How to Calculate GPA from Letter Grades
If you are staring at a report card full of letters and need to report a single number on a college application or resume, converting those letters into a Grade Point Average (GPA) is a required step. The process is straightforward once you know how the conversion math works.
Quick Answer: To calculate your GPA from letter grades, convert each letter to its numeric value on the 4.0 scale (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, F = 0.0), add those numbers together, and divide by the total number of classes. If your classes have different credit hours, multiply each grade’s value by its credits before adding them up.
What GPA Means When Your Grades Are Letters
A Grade Point Average (GPA) is a single number that summarizes your academic performance. When your grades are letters, schools assign a specific numerical value to each letter, usually based on a 4.0 scale, to make averaging them possible. By translating letters into “grade points,” schools can objectively calculate your overall standing.
Because letters themselves cannot be mathematically averaged, the U.S. education system relies on this conversion metric. Updated for 2026 grading scales, the standard process involves matching your letter to a scale, factoring in how much the class was worth, and running a basic average.
Standard Unweighted 4.0 Letter-to-GPA Chart
The standard unweighted 4.0 GPA scale assigns a 4.0 to an A, 3.0 to a B, 2.0 to a C, 1.0 to a D, and 0.0 to an F. This table shows how common U.S. letter grades convert to grade points, alongside typical percentage bands. Percentage cutoffs vary widely by school, so always check your syllabus.
| Letter | Typical % (varies) | Unweighted 4.0 | Honors (+0.5) | AP/IB (+1.0) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97–100 | 4.0 (sometimes 4.3) | 4.5 / 5.3 if 4.3 base | 5.0 |
| A | 93–96 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| A- | 90–92 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 |
| B+ | 87–89 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 4.3 |
| B | 83–86 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| B- | 80–82 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
| C+ | 77–79 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 3.3 |
| C | 73–76 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 3.0 |
| C- | 70–72 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.7 |
| D+ | 67–69 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| D | 65–66 or 60–66 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| D- | if used | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.7 |
| F | below passing | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Plus and Minus Explained
Most schools use a plus and minus grading system that adjusts your base GPA by 0.3 points. A plus adds 0.3 to the base letter grade, while a minus subtracts 0.3. For example, a B is worth 3.0 grade points, making a B+ worth 3.3 and a B- worth 2.7.