Your final exam is done (or nearly), and you want to know your grade in the class. That end-of-term number is your final grade, and you can calculate it yourself. This guide shows three methods, depending on what information you have, plus the class policies that can change the answer.
If you are asking the opposite question, "what score do I need on the final to get a B?", read what do I need on my final instead. This post works forward from scores to the grade.
Method 1: Your current grade plus the final exam
Use this when you know your grade going into the final and how much the final is worth.
You need three numbers:
- Current grade (C): your grade before the final, as a percentage
- Final exam weight (W): the share of the course grade the final counts for, as a decimal (25% = 0.25)
- Final exam score (E): your score on the final, as a percentage
Then:
- Final grade = C × (1 − W) + E × W
Everything except the final counts for (1 − W) of the grade, and the final counts for W.
Worked example
Your current grade is 86%, the final is worth 25%, and you score 78% on it.
- Coursework part: 86 × 0.75 = 64.5
- Final exam part: 78 × 0.25 = 19.5
- Final grade: 64.5 + 19.5 = 84.0%
How much can the final move your grade?
Using the same class (current grade 86%, final worth 25%), here is the final grade for different exam scores:
| Final exam score | Calculation | Final grade |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | 64.5 + 25.0 | 89.5% |
| 90% | 64.5 + 22.5 | 87.0% |
| 80% | 64.5 + 20.0 | 84.5% |
| 70% | 64.5 + 17.5 | 82.0% |
| 60% | 64.5 + 15.0 | 79.5% |
Notice the pattern: every 10 points on the final moves the course grade by 10 × 0.25 = 2.5 points. A heavier final moves it more. If the final were worth 40%, each 10 exam points would move the grade by 4 points.
Check your weighted grade or what you need on the final — free, in your browser.
Open the free grade calculator →Method 2: Full category weights
If your syllabus lists weighted categories, calculate each category's contribution and add them up. This is also the best method if you do not trust the "current grade" in your portal.
Suppose your syllabus says:
| Category | Weight | Your average |
|---|---|---|
| Homework | 15% | 95% |
| Quizzes | 20% | 82% |
| Tests | 40% | 79% |
| Final exam | 25% | 84% |
Multiply each average by its weight (as a decimal):
- Homework: 0.15 × 95 = 14.25
- Quizzes: 0.20 × 82 = 16.40
- Tests: 0.40 × 79 = 31.60
- Final exam: 0.25 × 84 = 21.00
Add them: 14.25 + 16.40 + 31.60 + 21.00 = 83.25%.
The weights add up to 100%, so there is no need to divide. If they do not, divide the total by the sum of the weights. Our guide on how to calculate a weighted grade covers partial categories and other edge cases, and the GradeCalc Lab calculator does the arithmetic for you.
Method 3: Total points classes
Some classes skip weights and simply add up points. In that case:
- Final grade = total points earned ÷ total points possible × 100
Example: before the final you have 742 out of 850 points. The final is worth 150 points and you earn 126.
- Points earned: 742 + 126 = 868
- Points possible: 850 + 150 = 1,000
- Final grade: 868 ÷ 1,000 × 100 = 86.8%
Your grade before the final was 742 ÷ 850 ≈ 87.3%, and you scored 126 ÷ 150 = 84% on the final, so the grade dipped slightly. In a points class the final's weight is its share of all points: 150 ÷ 1,000 = 15%. You can check the answer with Method 1: 87.29 × 0.85 + 84 × 0.15 ≈ 74.2 + 12.6 = 86.8%. For more on points-based grades, see how to calculate grade percentage.