What is a good unweighted GPA?

A 3.5 or higher is generally considered strong and may qualify for Dean's List. A 3.0 meets most academic good-standing requirements.

Does every school use the same 4.0 scale?

While the 4.0 maximum is nearly universal in the US, some schools award A+ a value of 4.3, and others collapse +/- distinctions. Always check your school's official grading policy.

What is the difference between 4.0 and 5.0 GPA scales?

The 4.0 unweighted scale treats all classes equally (max A = 4.0). The 5.0 weighted scale awards extra points for honors/AP courses (max A = 5.0). Colleges typically recalculate GPA on their own scale.

Unweighted GPA Calculator

Calculate your unweighted GPA on the standard 4.0 scale. Enter courses, grades, and credits for an instant result.

Course NameGradeCredits

Unweighted GPA (4.0 Scale)

3.37

B+ — Good Standing

Total Credits

Quality Points

47.2

Courses

Grade

B+

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How to Use the Unweighted GPA Calculator

Enter each course with its letter grade and credit hours above. The calculator converts grades to quality points on the standard 4.0 scale and divides total quality points by total credit hours for your GPA. Use the Compare Scales tab to see your same grades on the 4.0 vs 5.0 weighted scale side by side.

The Advanced calculator below lets you track multiple semesters and compare GPA scenarios in one view. For a full scale comparison with analytics and grade distribution, scroll to the Professional tier.

Advanced Multi-Semester Tracker Track GPA across terms with trend analysis

Running Unweighted Cumulative GPA

3.36

Good Standing

Semester 13.23 GPA · 13 cr

CourseGradeCredits

Semester 23.48 GPA · 13 cr

CourseGradeCredits

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The Unweighted GPA Formula

An unweighted GPA treats every class equally regardless of difficulty. The formula is a straightforward weighted average of quality points:

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

Grade Points: 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

Worked Example

A student takes five courses in one semester:

English Comp (3 cr) B+ (3.3) → 3.3 × 3 = 9.9 pts
Calculus I (4 cr) B+ (3.3) → 3.3 × 4 = 13.2 pts
Biology (3 cr) A- (3.7) → 3.7 × 3 = 11.1 pts
US History (3 cr) B (3.0) → 3.0 × 3 = 9.0 pts
Phys Ed (1 cr) A (4.0) → 4.0 × 1 = 4.0 pts

Total quality points: 47.2 | Total credits: 14
GPA = 47.2 ÷ 14 = 3.37

Professional Full Gradebook & Analytics Multi-scale support, grade distribution & transcript view

GPA Scale:

Course Name	Semester	Grade	Credits	Quality Pts
				9.90
				12.00
				11.10
				12.00
				9.90

3.431

Unweighted GPA (4.0)

Total Credits

54.9

Quality Points

Courses

4.0 vs 5.0 Scale: What Is the Difference?

Most colleges and universities use the standard 4.0 unweighted scale, where an A earns 4.0 points regardless of whether the course is remedial or advanced. The 5.0 weighted scale — common in many high schools — awards extra points for honors, AP, IB, or dual-enrollment courses: an A in an AP class earns 5.0 points rather than 4.0. Colleges typically recalculate submitted GPAs onto their own scale, so a high school 5.0 GPA does not transfer directly to a college record.

Frequently Asked Questions

A 3.5 or higher (roughly a B+/A- average) is generally considered strong and may qualify you for Dean's List honors. A 3.0 (B average) meets most academic good-standing requirements. Many selective colleges expect entering students to have a high school GPA of 3.7 or above on the unweighted scale.

Not exactly. While the 4.0 maximum is nearly universal in the United States, some schools award A+ grades a value of 4.3, and others collapse the +/– distinctions so that any A equals 4.0 and any B equals 3.0. Always check your school's official grading policy for the precise conversion table. The Professional tier above supports 4.0, 4.33, and 5.0 scales.

Pass/fail courses typically do not factor into your GPA calculation — the credit hours are earned but no quality points are assigned. Incomplete grades (I) are also excluded until a final grade is assigned. Simply omit those courses from this calculator until a letter grade is on record.

If the new course has the exact same grade as your current GPA average, the overall GPA stays the same — you are adding quality points and credits in the same ratio that already exists. Adding a course graded above your current GPA will pull the average up; below will pull it down.

Yes. The unweighted 4.0 scale is used at both levels. For high school, enter the number of Carnegie units or credit hours per class. For college, enter semester credit hours. The formula is identical — only the course names and credit values change.