➗ Math
How GPA Is Calculated: Weighted vs Unweighted
Your grade point average turns letter grades into a single number on a 4.0 scale. Learn how GPA is calculated, the difference between weighted and unweighted, and how credit hours change the result.
Updated 26 August 2026 · 2 min read
Grade point average — GPA — compresses a whole transcript of letter grades into a single number, usually on a 4.0 scale. It's used for scholarships, university applications and academic standing, so it pays to understand exactly how it's built.
The basic idea: letters become points
Each letter grade is assigned a point value on a standard scale:
- A = 4.0
- B = 3.0
- C = 2.0
- D = 1.0
- F = 0.0
Pluses and minuses adjust these in most systems (an A− might be 3.7, a B+ 3.3). Your GPA is the average of these grade points across your courses:
The GPA calculator does this instantly — enter your letter grades and it returns the average on the 4.0 scale.
Weighted vs unweighted
The difference comes down to whether harder courses count for more:
- Unweighted GPA treats every course the same, capping at 4.0. An A is 4.0 whether it's in a basic or an advanced class.
- Weighted GPA gives extra points for harder courses — honours, AP or IB — so an A in an AP class might count as 5.0. This lets a weighted GPA rise above 4.0.
Neither is "better" — they answer different questions. Unweighted shows raw performance; weighted rewards taking a tougher course load. Always know which one a school or scholarship is asking for.
Where credit hours come in
At college level, courses are worth different numbers of credit hours, and GPA becomes a weighted average by those hours — a 4-credit course influences your GPA twice as much as a 2-credit one. In that case you multiply each grade point by the course's credits, add them up, and divide by total credits. The principle is the same as any weighted average: bigger items pull the average more.
Whichever scale you're on, the mechanics are just averaging points. Enter your grades below to see where you stand.
Frequently asked questions
- What's the difference between weighted and unweighted GPA?
- Unweighted GPA scores every course on the same 4.0 scale regardless of difficulty. Weighted GPA gives extra points for harder courses like honours or AP, so it can exceed 4.0. Check which one a school or scholarship wants before comparing.
- How do credit hours affect GPA?
- At college level, GPA is a weighted average by credit hours: a course worth more credits counts more toward your GPA. Multiply each grade point by its credits, add them, and divide by total credits — so a poor grade in a high-credit course hurts more.