How GPA Is Calculated
4 min read · Updated 2026-06-15
The GPA formula
Your GPA is a weighted mean of your grades. For each course, the grade’s point value (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, and so on) is multiplied by the course’s credit hours to get quality points. Add the quality points for all courses, then divide by the total credit hours.
GPA = Σ(grade points × credit hours) ÷ Σ(credit hours)
Worked example
Three courses: English (3 cr, A = 4.0), Calculus (4 cr, B+ = 3.3), Biology (3 cr, A− = 3.7).
- Quality points: 12 + 13.2 + 11.1 = 36.3
- Total credits: 10
- GPA = 36.3 ÷ 10 = 3.63
Try it yourself
Skip the arithmetic with the GPA calculator — it computes semester and cumulative GPA automatically.