Convert a letter grade into GPA points and an approximate percentage range using standard, straight-letter, or custom grading scales. Use it to test different inputs quickly, compare outcomes, and understand the main factors behind the result before moving on to related tools or deeper guidance.
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Convert a letter grade into GPA points and an approximate percentage band Use the default plus/minus scale, a straight-letter scale, or a custom grading table when your school uses different grade-point values.
Grade scale
Choose a grade to map it to GPA points Select a letter grade first. If your school publishes different grade-point values, switch to a different preset or edit the custom scale.
Letter grade to GPA calculator guide: standard, straight-letter, and custom scales
A letter grade to GPA calculator converts a grade such as A-, B+, or Merit into the grade-point value used by a selected grading scale. It is most useful when you need to interpret transcript symbols, compare schools that publish different grade tables, or translate a published letter result into a GPA planning target.
What this conversion is actually doing
A letter grade does not automatically mean one universal GPA value. Many schools use a plus/minus 4.0 scale, some use straight letters without plus and minus bands, and others publish custom transcript tables for distinctions, merits, passes, or other named bands.
That is why this page keeps the scale choice explicit. Instead of pretending that every B or A- has one official GPA everywhere, the calculator maps the selected grade against the grade-point table you choose or edit.
How the grade-point mapping works
Each grade label on the active scale has an attached GPA value and an approximate percentage range. When you choose a letter grade, the calculator looks up that exact row and returns the matching GPA points together with the supporting range and nearby bands for context.
This is different from recalculating GPA from credits and course grades. The worksheet does not build a cumulative average. It only translates one selected grade label into the point value assigned to that label on the chosen scale.
Mapped GPA = GPA value attached to the selected grade label on the chosen scale
The calculator performs a direct lookup rather than averaging multiple courses or credits.
Worked example
Suppose the grade is B+ on a standard plus/minus 4.0 scale. The calculator maps B+ to 3.3 GPA and shows the approximate percentage band often associated with that row, such as 87% to 89%. It also shows the next higher and lower grades so the placement is easier to interpret.
If you switch to a custom scale with labels such as Distinction, Merit, Pass, Borderline, and Fail, the result changes to whatever GPA values that custom table assigns. For example, Merit might map to 3.3 GPA and Distinction to 4.0, which is useful when a published institutional scale uses named bands instead of A through F.
Why the percentage range is only approximate
Percentage cutoffs vary by institution even when the GPA labels look familiar. One school might treat an A as 93% to 100%, while another uses 90% to 100%. Some institutions do not publish percentage equivalents at all once grades are recorded as letter symbols or GPA.
That is why the percentage output on this page should be read as an interpretation of the selected scale, not as a universal official conversion. If a school publishes its own transcript policy, use that policy or edit the custom scale to match it directly.
Frequently asked questions
Does a B always equal the same GPA everywhere?
No. A B can map to different GPA values depending on the scale a school uses. Some systems use straight letters, some use plus and minus steps, and some publish custom named bands with their own grade points.
Why would I use the custom scale?
Use the custom scale when a school, district, scholarship program, or employer publishes its own grade labels and GPA points. It lets you match the worksheet to the policy you actually need instead of forcing a generic 4.0 table.
Is this the same as calculating cumulative GPA?
No. A cumulative GPA calculator averages multiple classes using credits and grade points. This page only converts one selected letter grade into the GPA value assigned to that grade on the chosen scale.
Are the percentage bands official?
Only if they match a published grading policy from the institution you care about. Otherwise they are approximate ranges attached to the selected scale so the result is easier to interpret.
