Calculate cumulative, weighted, and target GPA on the US 4.0 scale with letter or percentage grades.
Four modes: standard GPA (letter grade + credits), weighted GPA (with Honors +0.5 / AP-IB +1.0 boost), per-semester + cumulative tracking, and target GPA (compute required GPA for remaining credits to hit a goal).
Disclaimer: Some schools use 5.0 weighted scales, percentage scales (0-100), or different letter cutoffs. Verify with your school registrar for your official GPA.
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Calculator information
📋 How to use this calculator
- Pick a mode: Standard (letter grade + credits), Weighted (Honors/AP), Per-Semester + Cumulative, or Target GPA.
- Add each course: course name, letter grade (A, A-, B+, etc.), and credit hours (typically 3 or 4 in US college courses).
- For Weighted mode, mark courses as Honors (+0.5) or AP/IB (+1.0); an A in an AP class equals 5.0.
- For Per-Semester mode, enter each semester on a separate tab; the cumulative GPA is calculated automatically from the weighted average of all semesters.
- For Target GPA, enter your current GPA, total credits already earned, target final GPA, and remaining credits; the calculator returns the minimum GPA you need on the remaining credits.
- Tip: Foreign transcript conversions to the 4.0 scale are only estimates - your target university will have its own official recompute method (services like WES provide standardized evaluations).
🧮 Grade Point Average (US 4.0 Scale)
GPA = Sigma(grade_point_i * credits_i) / Sigma(credits_i)
- grade_point_i = numeric value of letter grade (A=4.0; A-=3.7; B+=3.3; B=3.0; B-=2.7; C+=2.3; C=2.0; D=1.0; F=0.0)
- credits_i = credit hours for course i
- Weighted: add 0.5 for Honors or 1.0 for AP/IB (so an A in AP = 5.0)
- Target GPA: required_gpa = (target * total_credits - current_gpa * earned_credits) / remaining_credits
The 4.0 scale is the standard at most US universities. Some institutions use a 5.0 scale (weighted) or a 4.33 scale (which includes A+). High schools and colleges may differ in how they handle pluses/minuses.
💡 Worked example: Semester GPA with 4 courses
Given:- Calculus: A (4.0), 4 credits
- English: B+ (3.3), 3 credits
- Chemistry: A- (3.7), 4 credits
- History: B (3.0), 3 credits
Steps:- Quality points for Calculus: 4.0 * 4 = 16.0.
- Quality points for English: 3.3 * 3 = 9.9.
- Quality points for Chemistry: 3.7 * 4 = 14.8.
- Quality points for History: 3.0 * 3 = 9.0.
- Total quality points = 16.0 + 9.9 + 14.8 + 9.0 = 49.7.
- Total credits = 4 + 3 + 4 + 3 = 14.
- GPA = 49.7 / 14 = 3.55.
Result: This semester's GPA is 3.55 on the 4.0 scale.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
Unweighted GPA uses the 4.0 scale for all classes regardless of difficulty. Weighted GPA adds 0.5-1.0 points for Honors or AP/IB classes to reward heavier coursework, pushing the maximum scale to 5.0. US universities typically look at both; the UC system, for example, recomputes weighted GPA specifically for passed AP courses.
How are international transcripts converted to a US GPA?
Conversion varies by country and credentialing service. WES (World Education Services) and similar evaluators apply standardized rubrics - for example, mapping a typical foreign secondary scale to A=4.0, B=3.0, C=2.0, D=1.0, F=0. Online conversions are estimates only; admissions offices and graduate programs run their own recompute using the original transcript and grading scale.
Are credit hours and contact hours the same?
Not quite. The US Department of Education (34 CFR 600.2) defines 1 credit hour as roughly 1 hour of classroom instruction per week plus 2 hours of out-of-class work over a ~15-week semester (about 45 total hours of student work). Contact hours measure only the in-class time. A typical 3-credit course meets 3 hours per week and expects 6 hours of outside work.
How does Target GPA mode work?
The calculator returns the minimum GPA you need on remaining credits to hit your cumulative target. Example: current GPA 3.2 with 60 credits earned, target 3.5 with 60 credits remaining. Required GPA = (3.5 * 120 - 3.2 * 60) / 60 = (420 - 192) / 60 = 3.8. If the required value exceeds 4.0, the target is mathematically unreachable.
How do F and W grades affect GPA?
F (Fail) counts as 0.0 grade points and still adds to credits attempted, so it pulls GPA down sharply. W (Withdraw) at most US institutions is not factored into GPA but appears on the transcript. P/F (Pass/Fail) courses: a P adds credits earned without affecting GPA, but an F in a P/F course is still counted as 0.0.
📚 Sources & references
Last updated: May 11, 2026