Percentage to Letter Grade Calculator
Letter grade reference: standard plus/minus scale
| Letter | Range | GPA |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Below 60% | 0.0 |
| Letter | Range | GPA |
|---|---|---|
| A | 93-100% | 4.0 |
| B | 85-92% | 3.0 |
| C | 77-84% | 2.0 |
| D | 70-76% | 1.0 |
| F | Below 70% | 0.0 |
| Letter | Range | GPA |
|---|---|---|
| A | 90-100% | 4.0 |
| B | 80-89% | 3.0 |
| C | 70-79% | 2.0 |
| D | 60-69% | 1.0 |
| F | Below 60% | 0.0 |
How to Calculate Grades from Percentages
Every grading scale converts a raw percentage to a letter grade through a band lookup: find the lowest threshold your score meets or exceeds, and that is your grade. On the standard plus/minus scale, a score of 87 meets the B+ threshold (87-89), so the letter is B+. A score of 86 falls just below the 87 cutoff and lands in the B band (83-86) instead.
For assignments scored in marks rather than percentages, convert marks to a percentage first, then use the grade lookup above.
- Marks Earned = the raw points you scored on the assignment
- Total Marks Possible = the maximum points available
Two practical examples using the standard plus/minus scale:
- Chris scored 74% on a lab practical. Since 74 falls in the 73-76 band, his grade is C (2.0 GPA).
- Sarah scored 88% on her midterm. Since 88 falls in the 87-89 band, her grade is B+ (3.3 GPA).
To calculate a full course grade from multiple assignments, use the grade calculator, which applies the same band lookup to your overall weighted percentage.
Percentage to Letter Grade Chart: Standard Plus/Minus Scale
The standard US plus/minus scale divides grades into 13 bands from A+ at the top to F below 60%. Most four-year colleges and public universities use this scale. The National Center for Education Statistics identifies it as the most common grade-reporting framework at US postsecondary institutions.
| Letter Grade | Percentage Range | GPA (4.0 Scale) | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97-100% | 4.0* | Excellent |
| A | 93-96% | 4.0 | Excellent |
| A- | 90-92% | 3.7 | Excellent |
| B+ | 87-89% | 3.3 | Good |
| B | 83-86% | 3.0 | Good |
| B- | 80-82% | 2.7 | Good |
| C+ | 77-79% | 2.3 | Satisfactory |
| C | 73-76% | 2.0 | Satisfactory |
| C- | 70-72% | 1.7 | Satisfactory |
| D+ | 67-69% | 1.3 | Passing |
| D | 63-66% | 1.0 | Passing |
| D- | 60-62% | 0.7 | Passing |
| F | Below 60% | 0.0 | Failing |
* A+ GPA = 4.0 at most US colleges; a small number of schools award 4.3 for A+.
What Percent Is an A?
On the standard plus/minus scale, a full A requires 93% or higher. An A- starts at 90%. An A+ is awarded at 97% and above, though most US schools map both A and A+ to 4.0 on the GPA scale. To see how A grades translate into cumulative GPA across multiple courses, use the GPA calculator. On the standard no plus/minus scale, the entire 90-100% range earns an A with no modifiers. The College Board publishes the 93% threshold as the standard A cutoff for college-level coursework.
Marks Percentage Calculator: Grade Boundaries for Common Scores
Borderline scores matter most because a single percentage point can change the letter grade and shift the GPA by 0.3 points per credit hour. This section covers the scores students ask about most often.
What Letter Grade Is a 70 Percent?
A 70 on the standard plus/minus scale earns a C- (1.7 GPA). On the strict scale (F below 70%), the same score drops to a D (1.0 GPA). On the standard no plus/minus scale, a 70 earns a C (2.0 GPA). The strict scale is more stringent in this range because its D band starts at 70 rather than at 63. For students near the prerequisite floor, this distinction can determine whether a course satisfies the requirement for the next course in the sequence.
What Is a 75 in Letter Grade?
A 75 on the standard plus/minus scale is a C (the C band covers 73 to 76). On the strict scale (F below 70%), a 75 is a D (the D band covers 70 to 76; C does not start until 77). On the standard no plus/minus scale, a 75 is a C (70 to 79). Students at schools using the strict scale may earn a lower letter on scores in the 70-76 range than they would at a standard-scale institution. Verify the scale with your registrar.
What Letter Grade Is a 60 Percent?
A 60 on the standard plus/minus scale is a D- (0.7 GPA), the lowest passing grade before F begins below 60%. On the strict scale (F below 70%), a 60 is an F because the passing floor is 70%. On the standard no plus/minus scale, a 60 is a D (1.0 GPA). If you need to know whether a 60 satisfies a prerequisite, check the course catalog; most programs require at least a C or C+ for courses that count toward the major.
72 Letter Grade on the Standard Scale
A 72 as a letter grade is a C- (1.7 GPA) on the standard plus/minus scale. The C- band covers 70 to 72, so 72 sits at the top of that range. On the strict scale (F below 70%), a 72 earns a D (1.0 GPA), because the D band there spans 70 to 76. Students whose programs require a C or better should verify whether a 72 satisfies that floor before assuming they can advance to the next course in the sequence.
What Is an 85 or 86 in Letter Grade?
An 85 in letter grade is a B (3.0 GPA) on both the standard plus/minus and strict scales. The standard B band covers 83 to 86, so an 86 letter grade also earns a B, one point below the B+ cutoff at 87. On the standard no plus/minus scale, both 85 and 86 fall in the B range (80 to 89). Students looking for grades based on percentage in the 83 to 86 range earn a solid B on all three common scales.
Number to Letter Grade Conversions: How Grading Scales Differ
The same percentage earns different letter grades depending on which scale your school uses. The chart below compares eight representative scores across the three most common US grading scales. The 72% row is the most instructive: that score earns C- on the standard plus/minus scale, C on the standard no plus/minus scale, and D on the strict scale, a 0.7 GPA-point difference that compounds when multiple courses carry it.
The comparison table below shows the letter grade each score earns on each scale.
| Score | Standard Plus/Minus | Standard (no plus/minus) | Strict Scale (F below 70%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 97% | A+ | A | A |
| 93% | A | A | A |
| 89% | B+ | B | B |
| 85% | B | B | B |
| 79% | C+ | C | C |
| 72% | C- | C | D |
| 65% | D | D | F |
| 55% | F | F | F |
The strict scale compresses grade distribution at the lower end. Scores between 60% and 69% earn a D on the standard plus/minus and standard no plus/minus scales but an F on the strict scale. Students transferring between institutions should confirm which scale applies when calculating GPA impact, because the same transcript score can represent different performance levels under different scales.
Number Grades to Letter Grades: Scale Comparison
Every number grade from 0 to 100 maps to a letter through a band lookup. Number grades to letter grades conversions differ by scale: a 72 earns C- on the standard plus/minus scale but D on the strict scale, a 0.7-GPA difference that adds up when multiple courses carry that score. Use the comparison table above to confirm which letter applies at your institution before making academic decisions.
Letter Grades by Percentage: Standard Reference
Letter grades by percentage follow predictable bands on the standard plus/minus scale: A and A- cover 90 to 100; B grades span 80 to 89; C grades run 70 to 79; D grades fall between 60 and 69; F begins below 60. A 76 in letter grade earns a C on the standard scale (73 to 76 band). On the strict scale, those boundaries shift upward, raising the F floor to 70%, so confirm with your registrar.
Letter Grades and Percentages: How the Scales Compare
Letter grades and percentages map one-to-one within a given scale but diverge across scales. A percent to grade conversion must specify which scale applies. Students moving between institutions often find that grades with percentage cutoffs differ by 3 to 7 percentage points depending on whether the school uses the standard plus/minus, standard no plus/minus, or strict scale. The calculator above handles all three variants.
Letter Grade to Percentage: Reading the Conversion in Reverse
To use the chart in reverse, find the letter grade you want and read the minimum percentage threshold for that band. On the standard plus/minus scale: A+ requires 97%, A requires 93%, A- requires 90%, B+ requires 87%, and so on. If you need to calculate a target score on an upcoming assignment to reach a specific letter grade in the course, the final grade calculator runs that inverse calculation for you.
| Target Grade | Minimum % (Standard Plus/Minus) | GPA |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97% | 4.0* |
| A | 93% | 4.0 |
| A- | 90% | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87% | 3.3 |
| B | 83% | 3.0 |
| B- | 80% | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77% | 2.3 |
| C | 73% | 2.0 |
| C- | 70% | 1.7 |
| D+ | 67% | 1.3 |
| D | 63% | 1.0 |
| D- | 60% | 0.7 |
| F | Below 60% | 0.0 |
* A+ GPA = 4.0 at most US colleges; a small number of schools award 4.3 for A+.
90 Letter Grade: What Percentage Is an A?
A 90 letter grade is an A- (3.7 GPA) on the standard plus/minus scale, which places A- at 90 to 92. A full A requires 93 or higher. On the standard no plus/minus scale, a 90 is an A (90 to 100 band, no modifiers). The distinction matters when reporting grades: a 90 earns A- at most plus/minus institutions but counts as a full A on the standard no plus/minus scale.
Grades and percentages work in both directions. The College Board and NCES both publish the standard thresholds. Your school may use a standard no plus/minus or strict scale variant; verify with your registrar before relying on any grade-based academic decision.