Test Grade Calculator

The test grade formula, and how curves fit in

A curve is applied after this base calculation, not folded into it. There are three common curve methods, and they give different results from the same raw score.

Four raw points on a 50-point test equal 8 percentage points, not 4. Ask your teacher which method applies before adding a curve yourself. Our calculator's curve field adds percentage points directly to the base score.

Score chart: what grade is X out of Y?

Skip the calculator for common scores. Each percentage is points earned ÷ points possible × 100, and each letter uses the standard A+–F scale (Standard A+–F: 97+ A+, 93 A, 90 A-, 87 B+, 83 B, 80 B-, 77 C+, 73 C, 70 C-, 67 D+, 63 D, 60 D-). Your instructor may use different cutoffs.

The same fraction gives the same percentage however it is written, so 6 out of 7 and 30 out of 35 are both 85.71%. On the simple A–F scale (A 90, B 80, C 70, D 60), 85% is a B and 68.75% is a D. Need a chart sorted by wrong answers for a specific test length? Use Easy Grader or the printable Grading Chart. For the full list of percentage ranges, see the Grading Scale.

Uneven point values and mixed-format tests

Real tests often mix formats: a multiple-choice section worth 1 point per question, plus an essay worth 20 or more. The rule stays the same regardless: add all points earned first, add all points possible first, then divide once.

The common mistake is averaging each section's percentage instead. If Section A is 100% (worth 8 points) and Section B is 60% (worth 42 points), the sections are not equal, so a simple average of 80% is wrong. The correct combined result, weighted by actual points, is 33.2 ÷ 50 = 66.4%, not the 80% a simple average would suggest. Averaging percentages only works when every section is worth the same number of points. For a full walkthrough with worked numbers, read our guide on how to calculate a test grade.

Test grade, quiz grade, and AP test scoring — what's the same and what's different

Standard classroom tests

For most classroom assessments, the formula is simply: (Points Earned ÷ Points Possible) × 100. Whether it's a 20-question quiz or a 150-point final, the arithmetic is the same. The only variation is whether your instructor applies a curve — a fixed bonus added to every student's score, or a proportional rescaling based on the class high score. Enter your raw score first, then add the curve as a separate field.

AP and standardized test scoring

AP test grade calculators work differently because AP exams don't convert raw scores directly to percentages. AP exams use a composite score (multiple-choice raw score plus free-response score, with section weights) that then maps to a 1–5 scale through a conversion chart that changes annually. This calculator handles standard classroom raw-score-to-percentage conversion, not AP composite-to-1-5 conversion — for AP-specific scoring, use the College Board's released score calculators for each specific exam year.

Test impact on course grade

Knowing your test percentage is useful, but knowing its impact on your overall course grade matters more. If a test is worth 25% of your course and you scored 72%, that single test contributes 72 × 0.25 = 18 percentage points toward your overall grade. Run the test percentage here, then carry that score into the Weighted Grade Calculator to see the full picture.

Semester test grade calculator

If you're combining multiple test scores across a semester — a midterm, two unit tests, and a final — those belong in the Grade Calculator (equal weight) or the Weighted Grade Calculator (category weights), not in this single-test tool. Use this page for one test at a time.