How Is GPA Calculated?
Last updated 2026-07-23
GPA (Grade Point Average) turns your letter or percentage grades into a single number by weighting each course by its credit hours. Here is exactly how that calculation works.
The basic formula
Your GPA is a credit-weighted average of your grade points. In plain words:
GPA = (sum of grade points × credit hours) ÷ (total credit hours)
A course worth 4 credits affects your GPA twice as much as a course worth 2 credits. That credit weighting is why simply averaging your grade points gives the wrong answer.
Step by step
- Convert each grade to its grade pointsusing your university's scale (for example, A = 4.0, B+ = 3.3).
- Multiply each course's grade points by its credit hoursto get that course's quality points.
- Add up all the quality points.
- Add up all the credit hours.
- Divide total quality points by total credit hours, then apply your university's rounding rule.
A worked example
Suppose a student takes three courses on a 4.0 scale:
- Calculus — 4 credits — A (4.0) → 16.0 quality points
- History — 3 credits — B+ (3.3) → 9.9 quality points
- Physics — 3 credits — B (3.0) → 9.0 quality points
Total quality points = 16.0 + 9.9 + 9.0 = 34.9. Total credits = 4 + 3 + 3 = 10. GPA = 34.9 ÷ 10 = 3.49.
Why your university's result can differ
The method above is universal, but the numbers are not. Universities differ in the grade points they assign (some use A = 4.0, others A = 4.3 or a 10-point scale), whether they include plus/minus grades, how they treat pass/fail and repeated courses, and how they round. That is why the same grades can produce a different GPA at two different schools.
Want the exact number for your school instead of a generic one? Open the GPAWorld calculator and pick your university — it uses that university's own grade points, rounding, and CGPA formula.
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Frequently asked questions
Is GPA just the average of my grades?
Not quite. GPA is a credit-weighted average: each course is weighted by its credit hours, so higher-credit courses influence your GPA more than lower-credit ones.
Do all universities use a 4.0 scale?
No. Many use a 4.0 scale, but others use 4.3, 5.0, 10-point, or percentage-based scales, each with their own grade-point values. Always use your own university's scale.
Are failed or pass/fail courses included in GPA?
It depends on the university. Failed courses usually count as 0 grade points, while pass/fail courses are often excluded from the GPA calculation but may still earn credit.