Calculating Grade Point Average

General G.P.A. Information

• Only courses graded on an A-F basis are used in calculating G.P.A. Courses taken as Pass/No Pass (P/NP), credit-by-exam, correspondence, and audit are not included.
• The G.P.A. calculation never includes transfer work from other colleges.
• Separate G.P.A.s are printed on transcripts for undergraduate courses and for graduate courses.

Portland State University Grading Scale

How to Calculate G.P.A.

To calculate G.P.A. for one term:

1. Multiply the point value of the letter grade by the number of credit hours. The result is the quality points earned.
2. Total the credit hours for the term.
3. Total the quality points for the term.
4. Divide the total quality points by the total credit hours.
5. The result is the G.P.A. for the term.

To calculate cumulative G.P.A.:

1. Calculate G.P.A. for each term.
2. Total the credit hours from all terms.
3. Total the quality points from all terms.
4. Divide the total quality points for all terms by the total credit hours for all terms.
5. The result is the cumulative G.P.A.

Example

Term 1:

3 credits - B-
3 credits - C
2 credits - A
3 credits - C-
4 credits - D+

Term 1 Calculation:

B- = 2.67 x 3 credit hours = 8.01 quality points
C = 2.00 x 3 credit hours = 6.00 quality points
A = 4.00 x 2 credit hours = 8.00 quality points
C- = 1.67 x 3 credit hours = 5.01 quality points
D+ = 1.33 x 4 credit hours = 5.32 quality points

Add the number of quality points for term 1:
8.01 + 6.00 + 8.00 + 5.01 + 5.32 = 32.34 quality points

Add the number of credit hours for term 1:
3 + 3 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 15 credit hours

Divide the total quality points by the total credit hours:
32.34 / 15 = 2.15 G.P.A.

Term 2:

4 credits - C+
5 credits - A-
3 credits - B-
4 credits - B

Term 2 Calculation:

C+ = 2.33 x 4 credit hours = 9.32 quality points
A- = 3.67 x 5 credit hours = 18.35 quality points
B- = 2.67 x 3 credit hours = 8.01 quality points
B = 3.00 x 4 credit hours = 12 quality points

Add the number of quality points for term 2:
9.32 + 18.35 + 8.01 + 12 = 47.68 quality points.

Add the number of credit hours for term 2:
4 + 5 + 3 + 4 = 16 credit hours.

Divide the total quality points by the total credit hours
47.68 / 16 = 2.98 G.P.A.

Cumulative G.P.A. Calculation:

Add the quality points for all terms:
32.34 (term 1) + 47.68 (term 2) = 80.02 quality points.

Add the credit hours for all terms:
15 (term 1) + 16 (term 2) = 31 credit hours.

Divide the total quality points for all terms by the total credit hours for all terms:
80.02 / 31 = 2.58 G.P.A.