Grading Scale
The complete reference for every grading system. US 4.0 scale, plus/minus grades, weighted GPA, and international systems from the UK, Australia, India, Germany, and Canada — all in one place with side-by-side comparison tables.
US Grading Scale (4.0 Scale)
The 4.0 grading scale is the standard system at most US high schools and colleges. Each letter grade corresponds to a numeric grade point value that factors into your grade point average. The version below uses whole letter grades without plus/minus modifiers. Schools that do not use plus/minus grading assign these five values.
The system gained widespread adoption in the mid-20th century as universities needed a standardized way to compare student performance across courses, departments, and institutions. The four-point structure assigns equal numeric intervals between each passing grade: an A is one full point above a B, which is one full point above a C, and so on. This even spacing makes the weighted average calculation straightforward and consistent across schools, even though the percentage cutoffs for each letter grade vary from one institution to another.
| Letter Grade | Grade Points | Percentage Range | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | 90 – 100% | Excellent |
| B | 3.0 | 80 – 89% | Good |
| C | 2.0 | 70 – 79% | Average |
| D | 1.0 | 60 – 69% | Below Average |
| F | 0.0 | 0 – 59% | Failing |
Your GPA is the weighted average of all your grade points, where each course is weighted by its credit hours. A 3-credit course with an A contributes more to your GPA than a 1-credit course with the same grade. Use our GPA calculator to compute your exact GPA from individual course grades and credit hours.
Plus/Minus Grading Scale
Many colleges and some high schools use plus and minus modifiers to provide more granularity. Instead of the five whole-letter grades, this scale creates 13 distinct GPA values. A student who earns an 88% receives a B+ (3.3) rather than a flat B (3.0), which better reflects their performance.
| Letter Grade | Grade Points | Percentage | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | 97 – 100% | Exceptional |
| A | 4.0 | 93 – 96% | Excellent |
| A- | 3.7 | 90 – 92% | Very Good |
| 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% | Adequate |
| C- | 1.7 | 70 – 72% | Below Average |
| D+ | 1.3 | 67 – 69% | Poor |
| D | 1.0 | 63 – 66% | Below Standard |
| D- | 0.7 | 60 – 62% | Marginal Pass |
| F | 0.0 | 0 – 59% | Failing |
On the standard 4.0 scale, both A+ and A earn 4.0 grade points. Some institutions use a 4.3 scale where A+ earns 4.3, rewarding top performers with a higher ceiling. This is common at many Canadian universities and a few US schools. If your school uses the 4.3 variant, use our GPA scale converter to translate between scales.
Weighted GPA Scale
Weighted GPA gives extra grade points for advanced courses like AP (Advanced Placement), Honors, and IB (International Baccalaureate). This rewards students who take challenging coursework instead of penalizing them for earning a B in a harder class. The weighted scale is used primarily in US high schools.
| Letter Grade | Regular Course | Honors Course | AP/IB Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| B | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| C | 2.0 | 2.5 | 3.0 |
| D | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| F | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
With weighting, a student earning an A in AP Chemistry (5.0) and a B in regular English (3.0) has a weighted GPA of (5.0 + 3.0) / 2 = 4.0, while their unweighted GPA would be (4.0 + 3.0) / 2 = 3.5. The weighted version reflects the higher difficulty of the AP course.
Colleges see both your weighted and unweighted GPA on your transcript. A high weighted GPA combined with a strong unweighted GPA signals both academic rigor and performance. Use our high school GPA calculator to compute both versions from your course list, or our weighted grade calculator for individual class grades.
College vs High School Grading
High school and college grading systems share the same letter grades but differ in several ways that affect how your GPA is calculated and interpreted.
| Feature | High School | College |
|---|---|---|
| GPA Scale | 4.0 (unweighted) or 5.0 (weighted) | 4.0 (standard) or 4.3 (with A+) |
| Plus/Minus Grading | Some schools use it | Most schools use it |
| Weighted Courses | Yes (AP, Honors, IB add weight) | No — all courses weighted equally by credits |
| Credit Hours | Usually 1 credit per course per year | Varies: 1–5 credit hours per course |
| Grade Replacement | Rare | Many schools allow retake for grade replacement |
| Pass/Fail Option | Rare | Available for select courses |
| Minimum Passing Grade | D or D- (60%) | D- for credit; C or higher for major courses |
| Transcript Impact | Cumulative GPA for college admissions | Cumulative GPA for grad school, jobs, honors |
The biggest practical difference is credit hours. In high school, most courses carry equal weight (1 credit per year or 0.5 per semester). In college, a 4-credit course counts four times as much as a 1-credit lab in your GPA calculation. This means a low grade in a high-credit course has an outsized negative effect. Use our college GPA calculator to see exactly how each course’s credit weight affects your overall GPA, or our semester GPA calculator for a single-term breakdown.
Grade inflation is another difference to keep in mind. National data shows that the average college GPA has risen from about 2.5 in the 1970s to approximately 3.1 today. This means a 3.0 GPA places you closer to the middle of the pack than it would have decades ago. High school GPAs have inflated even more, with the average high school GPA now near 3.0. This does not mean that a 3.0 is not a good GPA — it means that context matters. Admissions committees and employers compare your GPA to your institution’s average and the rigor of your course load, not to a universal benchmark.
International Grading Scales
Grading systems vary widely around the world. The percentage that earns an A in the US does not carry the same meaning in the UK or Germany. Understanding these differences matters when you apply to study abroad, transfer credits between institutions, or submit transcripts for graduate school in another country. Misreading a foreign grade on a transcript can lead to incorrect GPA conversions that hurt your application. Below are the five most common international systems that students encounter.
UK Grading System
UK universities use a degree classification system rather than letter grades. The scale runs on percentages, but UK percentage standards are stricter than US standards — a UK 70% represents a higher achievement level than a US 70%. Most UK students graduate with a 2:1 or 2:2.
| Classification | Percentage | US Equivalent | US GPA Approx. |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Class Honours | 70%+ | A / A+ | 3.7 – 4.0 |
| Upper Second (2:1) | 60 – 69% | B+ / A- | 3.3 – 3.7 |
| Lower Second (2:2) | 50 – 59% | B- / B | 2.7 – 3.3 |
| Third Class | 40 – 49% | C / C+ | 2.0 – 2.7 |
| Fail | Below 40% | F | 0.0 |
Australian Grading System
Australian universities use a 7-point GPA scale alongside grade classifications. Many also report a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) as a percentage. The system is more granular than the UK system but maps reasonably well to US letter grades.
| Grade | Classification | Percentage | GPA (7-point) | US GPA Approx. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD | High Distinction | 80 – 100% | 7.0 | 3.7 – 4.0 |
| D | Distinction | 70 – 79% | 6.0 | 3.3 – 3.7 |
| CR | Credit | 60 – 69% | 5.0 | 2.7 – 3.3 |
| P | Pass | 50 – 59% | 4.0 | 2.0 – 2.7 |
| F | Fail | 0 – 49% | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Indian Grading System (10-Point CGPA)
India uses a 10-point CGPA scale under the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) adopted by most universities and CBSE board schools. Grade points are assigned based on letter grades, and the cumulative average is calculated across all semesters. Use our CGPA to GPA calculator to convert Indian grades to the US 4.0 scale.
| Letter Grade | Grade Point | Percentage (approx.) | US GPA Approx. |
|---|---|---|---|
| O (Outstanding) | 10.0 | 90 – 100% | 4.0 |
| A+ | 9.0 | 80 – 89% | 3.7 – 4.0 |
| A | 8.0 | 70 – 79% | 3.3 – 3.7 |
| B+ | 7.0 | 60 – 69% | 3.0 – 3.3 |
| B | 6.0 | 50 – 59% | 2.7 – 3.0 |
| C | 5.0 | 40 – 49% | 2.0 – 2.7 |
| P (Pass) | 4.0 | 30 – 39% | 1.0 – 2.0 |
| F (Fail) | 0.0 | Below 30% | 0.0 |
German Grading System
Germany uses an inverted numeric scale where 1.0 is the best and 5.0 is a fail. This is the opposite of most other systems, so lower numbers represent higher achievement. The scale is used across all German universities and is standard for Erasmus exchange programs.
| Grade Range | Classification | Translation | US GPA Approx. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 – 1.5 | Sehr Gut | Very Good | 3.7 – 4.0 |
| 1.6 – 2.5 | Gut | Good | 3.0 – 3.7 |
| 2.6 – 3.5 | Befriedigend | Satisfactory | 2.0 – 3.0 |
| 3.6 – 4.0 | Ausreichend | Sufficient | 1.0 – 2.0 |
| 4.1 – 5.0 | Nicht bestanden | Fail | 0.0 |
Canadian Grading System
Canada uses letter grades similar to the US but with different percentage thresholds that vary by province. Ontario and British Columbia are the most common reference points. Many Canadian universities award a 4.3 for an A+, creating a wider range at the top of the scale compared to the US 4.0 system. Use our grade converter to translate Canadian grades to other systems.
| Letter Grade | Ontario % | BC % | GPA (4.0) | GPA (4.3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 90 – 100% | 90 – 100% | 4.0 | 4.3 |
| A | 85 – 89% | 86 – 89% | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| A- | 80 – 84% | 80 – 85% | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 77 – 79% | 76 – 79% | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| B | 73 – 76% | 72 – 75% | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| B- | 70 – 72% | 68 – 71% | 2.7 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 67 – 69% | 64 – 67% | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| C | 63 – 66% | 60 – 63% | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| C- | 60 – 62% | 55 – 59% | 1.7 | 1.7 |
| D | 50 – 59% | 50 – 54% | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| F | 0 – 49% | 0 – 49% | 0.0 | 0.0 |
GPA Scale Comparison Table
This table puts every major grading system side by side so you can see how a single grade level maps across the US, UK, Australia, India, and Germany. Use this as a quick reference when converting grades between countries or evaluating international transcripts. For a tool that does the conversion automatically, try our GPA scale converter.
| US Letter | US % | US GPA | UK Class | AU Grade | IN CGPA | DE Grade | CA GPA (4.3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97–100 | 4.0 | First (75+) | HD | 10.0 (O) | 1.0 | 4.3 |
| A | 93–96 | 4.0 | First (70–74) | HD | 9.0 (A+) | 1.0–1.3 | 4.0 |
| A- | 90–92 | 3.7 | First (70) | D (high) | 8.5 | 1.3–1.7 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87–89 | 3.3 | 2:1 (65–69) | D | 8.0 (A) | 1.7–2.0 | 3.3 |
| B | 83–86 | 3.0 | 2:1 (60–64) | CR (high) | 7.0 (B+) | 2.0–2.3 | 3.0 |
| B- | 80–82 | 2.7 | 2:2 (55–59) | CR | 6.5 | 2.3–2.7 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77–79 | 2.3 | 2:2 (53–55) | CR (low) | 6.0 (B) | 2.7–3.0 | 2.3 |
| C | 73–76 | 2.0 | 2:2 (50–52) | P (high) | 5.0 (C) | 3.0–3.3 | 2.0 |
| C- | 70–72 | 1.7 | Third (45–49) | P | 4.5 | 3.3–3.7 | 1.7 |
| D+ | 67–69 | 1.3 | Third (43–44) | P (low) | 4.0 (P) | 3.7–4.0 | 1.3 |
| D | 63–66 | 1.0 | Third (40–42) | F (high) | 3.5 | 4.0 | 1.0 |
| D- | 60–62 | 0.7 | Third (40) | F (low) | 3.0 | 4.0 | 0.7 |
| F | 0–59 | 0.0 | Fail (<40) | F | 0.0 (F) | 5.0 | 0.0 |
What Is a Good GPA?
What counts as a “good” GPA depends entirely on the context. A 3.0 that gets you on academic probation at one program could be well above average at another. Here is how GPA benchmarks break down across the most common academic contexts.
High School GPA Benchmarks
- 3.0 – 3.4: Good. Competitive for most state universities. The national average high school GPA is approximately 3.0.
- 3.5 – 3.7: Very good. Competitive for selective universities. Qualifies for many merit scholarships.
- 3.8+: Excellent. Competitive for highly selective schools. Top 10–15% of students nationally.
- 4.0+ (weighted): A weighted GPA above 4.0 signals that the student is taking and succeeding in advanced courses (AP, Honors, IB).
College GPA Benchmarks
- 2.0 – 2.4: Meets minimum academic standing at most schools. May limit internship and job opportunities.
- 2.5 – 2.9: Below average but above the good standing threshold. Some employers require a minimum of 2.5.
- 3.0 – 3.4: Good. Above the national average of ~3.1. Meets minimum requirements for most graduate programs. Qualifies for Dean’s List at some schools.
- 3.5 – 3.7: Very good. Dean’s List at most schools. Competitive for graduate programs and strong job applications.
- 3.8+: Excellent. Competitive for top graduate programs, Summa Cum Laude consideration, and prestigious scholarships.
If you are working to improve your GPA, our raise GPA calculator shows the exact semester GPA you need to hit your target, along with a semester-by-semester timeline.
Graduate School GPA Requirements
- Law School: Top 14 law schools typically accept students with 3.5+ undergraduate GPAs. The median is often 3.7–3.9.
- Medical School: Competitive applicants have a 3.7+ GPA. The AAMC reports a median matriculant GPA of 3.74.
- MBA Programs: Top 20 programs have median GPAs of 3.5–3.7. A strong GMAT/GRE can offset a lower GPA.
- General Graduate Programs: Most require a minimum of 3.0 for admission. Funded positions (RA/TA) often require 3.5+.
GPA and Employment
Many employers use GPA as a screening filter for entry-level positions, especially in competitive fields like finance, consulting, engineering, and tech. A 3.0 is the most common minimum threshold, though top firms in investment banking and management consulting often filter for 3.5 or higher. After your first job, GPA fades in relevance — most employers stop asking about it once you have two or more years of work experience. If your GPA falls below a target employer’s cutoff, strong internship experience, relevant projects, and skills-based certifications can compensate.
Scholarship GPA Thresholds
- Need-based aid: Typically requires 2.0 cumulative GPA for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
- General merit scholarships: Usually 3.0–3.25 minimum.
- Competitive academic awards: Often 3.5+ with additional criteria (essays, leadership, community service).
- Full-tuition scholarships: Typically 3.7+ along with high test scores and strong extracurriculars.
You May Also Need
GPA Calculator
Enter your courses, credits, and letter grades to calculate your semester and cumulative GPA with detailed visual analysis.
Grade Converter
Convert grades between US, UK, Australian, Indian, German, and Canadian systems with percentage and GPA equivalents.
GPA Scale Converter
Convert numeric GPA values between 4.0, 4.3, 5.0, 7.0, 10.0, and 20.0 scales with a universal mapping table.