Grading Scales Reference
A comprehensive guide to standard grading scales used in American schools and colleges.
Standard Grading Scale
The most common grading scale in American education, and the default in every calculator on this site. Each letter grade spans a 3-4 percentage point range.
| Letter Grade | Percentage Range | GPA Points |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97% - 100% | 4.0 |
| A | 93% - 96% | 4.0 |
| A- | 90% - 92% | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87% - 89% | 3.3 |
| B | 83% - 86% | 3.0 |
| B- | 80% - 82% | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77% - 79% | 2.3 |
| C | 73% - 76% | 2.0 |
| C- | 70% - 72% | 1.7 |
| D+ | 67% - 69% | 1.3 |
| D | 63% - 66% | 1.0 |
| D- | 60% - 62% | 0.7 |
| F | 0% - 59% | 0.0 |
10-Point Grading Scale
Some schools use a simpler 10-point scale where each letter grade spans exactly 10 percentage points. Pick it in any calculator on this site and every letter, target, and “what do I need” answer switches to these cutoffs.
| Letter Grade | Percentage Range |
|---|---|
| A | 90% - 100% |
| B | 80% - 89% |
| C | 70% - 79% |
| D | 60% - 69% |
| F | 0% - 59% |
7-Point Grading Scale
A stricter scale used by some districts and private schools, where an A starts at 93% and a D still passes at 70%. The same 88% that is a B+ on the plus/minus scale is only a C here.
| Letter Grade | Percentage Range |
|---|---|
| A | 93% - 100% |
| B | 85% - 92% |
| C | 77% - 84% |
| D | 70% - 76% |
| F | 0% - 69% |
College GPA Scale
The 4.0 GPA scale is used by most American colleges and universities.
| Letter | GPA Points | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | Excellent |
| A- | 3.7 | Excellent |
| B+ | 3.3 | Good |
| B | 3.0 | Good |
| B- | 2.7 | Good |
| C+ | 2.3 | Satisfactory |
| C | 2.0 | Satisfactory |
| C- | 1.7 | Satisfactory |
| D+ | 1.3 | Poor |
| D | 1.0 | Poor |
| D- | 0.7 | Poor |
| F | 0.0 | Failing |
AP Exam Scoring
AP exams use a 1-5 scale to indicate college readiness.
| Score | Qualification | College Credit |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Extremely well qualified | Yes (most colleges) |
| 4 | Well qualified | Yes (most colleges) |
| 3 | Qualified | Yes (many colleges) |
| 2 | Possibly qualified | Rarely |
| 1 | No recommendation | No |
Important Note
Grading scales can vary significantly between schools, districts, and states. Always check with your specific institution for their exact grading policies. The scales shown here represent common standards but may not match your school's specific requirements.
Every calculator here has a “My school uses” picker for the first three scales above. Your choice is remembered and applies across the whole site, so the letters and the “what do I need on the final” targets stay consistent from one calculator to the next.