University of Washington GPA Calculator
Calculate your UW GPA on the official numerical scale (0.7–4.0 in 0.1 steps). Note: B+ = 3.4 at UW — different from the 3.3 used at most US schools. UW uses the full 12-grade scale (A through D−) with no gaps.
Calculate your GPA
Add each course with its letter grade and credits — the GPA updates as you type.
| Course | Grade | Credits |
|---|
Add at least one course with credits to see your GPA.
About the UW GPA Scale
The University of Washington uses a 4.0 GPA scale based on a numerical grading system. Instructors report grades from 4.0 down to 0.7 in 0.1 increments, then 0.0 for failure. Grades 0.1–0.6 are not assigned — anything in that range is converted to 0.0 by the Office of the University Registrar. Letter equivalents are mapped to ranges of numerical values, not single points.
UW is one of the few US schools with two distinctive features: B+ = 3.4 (most US schools use 3.3), and instructors can assign any 0.1 increment from 0.7 to 4.0 rather than discrete letters. Compare with the general US system on our US grading guide.
| Letter Grade | Grade Points | Numerical Range |
|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | 3.9–4.0 |
| A- | 3.7 | 3.5–3.8 |
| B+ | 3.4 | 3.2–3.4 |
| B | 3.0 | 2.9–3.1 |
| B- | 2.7 | 2.5–2.8 |
| C+ | 2.3 | 2.2–2.4 |
| C | 2.0 | 1.9–2.1 |
| C- | 1.7 | 1.5–1.8 |
| D+ | 1.3 | 1.2–1.4 |
| D | 1.0 | 0.9–1.1 |
| D- | 0.7 | 0.7–0.8 |
| E | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Source: UW General Catalog — Standard Grading System (Office of the University Registrar). Grades 0.1–0.6 are not assigned and are converted to 0.0.
How UW GPA is calculated
UW GPA is the credit-weighted average of your grade points. The formula:
GPA = Σ (grade points × credit hours) ÷ Σ credit hours attempted
Each course contributes grade points × credit hours. A 5-credit lecture graded 3.4 contributes 17.0 quality points; a 2-credit seminar graded 3.7 contributes 7.4. The calculator above does this math automatically. Pass/No Pass (P/NP) and Credit/No Credit (CR/NCR) courses add credits but no grade points and are excluded from GPA. In-progress (N) and Incomplete (I) grades carry no credit until a final grade is assigned.
Why UW's scale is different
Three rules set UW apart from most US schools:
- B+ = 3.4, not 3.3. Most US schools report B+ as 3.3, but UW's B+ covers the 3.2–3.4 numerical range and is typically reported as 3.4 on transcripts. This means a UW GPA transfers as slightly higher than an identical course load at, say, UCLA or Michigan State.
- Any 0.1 increment from 0.7 to 4.0. UW instructors are not constrained to discrete letter grades — they can report 2.8, 3.3, or 3.7 directly. This is more granular than letter-only grading and reduces clustering at grade boundaries.
- Grades 0.1–0.6 are auto-converted to 0.0. An instructor cannot pass a student who scored in the failing range — the Registrar converts any sub-0.7 numerical grade to 0.0 automatically. This protects against rounding errors that could let a failing student pass.
UW academic standing requirements
- Undergraduate graduation: minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA across all UW courses. Some colleges and majors enforce higher floors — the College of Engineering and the Allen School of Computer Science both require 2.5+ to remain in the major.
- Graduate good standing: 3.0 cumulative. Below 3.0 triggers an academic warning; below 2.7 means the course does not count toward the Graduate School's graded-credit requirement (Scholastic Regulations 110.1.B).
- Academic probation: a cumulative below 2.0 places undergraduates on probation with registration holds and enrollment limits. Three consecutive quarters below 2.0 may result in dismissal.
- Honors: cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude are awarded at graduation based on college-specific GPA thresholds, typically 3.5+, / 3.7+, / 3.9+ respectively.
Retaking courses and grade replacement at UW
UW uses grade replacement for retaken courses. If you retake a UW course in which you earned below a 2.0, only the higher grade counts in your GPA. The original attempt remains on the transcript with a notation, but the lower grade is excluded from GPA calculation. This applies only to UW courses retaken at UW, and only once per course — multiple retakes of the same course are averaged together. Some colleges cap the number of replaceable courses; check with your adviser.
Other US universities with unique grading scales
UW is one of several US schools that breaks from the standard +/- scale. See how others handle it:
- Michigan State — A+ = 4.33 (capped at 4.0 in cumulative)
- Rutgers — half-point increments (B+ = 3.5), no minus grades
- Ohio State — uses E (not F) for failing
- UCLA and UC Berkeley — standard +/- scale, A+ = A = 4.0
Browse all 26 university GPA calculators or compare the general systems on the US grading guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA scale does University of Washington use?+
UW uses a numerical grading system with 12 letter-grade equivalents: A (3.9–4.0), A− (3.5–3.8), B+ (3.2–3.4), B (2.9–3.1), B− (2.5–2.8), C+ (2.2–2.4), C (1.9–2.1), C− (1.5–1.8), D+ (1.2–1.4), D (0.9–1.1), D− (0.7–0.8), and E (0.0). Instructors report any 0.1 increment from 4.0 down to 0.7, then 0.0 for failure. Grades 0.1–0.6 are converted to 0.0 by the Registrar.
Why is B+ worth 3.4 at UW instead of 3.3?+
UW is unusual in two ways. (1) B+ covers 3.2–3.4 numerically, and most calculators use the upper end (3.4) as the GPA value — most US schools report B+ = 3.3. (2) UW instructors assign any 0.1 increment from 0.7 to 4.0, so letter grades map to ranges, not single points. Your transcript's printed GPA is rounded to two decimals by the Registrar, so a 3.39 reports as 3.4 (B+) and a 3.31 also reports as 3.3 but conceptually sits at the boundary.
What is the lowest passing grade at UW?+
D− (0.7) is the lowest passing grade for undergraduates. E (0.0) means academic failure with no credit. Graduate students must maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA — courses below 2.7 do not count toward the Graduate School's graded-credit requirement (Scholastic Regulations 110.1.B).
Does UW include C+, C−, D+, D− in its grading scale?+
Yes. UW's standard grading scale has 12 letter grades from A through E, including C+, C−, D+, and D−. Each maps to a 0.3-point numerical range (e.g., C+ = 2.2–2.4, D+ = 1.2–1.4). This is a correction to many third-party guides that incorrectly omit these — the official UW General Catalog has included the full 12-grade scale for decades.
How do I convert UW GPA to letter grade?+
At UW, letter grades correspond to numerical ranges, not exact points. To convert a 3.65 GPA to a letter: it falls in the 3.5–3.8 range, so it's an A−. A 3.45 is at the top of B+ (3.2–3.4 range). The exact numerical breakdown is in the table on this page — the calculator above uses the standard midpoint for each letter range when you select a letter grade.
How does UW's grading scale compare to other universities?+
UW is unique in three ways: (1) B+ = 3.4 (most US schools use 3.3), (2) instructors assign any 0.1 increment from 0.7 to 4.0 rather than discrete letters, and (3) grades 0.1–0.6 are not allowed and are auto-converted to 0.0 by the Registrar. The 12-grade letter scale (including C+, C−, D+, D−) is similar to the standard US system used at UCLA, Berkeley, and most other major universities — only the numerical-precision rule is distinctive.
What GPA do I need to graduate from UW?+
Undergraduate: minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA across all UW courses (some colleges and majors require higher — Engineering and Computer Science enforce 2.5+). Graduate: 3.0 cumulative to maintain good standing; below 3.0 triggers academic warning. Students on academic probation (below 2.0) have registration holds and limited enrollment.
Can I retake a course at UW to replace a low grade?+
Yes, but UW uses grade replacement, not averaging. If you retake a course at UW in which you previously earned below a 2.0, only the higher grade counts in your GPA — the original attempt stays on the transcript with a notation. This applies only to UW courses retaken at UW, and only to the first retake; multiple retakes are averaged. Some colleges restrict how many courses can be replaced.
Does UW have grade inflation like other top schools?+
Modestly. The median course grade at UW Seattle hovers around 3.0–3.2 across most departments, though it varies widely: large introductory STEM courses often see 2.7–3.0 medians (e.g., the Biology 180 series historically limits 4.0 grades to less than 7% of students), while humanities and social sciences frequently run 3.3–3.6. UW's numerical-grading rule was adopted partly to give instructors more granularity and reduce clustering at the A/B boundary.
What percentage is a 4.0 at UW?+
UW does not use a percentage-to-GPA conversion. The numerical grading system (0.7–4.0) is based on instructor-assigned grade points, not percentage scores. A 4.0 typically represents the top 5–10% of students in a course, but exact percentage thresholds vary by department. UW instructors set their own grading criteria within the numerical range — there is no university-wide percentage scale.