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GPA Calculator
Enter a letter grade and credit hours for each course, and this works out your GPA, weighted so a 4-credit course counts more than a 1-credit one.
Courses
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| Course 2 |
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| Course 3 |
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| Course 4 |
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| Course 5 |
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| Course 6 |
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GPA
3.48
4.0 scale
Total credits
13
Total grade points
45.30
Step-by-step proofCheck by hand
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How a weighted GPA is calculated
Each letter grade converts to grade points on the standard 4.0 scale, then multiplies by that course's credit hours. Adding those up and dividing by the total credit hours gives a GPA where heavier courses count more than lighter ones — a plain average of the letter grades themselves would treat a 1-credit course the same as a 4-credit one.
The formula
GPA = Σ (grade points × credits) ÷ Σ (credits)
Worked example
An A (4.0) in a 3-credit course and a B+ (3.3) in a 4-credit course: (4.0×3 + 3.3×4) ÷ (3+4) = (12 + 13.2) ÷ 7 = 3.60 GPA.
Frequently asked questions
Why is a course's credit hours multiplied in, not just averaged?
A GPA is a weighted average, not a plain average of grades — a 4-credit course should count more toward the total than a 1-credit course. Multiplying each grade's points by its credit hours before summing, then dividing by total credits, is what gives heavier courses their correct weight.
What grading scale does this use?
The standard unweighted US 4.0 scale: A/A+ = 4.0, A- = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0, and so on down to F = 0.0. This is the most commonly published mapping, but it is not universal — some schools weight honors or AP courses higher, or use a different scale entirely.
How does adding to an existing GPA work?
Your prior GPA is converted back into a grade-points total (GPA × credits already earned), added to this semester's grade-points total, and divided by the combined credit hours — mathematically identical to treating your entire academic history as one long weighted average.
Sources and method
- Weighted GPA formula and standard US 4.0 grading scale — general published academic convention.