How to Calculate a Weighted Grade
Last updated: October 11, 2026
In a weighted grade, each category counts for a set percentage of your final grade, no matter how many points it contains. A syllabus might say homework is 20%, quizzes are 20% and exams are 60%.
The formula
Weighted grade = (category 1 average × weight 1) + (category 2 average × weight 2) + …
Write each weight as a decimal (20% is 0.20). Your weights should add up to 100%. Find each category average first, using points earned ÷ points possible within that category.
Example
- Homework: average 95%, weight 20%. 95 × 0.20 = 19
- Quizzes: average 85%, weight 20%. 85 × 0.20 = 17
- Exams: average 80%, weight 60%. 80 × 0.60 = 48
Add them up: 19 + 17 + 48 = 84. Your weighted grade is 84%.
When some categories are not graded yet
Early in the term you may only have scores in some categories. Add up the weighted points for the categories that have scores, then divide by the total weight of those categories.
Example: only homework (95%) and quizzes (85%) are graded so far, and together they are worth 40%. Add 19 + 17 = 36, then divide by 0.40. Your grade so far is 90%. It will change once the exams are graded.
Check your weights
If the weights on your syllabus do not add up to 100%, something is missing, such as participation or extra credit. Treat anything extra as its own category before you calculate.
Use the college calculator
The college calculator is built for percentage-based gradebooks. Set each category’s percentage, paste your gradebook or add assignments, and see your class grade update.