Letter Grade Calculator
Enter a percentage — or the points you earned and the points possible — and get the letter grade and its value on the 4.0 scale, on the grading scale your class uses. A table shows the lowest score that earns every letter. Free, no sign-up.
Result
89.5%
Percentage
B+
Letter grade
3.3
Points on the 4.0 scale
The scale, with the minimum for each letter
| Letter | Minimum % | 4.0 points |
|---|---|---|
| A | 93 | 4.0 |
| A− | 90 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87 | 3.3 |
| B | 83 | 3.0 |
| B− | 80 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77 | 2.3 |
| C | 73 | 2.0 |
| C− | 70 | 1.7 |
| D+ | 67 | 1.3 |
| D | 63 | 1.0 |
| D− | 60 | 0.7 |
| F | 0 | 0.0 |
How to Use the Letter Grade Calculator
- 1. Enter the score. Type a percentage, or switch to points and enter what you earned and what the assignment was out of. The calculator does the division, so 179 out of 200 becomes 89.5%.
- 2. Choose the grading scale. Pick the plus/minus scale, the same scale with an A+ from 97, or the 10-point A–F scale. If your syllabus differs, choose Custom and type its cutoffs and grade points.
- 3. Decide on rounding. Tick the rounding box only if your teacher rounds to the nearest whole percent before assigning letters. Some do and some don't, and the choice changes the grade at every cutoff.
- 4. Read the result and the table. You get the letter, its value on the 4.0 scale, and the minimum percentage for every letter. In points mode the table also lists the fewest points that earn each letter on that assignment.
The Grading Scales
There is no national grading scale in the US: each school — often each syllabus — sets its own cutoffs. The presets are the most common conventions. A score at or above a letter's minimum earns that letter until it reaches the next minimum, so 92.9 is an A− and 93 is an A.
| Letter | Plus/minus minimum | 10-point minimum | 4.0 points |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97 (optional) | — | 4.0 |
| A | 93 | 90 | 4.0 |
| A− | 90 | — | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87 | — | 3.3 |
| B | 83 | 80 | 3.0 |
| B− | 80 | — | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77 | — | 2.3 |
| C | 73 | 70 | 2.0 |
| C− | 70 | — | 1.7 |
| D+ | 67 | — | 1.3 |
| D | 63 | 60 | 1.0 |
| D− | 60 | — | 0.7 |
| F | below 60 | below 60 | 0.0 |
The grade points are the usual US college values — A 4.0, A− 3.7, B+ 3.3 and on down to D− 0.7 — as registrars such as Pepperdine University's publish them. Some colleges use thirds instead (3.67, 3.33), and a few count an A+ as 4.3. The 10-point scale with 4, 3, 2, 1 and 0 points is the one Florida law sets for public middle and high schools (section 1003.437, Florida Statutes).
Worked Example: Is 89.5% a B+ or an A−?
A student scores 179 out of 200 points. The percentage is 179 ÷ 200 × 100 = 89.5%. On the plus/minus scale:
- Without rounding, 89.5 is below the A− minimum of 90, so the grade is a B+, worth 3.3 points.
- With rounding to the nearest whole percent, 89.5 becomes 90, so the grade is an A−, worth 3.7 points.
Half a percentage point is worth 0.4 grade points here, which is why it pays to know your teacher's rule. Rounding also moves the minimums in points mode: on a 40-point quiz, an A at 93% takes 37.2 points without rounding — 38 if only whole points are given — but 37 points (92.5%) with it.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What letter grade is an 89.5%?
- On the common plus/minus scale it is a B+ if the percentage is used as it stands, and an A− if your teacher rounds to the nearest whole percent first, because 89.5 rounds to 90. Teachers and schools differ, so check the syllabus — it should say whether grades are rounded.
- What is an A− on the 4.0 scale?
- An A− is worth 3.7 grade points at most US colleges, a B+ 3.3, a B 3.0 and a B− 2.7. Pluses and minuses move the base letter by 0.3, except that an A+ usually stays at 4.0. Some colleges use 3.67 and 3.33 instead.
- What percentage is a C?
- On the plus/minus scale a C runs from 73 up to just under 77 percent, with C+ from 77 and C− from 70. On a 10-point scale without pluses and minuses, a C is anything from 70 up to just under 80.
- How do I convert points to a letter grade?
- Divide the points earned by the points possible and multiply by 100 to get a percentage, then look it up on your grading scale. In points mode the calculator does the division for you and also lists the fewest points that earn each letter on that assignment.
- What is the lowest passing grade?
- On both preset scales, 60% is the lowest D — a D− on the plus/minus scale — and anything below it is an F. At many colleges a D earns credit but does not satisfy a major requirement or prerequisite, which often needs a C or C−, so check your catalog.
- Can I use my school's own grading scale?
- Yes. Choose Custom and the calculator copies the current scale into an editor. Change any letter, cutoff or point value, add a row for an extra grade or remove one, and the result and the minimum-score table follow your scale immediately.