From points to a percentage and a letter

You scored 43 out of 48 on a quiz, or you are grading a 25-point test and want every possible score ready on one sheet. This grade calculator turns points into a percentage and a letter grade, shows the same result out of 20, out of 10 and out of 100, converts a grade from one scale to another, and builds a printable grading table for teachers.

It works on one test at a time. To combine several grades with weights, use the average calculator on this site.

How to use it

In "Grade scale", keep "Percentage (out of 100)" or pick "Out of 20", "Out of 10" or "Other scale".
Choose the "Rounding" (none, whole number, nearest half, quarter or tenth) and the direction under "Round": to the nearest, up or down.
Open "Letter grade cutoffs" if your school uses other cutoffs than 90 / 80 / 70 / 60, and tick the box if it rounds the percentage before assigning the letter.
In the "Points scored" tab, enter your points and the "Total points".
In "Convert a grade", enter a grade and the scale it is on in "Out of".
In "Printable grading scale", enter the "Points on the test" and a "Step" of 1, 0.5 or 0.25 points, then click "Print the table".

Your settings stay saved in your browser for next time.

The math: a simple proportion

A test score percentage is points scored divided by total points, times 100. For 43 points out of 48:

percentage: 43 × 100 ÷ 48 = 89.58%;
out of 20: 43 × 20 ÷ 48 = 17.92;
out of 10: 43 × 10 ÷ 48 = 8.96.

Converting from one scale to another works the same way: 13 out of 20 is 13 × 10 ÷ 20 = 6.5 out of 10, which is 65%.

Letter grades and the 89.5% question

Many American schools use A from 90%, B from 80%, C from 70%, D from 60% and F below. It is a widespread convention, not a rule: some schools add plus and minus grades, some set A at 93%, and a syllabus can say otherwise. That is why every cutoff can be edited.

With 89.58%, the letter is B, because 89.58 is below 90. If your teacher rounds the percentage to a whole number first, tick "Round the percentage to a whole number before assigning the letter": 89.58 becomes 90 and the letter becomes A. With this box ticked, exactly 89.5% also rounds up to 90 and gets an A; without it, 89.5% stays a B.

Grading scales around the world

Grading habits differ from country to country and sometimes from school to school. In the United States and other English-speaking countries, grades are usually given as percentages or letters. France typically grades out of 20, Spain and Italy usually from 0 to 10, and Germany from 1 to 6, where 1 is the best grade. The "Out of 20" and "Out of 10" options give you the equivalent instantly.

Building a grading table for a test

For a 25-point quiz with half points, keep "Percentage (out of 100)", enter 25 and a step of 0.5 point. The table lists 51 rows, from 25 points (100%, A) down to 0. You can read that 22.5 points give 90% (A) and 22 points 88% (B). Pick a rounding rule and every row shows the percentage you will write down. The table prints on its own, without the rest of the page.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate a test score percentage?

Divide the points you scored by the total points and multiply by 100. For 18 out of 24: 18 ÷ 24 = 0.75, so 75%.

Is 89.5% an A or a B?

It depends on your school's policy. With the common 90% cutoff and no rounding it is a B; if percentages are rounded to whole numbers first, it is an A. The calculator handles both.

Can I get extra credit above 100%?

Yes. If your points exceed the total, the result goes above 100% and a short notice reminds you of it.

Does the percentage change with rounding?

The rounding applies to the grade on the chosen scale. The exact percentage is always shown separately so you can check it.

Grade calculator: points to percentage

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