How do pass/fail grades affect GPA?

Pass/fail grades typically do not affect your GPA. A passing grade adds credits toward your degree but no grade points. Leave pass/fail courses out of this calculator for the most accurate result.

What happens to my GPA if I retake a course?

Retake policies vary by school. Some use grade forgiveness where the new grade replaces the original. Others average both attempts. Confirm your school's specific retake policy with the registrar.

Can I use this calculator if my school uses a different grade scale?

This calculator uses the standard US 4.0 scale. If your school uses a different scale, results may not directly apply. Use the grade point values assigned by your own institution.

Cumulative GPA Calculator

Course NameGradeCredits

Cumulative GPA

3.30

Letter grade: B+

Total Credits

Grade Points

39.6

Courses

How to Use This Cumulative GPA Calculator

Enter each of your courses with the letter grade you received (or expect to receive) and the number of credit hours. The calculator instantly computes your cumulative GPA across all entered courses using the standard 4.0 scale used by most US colleges and universities.

Use the Calculate GPA tab to get your current cumulative GPA from a list of courses. Switch to the Raise GPA tab to find out exactly what average grade you need in your remaining courses to hit a target GPA. The What-If tab lets you simulate how upcoming courses will affect your cumulative GPA before you take them.

GPA Formula

GPA = Σ(Grade Points × Credit Hours) ÷ Total Credit Hours

Grade Points per Credit = Letter Grade Value × Credits
Example: A- in a 3-credit course = 3.7 × 3 = 11.1 grade points

Each letter grade is assigned a numeric value. An A or A+ equals 4.0 points per credit, while an A- equals 3.7. The cumulative GPA is the total grade points earned divided by the total number of credit hours attempted — not a simple average of individual course GPAs.

Grade Point Values (4.0 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 = 0.0

Step-by-Step Example

Scenario: A sophomore has completed four courses this semester:

English Composition (3 credits, A-) → 3.7 × 3 = 11.1 pts

Calculus I (4 credits, B+) → 3.3 × 4 = 13.2 pts

Psychology 101 (3 credits, A) → 4.0 × 3 = 12.0 pts

History Survey (3 credits, B) → 3.0 × 3 = 9.0 pts

Total: 45.3 points ÷ 13 credits = GPA: 3.48

What Is a Good Cumulative GPA?

GPA benchmarks vary by institution and field of study, but here are widely accepted reference points in US higher education:

4.0: Perfect — every course graded A or A+
3.5–3.99: Excellent — Dean's List range at most universities
3.0–3.49: Good — competitive for graduate school applications
2.5–2.99: Satisfactory — meets most graduation requirements
2.0–2.49: Minimum — many programs require a 2.0 to remain enrolled
Below 2.0: Academic probation territory at most schools

For graduate school admissions, a 3.0 is often a minimum floor, while competitive programs at top schools look for 3.5 and above. Medical and law schools typically want 3.5+.

How to Raise Your Cumulative GPA

Your cumulative GPA becomes harder to move as you accumulate more credit hours — this is because each new course has less proportional weight. A student with 90 credits needs significantly better grades to raise a 3.0 GPA than a student with only 30 credits.

Use the Raise GPA tab above to calculate exactly what average grade you need in your remaining courses. If the required average exceeds 4.0, you may need to retake courses or extend your degree to add more credit hours at a higher grade.

Cumulative GPA vs. Semester GPA

Your semester GPA is calculated using only the courses from a single semester. Your cumulative GPA aggregates every course you have taken across all semesters. A strong semester GPA will improve your cumulative GPA, but its impact depends on how many total credits you already have.

If you had a rough first year, a high semester GPA in your sophomore and junior years can meaningfully recover your cumulative GPA. The What-If tab helps you model exactly how future semesters will affect your overall standing.

Frequently Asked Questions

At most US colleges and universities, an A+ is treated the same as an A — both equal 4.0 grade points. A small number of schools assign 4.3 for an A+, but this is not standard. This calculator uses the 4.0 cap which is the most widely used convention. Check your institution's specific grading policy to confirm.

It depends on the institution. Most US universities accept transfer credits but do not include the grades in your cumulative GPA — they add to your credit count without affecting grade points. Some schools recalculate GPA including all transfer grades. Check with your registrar to understand how transfer credits are treated at your specific school.

Pass/fail (P/F) or satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) grades typically do not affect your GPA. A passing grade adds credits toward your degree but no grade points. A failing grade in a pass/fail course may or may not impact GPA depending on your school's policy. Leave pass/fail courses out of this calculator for the most accurate result.

This calculator uses the standard US 4.0 scale. If your school uses a different scale — for example, some schools have a 4.3 scale, and international universities often use 10-point or percentage scales — the results will not be directly applicable. Use the grade point values assigned by your own institution for accurate results.

Retake policies vary by school. Some schools use "grade forgiveness" or "grade replacement," where the new grade completely replaces the original in GPA calculations. Others use "grade averaging," where both attempts count. A few schools count both grades but allow the old grade to be excluded from credit requirements. Always confirm your school's retake policy with the registrar before assuming grade replacement will apply.