US Grading System In 2025: A Comprehensive Guide

Here is a quick and easy breakdown of the different types of US grading systems:

Special Grading Scale in the US

The US grading system also incorporates a few different letter grades into the American grading scale. These do not exactly denote your grades but instead are used to highlight the status of your course. However, the US education grading system still shows up on your transcript in the American grade system. So, to ensure that these random letters on your mark sheet don't confuse you, here is what they mean in the American grading scale:

1. IP (In Progress)

If students haven't finished parts of a subject within the stipulated time to earn the regular grade, they will probably be given this grade. Upon completion, this grade is converted to the regular grade.

2. NC (Not Complete)

If a task or homework assigned to a student is not complete or the student fails to complete the same, then this grade is given to the student on the transcript. 

3. W (Withdrawn)

This United States GPA scale is awarded to students who are present or attend classes but drop out midway. 

What is the Grade Point Average (GPA)?

GPA, or Grade Point Average, is the primary marking system of the US grading system. Your GPA, as the name suggests, is the overall average of all your grades for a specific period. Here’s how the GPA grading system works:

A = 4.0
B = 3.0
C = 2.0
D = 1.0
F = 0.0

How are Letters and Numerical Systems Related?

Every letter grade corresponds to a number or percentage, which is then used to calculate your GPA. Your numerical grade is used to obtain your letter grade. Each college will have its exact denotation of which grade corresponds to what letter, but here is a general breakdown of the different letter grades and their corresponding grade range. In the United States, academic performance is evaluated using 5, 6, to 7-letter grades. The conventional American university grading scale includes A+, A, A-, B+, B-, B-, C+, C-, D+, D, D-, and F, with A+ being the highest grade and F being the lowest. Here is a quick and easy breakdown of the US grading systems.

What is the Grade Point Average (GPA)?

GPA, or Grade Point Average, is the primary marking system of the US grading system. Your GPA, as the name suggests, is the overall average of all your grades for a specific period. For a full breakdown, check out our detailed guide on what is GPA and how to calculate it.

Here’s how the GPA university grading system works:

A = 4.0
B = 3.0
C = 2.0
D = 1.0
F = 0.0

Types of GPA

The GPA in the US grading system is divided into three categories: 

1. Class GPA: which focuses on specific courses like math in a semester.

2. Semester GPA: which looks at overall performance in a semester or quarter.

3. Cumulative GPA: This includes all academic activities, including extracurriculars like part-time internships that can significantly improve your GPA.

How to Calculate GPA?

In the US grading system, the aggregate quality points gained in each unit are added to calculate GPA. The final result is divided by the total number of course credits or units (or credit hours) you attempted to arrive at your average GPA. It is not just the average of all your grades but determines your final GPA at graduation. The amount of semester hours determines how much weight it has. To get a better understanding of how your final grades will be calculated, you can also read our blog on how to improve your GPA.

‍For example: GPA = Total Grade Points / total number of credit hours or courses taken. Therefore, if your total grade points are 22 and the number of classes you took is 6, then, your GPA would be 3.6.

To calculate the GPA, remember that it is not just the average of all your grades but determines your final GPA at graduation. The amount of semester hours determines how much weight it has. 

Honors and Its Types

Students who meet the requirements for any level of study may receive a gratuitous honor based on their GPA. Based on other prerequisites, honors can differ from university to university. Relevantly, the student with a better GPA will automatically be given all three honors. They are:

1. Cum Laude: With Honour 

2. Magna Cum Laude: With Great Honor 

3. Summa Cum Laude: With Greatest Honour

Degree Classifications in the US 

In the US, degrees are classified into three types:

• First class honors: 70% and above
• Upper Second class honors: 60% – 70%
• Third class honors: 40% – 50%

Scoring below 40% means you have not passed your degree while scoring above 70% means you have achieved a high classification. Your GPA represents your final grade.

Difference Between UK and US Grading Systems

The UK grading system uses a class grade order, unlike most grading systems, including the United States grading scale, which uses the alphabet to show the student's accomplishments. The UK utilizes letter grades similar to the American grading system, although not in the same way. 

In the UK, an "A" is defined as anything above 70% rather than each letter denoting 10%. Every additional letter results in a 10% reduction. 

That was our full breakdown of the American grading system. While the US grading system isn't too hard to understand, adjusting to a new structure can be tough, so we've tried to make your transition as smooth as possible. Also, if you are planning to move to the USA, you must be worried about finding ideal housing. Don't worry; we provide some amazing options for student housing in the US to make your path less stressful.