Updated July 8, 2026
On the most widely used 4.0 GPA scale, an A equals 4.0 grade points, a B equals 3.0, a C equals 2.0, a D equals 1.0, and an F equals 0. Plus and minus grades fall in between, and percentage cutoffs are typically 90-100 for an A, 80-89 for a B, 70-79 for a C, 60-69 for a D, and below 60 for an F. No federal or national body sets this table; it is a convention that most, not all, U.S. schools follow.
Complete GPA conversion table
| Letter Grade | GPA Points (4.0 scale) | Percentage Range | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ / A | 4.0 | 93-100% | Excellent |
| A- | 3.7 | 90-92% | Excellent |
| B+ | 3.3 | 87-89% | Above average |
| B | 3.0 | 83-86% | Good |
| B- | 2.7 | 80-82% | Good |
| C+ | 2.3 | 77-79% | Average |
| C | 2.0 | 73-76% | Average |
| C- | 1.7 | 70-72% | Below average |
| D+ | 1.3 | 67-69% | Poor |
| D | 1.0 | 63-66% | Poor |
| D- | 0.7 | 60-62% | Barely passing |
| F | 0.0 | Below 60% | Failing |
Methodology: where this table comes from
This is the version of the 4.0 scale most frequently cited in U.S. high school and college handbooks, cross-checked against how the Common Application describes self-reported GPA scales and how the National Center for Education Statistics discusses grading in its transcript research. It is a compiled reference, not an original survey of every U.S. district, and it will not match every school exactly. The percentage ranges in particular are the least standardized part of the table: some schools set the A cutoff at 90 rather than 93, and some skip the A+ distinction entirely.
Does every school use the same scale?
No. Some schools assign A+ a value of 4.3 instead of 4.0. Others do not use plus and minus grades at all, so every A maps directly to 4.0. A few schools use a 100-point scale rather than converting to 4.0. Always confirm your school's specific conversion, usually in the student handbook or on the registrar's site, before relying on the table above for anything official.
Weighted GPA scale for AP and honors
On a commonly used weighted scale, AP and IB course grades get +1.0 added to the standard grade points, and honors courses get +0.5. So an A in an AP class becomes 5.0, and a B in an honors class becomes 3.5. The weighted scale can exceed 4.0; unweighted caps at 4.0. This bonus is set by the individual school, not by the College Board, which administers the AP exams themselves. See weighted vs. unweighted GPA for when each version gets used.
How to convert a percentage to a GPA
Match your percentage to the letter grade using the ranges above, then use the GPA point for that letter. A 91% is an A- on this table, which is 3.7 on the 4.0 scale. For a quick answer without manual math, plug your grades and credit hours into the GPA calculator and it applies the conversion automatically.
What GPA scale reporting looks like on the Common App
The Common App asks students to specify which GPA scale their school uses when self-reporting grades. Common options are 4.0, 5.0 weighted, 100-point, and letter-only, which is itself evidence that no single scale covers every applicant. Choose the scale your school actually uses on your transcript. Colleges recalculate on their own standard regardless, but accurate reporting still matters for consistency across your application.
Apply this table automatically
The GPA calculator converts letter grades using this scale so you do not have to look each one up by hand.