Converting a letter grade to a GPA point value feels like it should be universal, but the specific values — especially for plus and minus grades — vary more between institutions than most students expect.
The most common standard scale
| Letter grade | Grade points |
|---|---|
| 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 |
This is the scale used by our free GPA Calculator, and it's the most widely used convention across US institutions.
Where institutions commonly differ
- Whether A+ exists and what it's worth — some schools offer A+ as a distinct grade (sometimes still capped at 4.0, sometimes worth slightly more), while many simply treat A+ the same as A for GPA purposes
- Whether a D- is offered at all — some institutions' lowest passing grade is D, with no D- distinction
- Rounding conventions for the plus/minus point values — a few schools use slightly different decimal values (3.75 instead of 3.7 for A-, for instance)
Why this matters for an accurate GPA calculation
Since GPA is fundamentally built from these point values (see our full calculation guide), using your specific institution's exact scale — rather than assuming the most common one always applies — is necessary for a precisely accurate result. The differences are typically small but can matter for GPA cutoffs tied to scholarships or academic standing.
How to find your institution's exact scale
Your school's official academic catalog or registrar's office page typically publishes the exact grade-point scale used — this is the authoritative source to check if you need precision for an official purpose, rather than assuming the standard scale applies universally.
Pass/fail and other non-letter grades
Pass/fail (or satisfactory/unsatisfactory) grades are typically excluded entirely from GPA calculation — these courses still count toward your total credit hours earned, but don't factor into the quality-points calculation that produces your GPA. This is worth confirming with your specific institution, since handling can vary.
Incomplete and withdrawal grades
Grades like "W" (withdrawal) or "I" (incomplete) also generally don't factor into GPA calculation directly, though a withdrawal can sometimes affect academic standing in other ways outside the GPA formula itself, and an incomplete that later converts to a final letter grade will then factor in at that point.
Apply your scale
Once you know your institution's exact grade-point scale, our free GPA Calculator uses the standard values shown above — for most students at most schools, this will produce an accurate result; if your school uses non-standard values, calculate quality points manually using your school's specific scale as a cross-check.
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