There is no universal letter grade scale. The most common whole-letter cut-offs are A 90–100%, B 80–89%, C 70–79%, D 60–69% and F below 60%: Florida law sets exactly that for grades 6 to 12, and the federal High School Transcript Study used it when a school gave no scale of its own. Plus/minus scales move the A line up to 93% (Fairfax County Public Schools, Dutchess Community College, College Board's 2024 chart) or 94% (UC Berkeley Extension). Grade points differ as well: an A− is 3.7 at UC Berkeley and Cornell but 3.67 at the University of Florida and Penn State, and an A+ is 4.0 at Berkeley but 4.3 at Cornell. The tables below put 14 published scales side by side, each taken from the school's, district's or state's own document (listed under Sources). Your syllabus or school handbook always wins; to turn your own letters into a GPA on the scale your school uses, try the GPA Calculator.
Percent to letter grade: whole-letter scales
| Letter grade | Florida law (%) | NCES HSTS 2009 (%) | College Board now (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 90–100 | 90–100 | 90–100 |
| B | 80–89 | 80–89 | 80–89 |
| C | 70–79 | 70–79 | 70–79 |
| D | 60–69 | 60–69 | 66–69 |
| F | 0–59 | Less than 60 | Below 65 (E/F) |
Percent to letter grade: plus/minus scales
| Letter grade | College Board 2024 (%) | Fairfax County (%) | UC Berkeley Extension (%) | Dutchess CC (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97–100 | not used | 94–100 | not used |
| A | 93–96 | 93–100 | 94–100 | 93–100 |
| A− | 90–92 | 90–92 | 90–93 | 90–92 |
| B+ | 87–89 | 87–89 | 86–89 | 87–89 |
| B | 83–86 | 83–86 | 83–85 | 83–86 |
| B− | 80–82 | 80–82 | 80–82 | 80–82 |
| C+ | 77–79 | 77–79 | 76–79 | 77–79 |
| C | 73–76 | 73–76 | 73–75 | 70–76 |
| C− | 70–72 | 70–72 | 70–72 | not used |
| D+ | 67–69 | 67–69 | 66–69 | not used |
| D | 65–66 | 60–66 | 63–65 | 60–69 |
| D− | not used | not used | 60–62 | not used |
| F | Below 65 (E/F) | 50–59 | < 60 | 0–59 |
How to read the percent tables
- Ranges are inclusive whole percents, exactly as each source prints them: "93–100" means 93% up to and including 100%. "Not used" means that scale has no such grade.
- College Board changed its chart. In 2024 BigFuture showed a plus/minus chart (A+ 97–100 down to D 65–66, E/F below 65). The page now shows whole letters only, with D at 66–69 and E/F below 65, and calls the 4.0 scale "just one common example". Both versions say your school may use a different scale.
- College Board 2024 contradicts itself on 64%. Its chart says E/F below 65; the paragraph under the same chart lists "D- (below 65)". There is no D− row in the chart, so the table follows the chart.
- UC Berkeley Extension gives A and A+ the same band (94–100%). An A+ is awarded at the instructor's discretion and earns no extra grade points; pluses and minuses are optional for instructors. A pass (P) means at least a C−, or 70%.
- Fairfax County records F as 50–59% because a student who makes a reasonable attempt gets at least 50%, and in quarterly gradebooks a quarter average below 50% is raised to 50%. A missing, unattempted assignment can still be a zero.
- Dutchess Community College has no C−, D+ or D−, so its C runs from 70 to 76% and its D from 60 to 69%.
- Florida's statute also defines I (incomplete) as zero percent and zero grade points.
Letter grade to grade points: plus/minus scales
| Letter grade | UC Berkeley (grade points) | Cornell University (grade points) | University of Florida (grade points) | Penn State (grade points) | Dutchess Community College (grade points) | Fairfax County Public Schools (grade points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | 4.3 | not used | not used | not used | not used |
| A | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| A− | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.67 | 3.67 | 3.67 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.33 | 3.33 | 3.33 | 3.3 |
| B | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| B− | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.67 | 2.67 | 2.67 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.33 | 2.33 | 2.33 | 2.3 |
| C | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| C− | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.67 | not used | not used | 1.7 |
| D+ | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.33 | not used | not used | 1.3 |
| D | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| D− | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.67 | not used | not used | not used |
| F | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 (E) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Letter grade to grade points: whole letters and MIT's 5.0 scale
| Letter grade | Florida law (grade points) | College Board now (grade points) | UC admissions GPA (grade points) | MIT (5.0 scale) (grade points) | MIT converted to 4.0 (grade points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 4 | 4.0 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| B | 3 | 3.0 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| C | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| D | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| F | 0 | 0.0 | not listed | 0 | 0 |
Where the grade-point scales disagree
- A+: 4.3 at Cornell, 4.0 at UC Berkeley (an A+ "does not receive grade point credit beyond" an A), and not used at all at the University of Florida, Penn State, Dutchess CC or in Fairfax County.
- Tenths or thirds: Berkeley, Cornell, Fairfax County and College Board's 2024 chart step by 0.3 or 0.4 (A− 3.7, B+ 3.3). The University of Florida, Penn State and Dutchess use thirds (A− 3.67, B+ 3.33). Even inside one university the choice differs: Cornell's university scale gives an A− 3.7, but Cornell Law School's J.D. scale gives 3.67 and an A+ 4.33.
- Missing grades: Penn State has no A+, C−, D+ or D−, so a Penn State C is followed directly by D (1.00). The University of Florida calls its failing grade E.
- Older scales: the University of Florida's scale changed for credit earned from 11 May 2009. Before that it had no minus grades and used halves: B+ 3.5, C+ 2.5, D+ 1.5.
- MIT uses a 5.0 scale (A 5, B 4, C 3, D 2, F 0) with no pluses or minuses on the GPA. Its registrar says to convert to a 4.0 scale by recalculating with A 4, B 3, C 2, D 1, F 0, and that the conversion is not valid for students who attended before 1970.
- UC admissions ignores pluses and minuses: an A− and an A+ both count as 4 points in the UC GPA. Its page lists A to D only.
Weighted GPA: honors, AP and IB add-ons
| Rule | Added (grade points) | Which classes | Example (grade points) | Limits | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Bright Futures scholarship GPA | +0.5 per year course (0.25 per semester course) | AP, Pre-IB, IB, Honors, Pre-AICE, AICE and academic dual enrollment | A = 4.50 instead of 4.00 | Unrounded, to two decimals, over the 16 college-preparatory credits; Academic Scholars need 3.50, Medallion Scholars 3.00 | Florida Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance |
| University of California admissions GPA | +1 per semester of a UC honors-level course | AP, IB HL and designated IB SL, UC-transferable college courses, UC-certified honors courses | B in AP = 4 points instead of 3 | At most 8 honors points in 10th and 11th grade, at most 4 of them in 10th grade; not rounded; minimum UC GPA 3.0 (residents) or 3.4 (nonresidents). No extra point for a D or F. For nonresidents only AP and IB count, and only for an A, B or C. | University of California Admissions |
| Florida public high schools (statute) | set by the State Board | Honors courses and acceleration mechanisms in s. 1007.27 | — | The statute does not give a number: the State Board of Education sets one statewide weighted system that district school boards must use | The Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine), 2026 Florida Statutes |
The same score on six published scales
| Score (%) | Florida law (letter, points) | College Board now (letter, points) | College Board 2024 (letter, points) | Fairfax County (letter, points) | UC Berkeley Extension (letter, points) | Dutchess CC (letter, points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97% | A, 4.0 | A, 4.0 | A+, 4.0 | A, 4.0 | A+, 4.0 or A, 4.0 | A, 4.0 |
| 93% | A, 4.0 | A, 4.0 | A, 4.0 | A, 4.0 | A−, 3.7 | A, 4.0 |
| 92% | A, 4.0 | A, 4.0 | A−, 3.7 | A−, 3.7 | A−, 3.7 | A−, 3.67 |
| 89% | B, 3.0 | B, 3.0 | B+, 3.3 | B+, 3.3 | B+, 3.3 | B+, 3.33 |
| 86% | B, 3.0 | B, 3.0 | B, 3.0 | B, 3.0 | B+, 3.3 | B, 3.0 |
| 76% | C, 2.0 | C, 2.0 | C, 2.0 | C, 2.0 | C+, 2.3 | C, 2.0 |
| 72% | C, 2.0 | C, 2.0 | C−, 1.7 | C−, 1.7 | C−, 1.7 | C, 2.0 |
| 66% | D, 1.0 | D, 1.0 | D, 1.0 | D, 1.0 | D+, 1.3 | D, 1.0 |
| 65% | D, 1.0 | no band (gap) | D, 1.0 | D, 1.0 | D, 1.0 | D, 1.0 |
| 62% | D, 1.0 | E/F, 0.0 | E/F, 0.0 | D, 1.0 | D−, 0.7 | D, 1.0 |
| 59% | F, 0.0 | E/F, 0.0 | E/F, 0.0 | F, 0.0 | F, 0.0 | F, 0.0 |
What the score table shows
A 92% is an A worth 4.0 under Florida law and on College Board's current chart, but an A− worth 3.7 in Fairfax County, on UC Berkeley Extension's chart and on College Board's 2024 chart, and an A− worth 3.67 at Dutchess. An 86% is a B (3.0) on every scale in the table except UC Berkeley Extension's, which starts B+ at 86 rather than 87. A 72% is a C on the whole-letter scales and at Dutchess, but a C− (1.7) everywhere else with plus/minus grades. The NCES High School Transcript Study conversion is identical to Florida's, so it is not repeated in this table.
The widest disagreement is at the bottom. A 65% is a D on five of these scales and falls in the gap between D (66–69) and E/F (below 65) on College Board's current chart. A 62% is a D under Florida law, in Fairfax County and at Dutchess, a D− (0.7) on Berkeley Extension's chart, and an E/F on both College Board charts.
Scores that are not whole numbers, such as 89.5%, sit between the published bands. Whether they round up is a local rule (see below). For a whole test, the EZ Grader prints every score with its letter on the scale you choose, and the Final Grade Calculator works out the exam score you need for a letter.
Rounding, minimum grades and what is left out
- Rounding a course average: Fairfax County rounds a numerical average up to the next whole number at 0.5 or greater, so 89.5% becomes 90%. Many schools and gradebooks do not round at all; check your syllabus.
- Rounding a GPA: the University of Florida shows a GPA to two decimals without rounding up (3.248 is 3.24). MIT rounds to one decimal (4.75 becomes 4.8; 4.74 becomes 4.7). UC admissions says not to round its GPA, and Bright Futures uses an unrounded weighted GPA to two decimal places.
- Grade floors: Fairfax County gives at least 50% for a reasonable attempt and lifts quarterly averages below 50% to 50%. Florida's F band starts at 0%.
- Category weights: Fairfax County weights summative work (tests, projects, labs) 70% and formative work 30% in every secondary class, with graded homework at most 10% of the course grade.
- Fairfax County's grade points are what its handbook calls quality points, used when a teacher averages quarter and final-exam grades into the course grade.
- Grades with no points: at UC Berkeley, P, NP, S, U, I and IP carry no grade points and their units are left out of the GPA; an F counts in the GPA but its units do not count toward the degree. MIT leaves P grades out, so first-year MIT students have no GPA until the spring semester ends. The University of Florida leaves S/U grades out. Cornell gives no quality points to INC, NG, NGR or R.
- Colleges may recalculate: College Board notes that many colleges recalculate an applicant's high school GPA, dropping non-core classes and removing or changing honors and AP weighting, because school scales vary.
Sources
- Every percent band, grade-point value and weighting rule on this page is read from one dataset,
assets/data/grading-scales.json, which records the source of each scale. Each source was downloaded and checked on 6 October 2026. Three pages are no longer online in the form quoted, so the Internet Archive copy is cited: College Board's 2024 plus/minus chart, UC Berkeley Extension's instructor chart (2017) and Dutchess Community College's grading page (2015). - The Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine), 2026 Florida Statutes, Florida Statutes s. 1003.437, Middle and high school grading system, 2026 (leg.state.fl.us). Used for: A 90-100 (4), B 80-89 (3), C 70-79 (2), D 60-69 (1), F 0-59 (0), I 0% (0) for grades 6-12 in Florida public schools; State Board sets a uniform weighted system for honors courses.
- U.S. Department of Education, IES, National Center for Education Statistics, How is Grade Point Average Calculated? (High School Transcript Study), 2011 (page last updated 7 April 2011; table from the 2009 High School Transcript Study) (nces.ed.gov). Used for: Numeric grades converted to A 90-100 (4.0), B 80-89 (3.0), C 70-79 (2.0), D 60-69 (1.0), F less than 60 (0.0) unless a school's documents say otherwise.
- College Board, BigFuture (Internet Archive capture of 24 June 2024), How to Convert (Calculate) Your GPA to a 4.0 Scale, 2024 (web.archive.org). Used for: Plus/minus chart A+ 97-100 down to D 65-66, E/F below 65, with 4.0-scale points; the same page's text lists 'D- (below 65)'.
- College Board, BigFuture (current page), How to Calculate Your GPA on a 4.0 Scale, 2026 (retrieved 6 October 2026) (bigfuture.collegeboard.org). Used for: Whole-letter chart A 90-100 (4.0), B 80-89 (3.0), C 70-79 (2.0), D 66-69 (1.0), E/F below 65 (0.0); 'the 4.0 scale is just one common example'; colleges may recalculate GPA.
- Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia, Secondary Report Card Interpretation of Marks (HighSchoolGradingEnglish.pdf), 2026 (retrieved 6 October 2026) (fcps.edu). Used for: A 93-100, A- 90-92, B+ 87-89, B 83-86, B- 80-82, C+ 77-79, C 73-76, C- 70-72, D+ 67-69, D 60-66, F 50-59.
- Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia, Middle and High School Grading and Reporting Handbook, 2026 (retrieved 6 October 2026) (fcps.edu). Used for: Quality points A 4.0 to F 0.0; summative 70% / formative 30% category weights; averages rounded up at 0.5; 50% minimum for a reasonable attempt.
- UC Berkeley Extension (Internet Archive capture of 23 October 2017), Grade/CEU Chart and Descriptions (InstructorLink), 2017 (web.archive.org). Used for: Recommended instructor chart A+/A 94-100, A- 90-93, B+ 86-89 ... D- 60-62, F below 60, with grade points per unit; pluses and minuses optional; P = C- or 70%.
- Dutchess Community College (SUNY), Poughkeepsie, NY (Internet Archive capture of 3 April 2015), Grading System, 2015 (web.archive.org). Used for: A 93-100 (4.00), A- 90-92 (3.67), B+ 87-89 (3.33), B 83-86 (3.00), B- 80-82 (2.67), C+ 77-79 (2.33), C 70-76 (2.00), D 60-69 (1.00), F 0-59 (0.00).
- UC Berkeley Office of the Registrar, Grades & Grading, 2026 (retrieved 6 October 2026) (registrar.berkeley.edu). Used for: Grade points per unit A+ 4.0, A 4.0, A- 3.7 ... D- 0.7, F 0.0; A+ gets no grade-point credit beyond an A; P, NP, S, U, I, IP carry no grade points.
- Cornell University, University Registrar / Catalog, Exams and Grading (Courses of Study), 2026 (retrieved 6 October 2026) (catalog.cornell.edu). Used for: Quality points A+ 4.3, A 4.0, A- 3.7 ... D- 0.7, F 0.0, 'an average based on a 4.3 scale'; Law School J.D. scale A+ 4.33, A- 3.67 ... D- 0.67.
- University of Florida, Grades and Grading Policies (Undergraduate Catalog), 2026-27 catalog (retrieved 6 October 2026) (catalog.ufl.edu). Used for: Since 11 May 2009: A 4.0, A- 3.67, B+ 3.33 ... D- 0.67, E 0 (no A+); before 2009: B+ 3.5, C+ 2.5, D+ 1.5 and no minus grades; GPA shown to hundredths, not rounded up.
- Penn State University Faculty Senate, 47-00, 48-00 and 49-00 Grades (policy 47-60, Definition of Grades), 2026 (policy 47-60 revised 24 February 2026) (senate.psu.edu). Used for: A 4.000, A- 3.670, B+ 3.330, B 3.000, B- 2.670, C+ 2.330, C 2.000, D 1.000, F 0.000; no A+, C-, D+ or D-.
- MIT Registrar's Office, Calculating GPA, 2026 (retrieved 6 October 2026) (registrar.mit.edu). Used for: GPA on a 5.0 scale: A 5, B 4, C 3, D 2, F 0, O 0; to convert to 4.0 use A 4, B 3, C 2, D 1, F 0 (not valid before 1970); rounded to one decimal (4.75 = 4.8); P grades excluded.
- Florida Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance, Bright Futures Student Handbook 2026-27, Chapter 1: Initial Eligibility Requirements, 2026 (August 2026) (floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org). Used for: AP, Pre-IB, IB, Honors, Pre-AICE, AICE and academic dual enrollment weighted 0.25 per semester course or 0.50 per year course (A = 4.50); unrounded weighted GPA to two decimals; FAS 3.50, FMS 3.00.
- University of California Admissions, GPA requirement (How to calculate your UC GPA), 2026 (retrieved 6 October 2026) (admission.universityofcalifornia.edu). Used for: A 4, B 3, C 2, D 1 (pluses and minuses don't count); +1 point per semester of a UC honors-level course, max 8 points in 10th-11th grade and max 4 in 10th; no extra point for D or F; minimum 3.0 residents / 3.4 nonresidents; do not round.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage is an A?
It depends on the school. Florida law and the federal High School Transcript Study use 90–100%. Fairfax County Public Schools and Dutchess Community College start an A at 93%, College Board's 2024 chart used 93–96% for an A and 97–100% for an A+, and UC Berkeley Extension's recommended chart starts an A at 94%.
Is an A+ worth more than 4.0?
At some schools. Cornell gives an A+ 4.3 grade points (Cornell Law School gives 4.33), so a Cornell GPA can pass 4.0. UC Berkeley gives an A+ 4.0, the same as an A. The University of Florida and Penn State have no A+ at all.
How many grade points is an A−?
3.7 at UC Berkeley, Cornell and Fairfax County Public Schools, and on College Board's 2024 chart. 3.67 at the University of Florida, Penn State and Dutchess Community College, which use thirds of a point.
Is a 65 a D or an F?
A D on most published scales: Florida law (D is 60–69%), Fairfax County (D is 60–66%), Dutchess CC (60–69%), UC Berkeley Extension (63–65%) and College Board's 2024 chart (65–66%). College Board's current chart lists D as 66–69% and E/F as below 65%, so 65 falls in neither band; ask your school.
How much does an AP or honors class add to a GPA?
There is no single rule. Florida's Bright Futures scholarship adds 0.50 per year course (0.25 per semester) for AP, IB, AICE, Honors and dual enrollment, so an A is 4.50. The University of California adds 1 point per semester of an honors-level course, up to 8 points in 10th and 11th grade, and nothing for a D or F.