | 2.0 | 6.0 |
| C− | 1.7 | 5.1 |
| D+ | 1.3 | 3.9 |
| D | 1.0 | 3.0 |
| D− | 0.7 | 2.1 |
| F | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Questions
How do I calculate my GPA?
Multiply each course grade's point value by the course's credits, add the products, and divide by the total credits. Four courses at A/3, B+/4, A−/3 and B/3 give 45.3 grade points over 13 credits, a GPA of 3.48.
What are grade points?
Grade points are the point value of a grade multiplied by the credits of the course. An A in a three-credit course is 4.0 × 3 = 12 grade points. Adding them across all courses gives the number this calculator asks for.
How do I work out my cumulative GPA?
Enter this term's grade points and credits, then your previous GPA and the credits behind it. The calculator recovers the earlier grade points and adds both sums. A 4.0 term over 3 credits on top of a 3.0 across 12 credits gives 3.2.
Does an F count?
Yes, and it counts twice over. It adds zero grade points while its credits still count in the denominator, so a failed three-credit course pulls the average down as hard as an A pushes it up.
Is the 4.0 scale the same everywhere?
No. The plus/minus values used here are the most common convention, but plenty of institutions grade in whole letters, some award 4.3 for an A+, and a few use entirely different ranges. Use the point values your own school publishes.
Sources and last check
Information, not professional advice.