Home › Grade Calculators › Out of 40 Grade Calculator
Out of 40 Grade Calculator
Enter your points and this calculator turns a score out of 40 into a percentage and a letter grade. It also shows how many more points you needed for the next letter. The formula is score ÷ 40 × 100. For example, 35 out of 40 is 35 ÷ 40 = 0.88, and 0.88 × 100 = 87.5%, which is a B+ on the College Board style scale and a B on a plain 10-point scale.
Each point out of 40 is worth 2.5%. IELTS Listening and Reading are also marked out of 40, but IELTS turns raw scores into bands with its own conversion tables, not percentages, so this page does not apply to IELTS.
On a plain 10-point scale you need 36/40 for an A (90%), 32 for a B, 28 for a C and 24 for a D. The College Board style scale adds plus and minus grades and moves the D cut-off to 65%, which is 26/40. Schools set their own scales, so use the one in your syllabus if it differs. If your test had a different total, for example extra-credit questions, change the ‘Out of’ box and the calculator still works.
Result and step-by-step working
Letter grade: B+ on the College Board style (A+ 97, A 93, A− 90 … D 65) scale
- Divide the score by the total35 ÷ 40 = 0.875.
- Multiply by 1000.875 × 100 = 87.5% (5 points lost, 12.5% of the total).
- Look up the letter87.5% is a B+. The next letter, A−, starts at 90%, which is 36 out of 40 (1 more point).
| Letter | Starts at | Minimum score out of 40 |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97% | 38.8 |
| A | 93% | 37.2 |
| A− | 90% | 36 |
| B+ | 87% | 34.8 |
| B | 83% | 33.2 |
| B− | 80% | 32 |
| C+ | 77% | 30.8 |
| C | 73% | 29.2 |
| C− | 70% | 28 |
| D+ | 67% | 26.8 |
| D | 65% | 26 |
Out of 40 grade chart
Every score from 40 down to 0, with the percentage and the letter grade on two common US scales. College Board style: A+ 97, A 93, A− 90, B+ 87, B 83, B− 80, C+ 77, C 73, C− 70, D+ 67, D 65, F below 65. Plain 10-point: A 90, B 80, C 70, D 60, F below 60.
| Score | Percent | Letter (College Board style) | Letter (plain 10-point) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40/40 | 100% | A+ | A |
| 39/40 | 97.5% | A+ | A |
| 38/40 | 95% | A | A |
| 37/40 | 92.5% | A− | A |
| 36/40 | 90% | A− | A |
| 35/40 | 87.5% | B+ | B |
| 34/40 | 85% | B | B |
| 33/40 | 82.5% | B− | B |
| 32/40 | 80% | B− | B |
| 31/40 | 77.5% | C+ | C |
| 30/40 | 75% | C | C |
| 29/40 | 72.5% | C− | C |
| 28/40 | 70% | C− | C |
| 27/40 | 67.5% | D+ | D |
| 26/40 | 65% | D | D |
| 25/40 | 62.5% | F | D |
| 24/40 | 60% | F | D |
| 23/40 | 57.5% | F | F |
| 22/40 | 55% | F | F |
| 21/40 | 52.5% | F | F |
| 20/40 | 50% | F | F |
| 19/40 | 47.5% | F | F |
| 18/40 | 45% | F | F |
| 17/40 | 42.5% | F | F |
| 16/40 | 40% | F | F |
| 15/40 | 37.5% | F | F |
| 14/40 | 35% | F | F |
| 13/40 | 32.5% | F | F |
| 12/40 | 30% | F | F |
| 11/40 | 27.5% | F | F |
| 10/40 | 25% | F | F |
| 9/40 | 22.5% | F | F |
| 8/40 | 20% | F | F |
| 7/40 | 17.5% | F | F |
| 6/40 | 15% | F | F |
| 5/40 | 12.5% | F | F |
| 4/40 | 10% | F | F |
| 3/40 | 7.5% | F | F |
| 2/40 | 5% | F | F |
| 1/40 | 2.5% | F | F |
| 0/40 | 0% | F | F |
Frequently asked questions
- What is 35 out of 40 as a percentage?
- 35 ÷ 40 × 100 = 87.5%. That is a B+ on the College Board style scale and a B on a plain 10-point scale.
- What is 33 out of 40 as a percentage?
- 33 ÷ 40 × 100 = 82.5%. That is a B− on the College Board style scale and a B on a plain 10-point scale.
- What is 30 out of 40 as a percentage?
- 30 ÷ 40 × 100 = 75%. That is a C on the College Board style scale and a C on a plain 10-point scale.
- How many points can I lose out of 40 and still get an A?
- An A starts at 90% on a plain 10-point scale, which is 36/40. With whole-point marking you can lose 4 points. On the College Board style scale an A (not A−) starts at 93%, which is 37.2/40.
- What is a passing score out of 40?
- With a 60% pass mark you need 24/40. With a 65% pass mark, as on the College Board style scale, you need 26/40. Some courses pass at 50% (20/40); check your syllabus.
Last reviewed: October 9, 2026. Calculations run in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.