GPA Calculator — Semester & Cumulative
Our free GPA calculator computes your grade point average on the standard 4.0 scale. Add your courses with letter grades (or percentages) and credit hours, and see your semester GPA instantly. To calculate cumulative GPA, enter your previous GPA and total credits earned. The calculator supports both weighted and unweighted calculations — weighted GPA gives extra points for honors, AP, and IB courses.
The part people get wrong is the weighting. A GPA is not the average of your grades — it is the average of your grades weighted by credit hours, so a B in a four-credit course moves the number more than an A in a one-credit elective. That is why adding credit hours is not optional here. The cumulative mode does the same arithmetic across terms: your existing GPA and total credits are treated as one large weighted entry, which is how a registrar calculates it and why a strong semester moves a long transcript less than you might hope.
How to use GPA Calculator
- Add each course with its name, grade (letter or percentage), and credit hours.
- Click "Add Course" to add more courses.
- See your Semester GPA calculated instantly on the 4.0 scale.
- Enter your previous cumulative GPA and credits to calculate your updated cumulative GPA.
Features
- Unlimited courses — Add as many courses as needed.
- Letter grade and percentage input — Enter grades as A/B/C or as percentages.
- Semester GPA — Calculated on the standard 4.0 scale.
- Cumulative GPA — Combines previous GPA with current semester.
- Weighted/Unweighted toggle — Switch between both calculation methods.
- Dynamic course management — Add, edit, and remove courses easily.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate my GPA on a 4.0 scale?
Multiply each course's grade points (A=4.0, B=3.0, etc.) by its credit hours, sum all results, then divide by total credit hours. Our calculator does this automatically — just enter your grades and credits.
What is the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
Unweighted GPA uses the standard 4.0 scale for all courses. Weighted GPA adds extra points (usually 0.5 or 1.0) for honors, AP, and IB courses, allowing GPAs above 4.0. Toggle between both in our calculator.
How do I calculate cumulative GPA with my current GPA?
Enter your previous cumulative GPA and total credits earned, then add your current semester courses. The calculator combines both to show your updated cumulative GPA.
Why is my GPA lower than the average of my grades?
Because credit hours weight the calculation. Two A grades in one-credit seminars and one C in a four-credit core course average to a B by simple mean, but the weighted GPA is much closer to the C, since that course carries four times the weight. This is also why a heavy course load makes each grade matter more.
How much can one semester move my cumulative GPA?
Less than most people expect once the transcript is long. A student with 90 credits at 3.0 who earns a 4.0 across 15 credits finishes at about 3.14, not 3.5, because the existing 90 credits carry six times the weight. Run the cumulative mode with your real numbers before setting a target.