Test Grade Calculator
Instantly calculate test, quiz, and exam grades. Enter the total questions and number wrong to get your percentage and letter grade. Teachers: generate printable grade tables for any test length.
Calculate Your Test Grade
Test Results
Quick Grade Table
Visual Analysis
Score Breakdown
Grade Scale Position
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Grading Scale Comparison
| Percentage | Standard (10-pt) | Plus / Minus | 7-Point Scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| 97-100% | A | A+ | A+ |
| 93-96% | A | A | A |
| 90-92% | A | A- | A- |
| 87-89% | B | B+ | B+ |
| 85-86% | B | B | B |
| 83-84% | B | B | B- |
| 80-82% | B | B- | C+ |
| 77-79% | C | C+ | C |
| 73-76% | C | C | C- |
| 70-72% | C | C- | D |
| 67-69% | D | D+ | D |
| 60-66% | D | D / D- | F |
| Below 60% | F | F | F |
How to Calculate a Test Grade
Calculating a test grade is one of the most fundamental tasks in education. Whether you are a student checking your own score or a teacher grading a stack of exams, the process involves converting raw performance into a percentage and then mapping that percentage to a letter grade. Our test grade calculator handles both steps instantly and generates a complete printable grade table for any test length.
The formula is straightforward. For a test where every question is worth the same number of points, subtract the number of wrong answers from the total, divide by the total, and multiply by 100. For point-based assessments where questions carry different weights, divide points earned by total points possible and multiply by 100.
Percentage = ((Total Questions – Number Wrong) ÷ Total Questions) × 100
Points Based Formula:
Percentage = (Points Earned ÷ Total Points Possible) × 100
Example: 22 correct out of 25 = (22 ÷ 25) × 100 = 88.0% = B+
Once you have the percentage, apply your school’s grading scale to determine the letter grade. Our calculator supports four different scales so you can match your institution’s standards exactly. Use our grade calculator to see how individual test scores combine with other categories to form your overall class grade.
Understanding Different Grading Scales
Not all schools grade the same way. The grading scale your institution uses can make a significant difference in what letter grade you earn for the same percentage score. Understanding these differences helps students set realistic expectations and helps teachers communicate grades accurately.
Standard 10-Point Scale
The most common grading system in American education divides the 100-point range into 10-point increments. An A covers 90-100%, B covers 80-89%, C covers 70-79%, D covers 60-69%, and F covers everything below 60%. This scale is straightforward and widely used across elementary, middle, and high schools as well as many colleges.
Plus/Minus Scale
The plus/minus scale adds granularity within each letter grade range by dividing it into thirds. The top third receives a plus modifier (A+ for 97-100%), the middle keeps the plain letter (A for 93-96%), and the bottom third receives a minus (A- for 90-92%). This system gives students more precise feedback and is common at universities and academically rigorous high schools.
7-Point Scale
Popular in several Southern US states and some private institutions, the 7-point scale compresses each grade range to just 7 percentage points. An A requires 93-100%, a B requires 85-92%, a C requires 77-84%, a D requires 70-76%, and F covers everything below 70%. This is a stricter scale where students need to score about 3 points higher than on a standard scale to earn the same letter grade.
The Quick Grade Table: A Teacher’s Best Friend
The auto-generated quick grade table is the most practical feature of this calculator for educators. Enter the total number of questions on your test and the calculator instantly produces a complete lookup table showing the score, percentage, and letter grade for every possible number of wrong answers from zero to the total.
Teachers have been creating these tables by hand or in spreadsheets for decades. A grade table eliminates the need to recalculate percentages for every paper you grade. Simply count the wrong answers, look up the row, and write down the letter grade. For a 25-question test, the table shows all 26 possible outcomes at a glance.
The print button formats the table specifically for paper output, stripping away the website interface and leaving only the clean table with clear headers. It works on any printer and produces a desk-friendly reference sheet.
How Test Grades Affect Your Overall Grade
A single test grade is just one data point in your overall class performance. Its impact on your final grade depends on how much weight the test category carries in your class’s grading structure. Understanding this relationship helps you prioritize your study time and manage expectations.
In a typical class, tests might be worth 30-40% of the total grade. If your class has five tests and the test category is worth 40%, each individual test contributes approximately 8% to your final grade. Earning a 75% instead of a 90% on one test costs you about 1.2 percentage points on your final grade, which could mean the difference between a B+ and a B.
If you are calculating how one specific test score will change your class grade, use our grade calculator to enter all your categories and assignments. You can adjust the test score to see exactly how it shifts your overall percentage before or after taking the exam.
Grading Tips for Teachers and Educators
Efficient grading saves teachers hours every week without sacrificing accuracy. Beyond the quick grade table, here are proven strategies that experienced educators use to streamline the grading process while maintaining fairness and transparency.
- Standardize your test lengths: Using consistent test lengths (like 20 or 25 questions) means you can reuse the same grade table all semester. Print it once and you are set for every assessment in that format.
- Use answer keys with point deductions marked: Instead of marking every correct answer, mark only the wrong ones. Count the marks, look up the grade. This is faster than adding up correct answers.
- Batch grade by question, not by student: Grade all papers on question 1, then question 2, and so on. This increases consistency and speed compared to grading one full paper at a time.
- Set up your grading scale early: Communicate your grading scale on the syllabus and stick to it. Changing scales mid-semester creates confusion and potential grade disputes.
- Use point-based mode for mixed assessments: When tests have a mix of multiple choice (1 pt each), short answer (3 pts), and essays (10 pts), switch to our Points Based mode for accurate percentage calculations.
For teachers who want to see how individual student test scores affect their class standings, our GPA calculator can help model how test performance across courses influences a student’s overall grade point average.
Understanding Test Score Statistics
Beyond individual grades, understanding test score patterns helps teachers evaluate whether their assessments are measuring learning effectively. If most students scored below 60% on a test, the issue may lie with the test design or instruction rather than student effort.
A well-designed test typically produces a score distribution that roughly follows a bell curve, with the average falling between 70% and 85%. If the average is too high (above 90%), the test may have been too easy and is not differentiating between students who understand the material well and those who understand it thoroughly. If the average is too low (below 65%), the test may have been unfairly difficult or the material was not adequately covered in class.
Item analysis — reviewing which specific questions students got wrong most frequently — is another valuable tool. If 80% of students missed question 15, the question may have been poorly worded or the concept may need reteaching. Use wrong-answer patterns to improve both your teaching and your future test design.
Converting Test Grades to GPA Points
Students often want to know how a test grade translates to GPA impact. While individual test grades do not directly convert to GPA points (only final course grades do), understanding the chain of calculation helps you see the connection between your test performance and your GPA.
The chain works like this: your test grade contributes to your overall class percentage, which becomes a letter grade at the end of the semester, which then converts to GPA points. An A is worth 4.0, a B is worth 3.0, and so on. A test worth 10% of your class grade shifts your final class percentage by up to 10 points, which could change your letter grade and therefore your GPA.
For students tracking how test performance flows through to GPA, use this calculator for individual test scores, our grade calculator for class-level grades, and our GPA calculator for the final GPA computation. Together, these three tools give you complete visibility from individual test to final transcript. Teachers can recommend this letter grade calculator to students who need help understanding their standing.