Grading scale: what percentage is an A, B, C, D or F?
The standard US 10-point grading scale with plus/minus breakpoints, how it maps to a 4.0 GPA, and why your syllabus can override all of it.
There is no single official grading scale. The table below is the most common one in US high schools and colleges. Always check your syllabus: some courses use a 7-point scale (A = 93–100), some drop the plus/minus steps, and some set a C at 73.
| Letter | Percentage | Typical 4.0 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 |
Boundaries are exact
An 89.6% is a B+ on this scale, not an A−, unless your instructor rounds. MyGradePlan compares the unrounded result against the boundaries you enter and never rounds up on your behalf. If your instructor’s policy is to round to the nearest whole number, 89.6% becomes 90 and crosses the line; that is their call to make.
Set your own scale
Inside the calculator, Grading rules lets you enter the exact boundaries from your syllabus, for example “A, 93” and “B, 85”. Your grade so far and every scenario then show the matching letter.
Other scales you may meet
- 7-point scale: A 93–100, B 85–92, C 77–84, D 70–76, F below 70. Still used by some school districts.
- Pass/fail: a single threshold, often 60% or 70%. See what is a passing grade.
- Standards-based (1–4): measures mastery per standard rather than points; percentages don’t translate directly.