Free Final Grade Calculator
Enter your current grade, the grade you want, and how much the final is worth. Get the exact score you need on exam day.
This free final grade calculator solves for the exam score you need: required score equals your desired grade minus your current grade times the non-final weight, all divided by the final's weight. With an 85 average, a 90 goal, and a final worth 20 percent, you need 110 percent on the final, which means the goal is out of reach without extra credit.
Assumes your current grade is final for everything except the exam, and that the final is scored out of 100. Check whether your instructor curves, drops scores, or adds extra credit.
Email me my results
Get your calculation sent to your inbox, plus occasional tips about our free tools.
How final-grade math works
Your course grade is a weighted average: each component contributes its score times its weight. To find the final exam score you need, work backward. Subtract what you have already banked from what you want, then divide by the final's share.
The formula: needed score = (desired grade - current grade x (1 - final weight)) / final weight, with weights as decimals. With an 85 average, a 90 goal, and a 20 percent final: (90 - 85 x 0.80) / 0.20 = (90 - 68) / 0.20 = 22 / 0.20 = 110. You would need 110 percent, so the 90 is unreachable on the exam alone.
Try a friendlier case: a 78 average, an 80 goal, and a 25 percent final. (80 - 78 x 0.75) / 0.25 = (80 - 58.5) / 0.25 = 21.5 / 0.25 = 86. An 86 on the final gets you the 80.
The current-grade tab handles the other direction. If your quizzes average 80 at 20 percent weight, your midterm is 90 at 30 percent, and homework is 95 at 30 percent, your current grade is (80x20 + 90x30 + 95x30) / 80 = 7,150 / 80 = 89.4 percent. Feed that into the final-needed tab.
Watch the assumptions. The math assumes no dropped scores, no curve, and no extra credit, and it assumes the weights you enter sum correctly. If your syllabus drops the lowest quiz or weights categories differently, adjust the inputs to match reality.
Final grade calculator questions
What grade do I need on my final to pass?
Enter your current grade, the passing grade you need, and the final's weight, and the calculator gives the exact required score. Example: with a 78 average, an 80 goal, and a 25 percent final, you need an 86 on the exam.
What if the score I need is over 100?
A required score above 100 means even a perfect final cannot get you there. Your options are extra credit, a curve, or adjusting the target grade. The calculator flags this so you can plan instead of hoping.
How do I calculate my current grade?
For each graded component, multiply the score by its weight, add all those products, and divide by the sum of the weights. Example: quizzes 80 at 20 percent, midterm 90 at 30 percent, homework 95 at 30 percent gives 89.4 percent. The calculator's second tab does this math.
Does the calculator handle weighted categories?
Yes. Add one row per category or assignment with its score and its weight percentage, and the calculator computes the weighted average. Weights do not need to sum to 100; it normalizes automatically.