Grade Average Calculator
Average a list of grades and see the highest, the lowest and the letter grade your average works out to.
Average
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Highest
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Lowest
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| Label | Grade |
|---|---|
Sign in or create a free account to save this calculation. Everything else works without one.
This is a simple average — every grade counts equally. That is the right calculation when the assignments are worth the same, and the wrong one when they are not.
Related calculators
Grade Calculator
Add up points earned and points possible across assignments to get your course percentage and letter grade.
Weighted Grade Calculator
Calculate a course grade where homework, tests and projects each count for a different percentage.
Test Grade Calculator
Turn correct or wrong answers out of a total into a percentage and letter grade.
How to use this calculator
- Enter each grade as a percentage. Labels are optional and only appear in the breakdown.
- Include zeros for work you did not submit, unless that score will be dropped.
- Pick your grading scale so the letter grade matches your school's.
How the calculation works
Add the grades together and divide by how many there are.
This treats every grade as equally important. If they are not — a final worth twice a quiz, or syllabus category weights — a simple average will mislead you.
A worked example
| Assessment | Grade |
|---|---|
| Test 1 | 88% |
| Test 2 | 92% |
| Test 3 | 76% |
| Test 4 | 84% |
| Total | 340 |
340 ÷ 4 = 85%, a B on a standard scale.
The highest is 92% and the lowest 76% — a sixteen-point spread. That is worth noticing: the average is a B, but the range says the 76% is the outlier rather than the pattern.
What a single zero does
Averages are more sensitive to one missing assignment than most students expect. Four grades of 90% averaging 90%, with a fifth grade added:
| Fifth grade | New average | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | 92% | +2 |
| 80% | 88% | −2 |
| 50% | 82% | −8 |
| 0% | 72% | −18 |
One missed assignment costs eighteen points — two full letter grades — where a merely poor score costs two. Handing something in late is almost always better than not handing it in.
Important notes and limitations
A simple average is often the wrong tool
Most courses do not grade by simple average. Check your syllabus: if it lists category weights or point values, one of the other calculators will give you the number your instructor is actually working with.
- Different point values? Use the Grade Calculator.
- Category weights? Use the Weighted Grade Calculator.
- Averaging course grades for a GPA? Use the GPA Calculator — GPA weights by credit hours, so a simple average is wrong there too.
- Letter grade boundaries depend on your school's scale, which you can change above.
Frequently asked questions
When should I not use a simple average?
Whenever the grades are not worth the same. If one test is worth twice another, or your syllabus sets category weights, a plain average gives the wrong answer. Use the Weighted Grade Calculator for weighted categories, or the Grade Calculator if everything is measured in points.
Should I include a zero for work I did not hand in?
Yes, if that zero is going in the gradebook — it is exactly what pulls an average down, and leaving it out gives you a comforting but false number. Leave it out only if your instructor drops lowest scores and this one will be dropped.
How do I average letter grades?
Convert each to its percentage or grade points first. For grade points weighted by credit hours, which is how GPA works, use the GPA Calculator instead.
What does the highest and lowest tell me?
How consistent your grades are. An average of 85% made of 84, 85 and 86 is a very different picture from one made of 100, 95 and 60 — and the second suggests one bad result worth understanding rather than a general standard.
Can I average grades above 100%?
Yes. Extra credit is left as it is rather than capped, so a 110% counts as 110% in the average.