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The 4.0 GPA Scale Explained

The 4.0 scale is the standard way US schools convert letter grades into grade points. Here's what each grade is worth and how the variations work.

The standard values

A = 4.0, A− = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0, B− = 2.7, C+ = 2.3, C = 2.0, C− = 1.7, D+ = 1.3, D = 1.0, D− = 0.7, and F = 0.0. These grade points are what get averaged (weighted by credits) into your GPA.

How plus and minus grades work

A plus adds roughly 0.3 and a minus subtracts roughly 0.3 from the base grade. Not every school uses plus/minus — some use whole-letter grades only, where a B is simply 3.0 with no B+ or B−.

Common variations

A few schools award 4.33 for an A+ (though the reported GPA is often still capped at 4.0). Others use .67/.33 increments (A− = 3.67) or half-point systems. Always confirm your school's exact scale — our university pages list many of them.