GPA Conversion — US Standard Scale
Letter Grade to GPA — pick your grade,
get the number.
Select any US letter grade — A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, all the way to F — and instantly see its 4.0 GPA point value and CollegeBoard percentage range. No formulas, no guessing.
Complete reference
All letter grades
and GPA values
The standard US 4.0 scale has 13 letter grades. Here's the complete table with GPA values, percentage ranges, and what each grade signals for academic standing:
| Letter Grade | 4.0 GPA | Percentage | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | 97–100% | Exceptional |
| A | 4.0 | 93–96% | Excellent |
| A− | 3.7 | 90–92% | Strong |
| B+ | 3.3 | 87–89% | Good |
| B | 3.0 | 83–86% | Above average |
| B− | 2.7 | 80–82% | Satisfactory |
| C+ | 2.3 | 77–79% | Average |
| C | 2.0 | 73–76% | Minimum standing |
| C− | 1.7 | 70–72% | Below average |
| D+ | 1.3 | 67–69% | Poor |
| D | 1.0 | 63–66% | Minimum pass |
| D− | 0.7 | 60–62% | Marginal pass |
| F | 0.0 | 0–59% | Failing |
Source: CollegeBoard AP Course and Exam Description, which defines the standard US letter-grade-to-GPA mapping used by the majority of US high schools and universities.
Important nuances
When letter grade
to GPA gets complex
The standard table works for the majority of US colleges, but there are situations where letter grade → GPA conversion isn't straightforward:
- A+ may not exist: Some universities don't award A+ grades. In those systems, A is the highest letter grade and = 4.0. Others award A+ but still assign it 4.0 (not 4.33) on the standard scale.
- Pass/Fail courses: Grades of P (Pass) and F (Fail) in pass/fail courses don't contribute to GPA at most schools. A "Pass" is not equivalent to any specific GPA value.
- W (Withdrawal) and I (Incomplete): These are administrative grades and don't calculate into GPA. Excessive withdrawals can affect academic standing without showing up as GPA drops.
- Repeated courses: Most schools use grade forgiveness for repeated courses — the old grade is replaced by the new one in GPA calculation, though both may appear on the transcript.
- Transfer credits: Transfer grades from other institutions may convert to a pass/no-pass at the receiving institution and not affect GPA, or may be recalculated using the receiving school's scale.
- AP / IB / dual enrollment: These courses follow the same letter-grade-to-GPA table but may earn weighted GPA bonuses at the high school level. See our Weighted GPA Calculator for that calculation.
FAQ
Letter grade to GPA
questions answered
What GPA is a B+ grade?
B+ = 3.3 GPA on the standard 4.0 scale, corresponding to 87–89%. B+ is one of the most misremembered values — many students guess 3.5, but the actual value is 3.3. B+ sits between B (3.0) and A- (3.7) with a 0.3-point step.
What GPA is an A-minus?
A- (A-minus) = 3.7 GPA on the standard 4.0 scale, corresponding to 90–92%. The difference between A- (3.7) and A (4.0) is 0.3 points — one grade step. Cumulative GPAs often cluster around 3.7 for honor students.
What GPA is a C?
C = 2.0 GPA on the standard 4.0 scale, corresponding to 73–76%. A C (2.0) is the minimum GPA for good academic standing at most US universities and for federal financial aid eligibility (Satisfactory Academic Progress).
What GPA is a D?
D = 1.0 GPA on the standard 4.0 scale, corresponding to 63–66%. A D earns course credit and counts toward graduation credits at most schools, but it significantly drags down cumulative GPA. Some programs require C or better in required courses even if a D technically passes.
Does plus/minus grading significantly affect cumulative GPA?
Yes — over a full course load, the 0.3-point difference between plus and minus versions of the same letter adds up. If you're borderline on a B+ vs B for your final grade, that 0.3 difference across 4 courses would shift your semester GPA by up to 0.3. For students near GPA thresholds (3.0, 3.5, etc.), this is significant.
Why does A+ equal 4.0 and not 4.33?
On the standard 4.0 scale, the maximum is 4.0 — there's no room above it. A 4.33 scale is a different system used by some universities (like UC Davis) specifically to reward A+ performance. On those scales, A+ = 4.33 and A = 4.0. This calculator uses the standard 4.0 scale where A+ = A = 4.0.
What does "incomplete" (I) grade do to GPA?
An I (Incomplete) grade does not calculate into GPA. It's a temporary placeholder indicating the student hasn't finished coursework. If the work is completed by the deadline, the grade converts to a letter grade and the GPA updates. If not completed, most schools convert it to an F after the deadline.
How many letter grades are on the US 4.0 scale?
The standard US scale has 13 letter grades: A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, and F. Some schools omit plus/minus grades and use only A, B, C, D, F — a 5-grade system where A=4.0, B=3.0, C=2.0, D=1.0, F=0.0.
Do graduate schools use a different letter-grade-to-GPA table?
No — the letter-grade-to-GPA conversion is the same in graduate school. However, the effective "passing" threshold is different: most graduate programs require B (3.0 GPA) as the minimum acceptable grade, and falling below 3.0 cumulative often triggers academic probation. See our Graduate GPA Calculator.