Grade Percentage Calculator
Turn marks out of a total into a percentage and a letter grade — with the marks needed for the next band.
Marks divided by total, times a hundred.
How the grade percentage calculator works
Marks divided by total, times a hundred. The arithmetic is trivial; what people actually want is the grade band and how close they are to the next one.
The bands here are the common US letter scale, which is not universal — UK degree classifications and Australian HD/D/C/P bands sit at different cut-offs, and individual institutions move them. Treat the letter as indicative and check your own scheme.
The row worth reading is how many more marks the next band needs. On a 40-mark test, one mark is 2.5%, so a single question can move a grade.
Formula: percentage = marks / total × 100
Worked examples
| Inputs | Percentage | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 34 out of 40 | 85% | 85% — a B, three marks off an A |
| On the Australian scale | 85% | High Distinction |
| A UK first | 72.5% | 72.5% — a first |
FAQFrequently asked questions
How do I convert marks to a percentage?
Divide marks earned by marks available and multiply by 100.
Are letter grades the same everywhere?
No. The bands here are the common US, Australian and UK schemes, and individual institutions move the cut-offs.
What is 34 out of 40?
85% — a B in the US, a High Distinction in Australia, a comfortable first in the UK.
How much is one mark worth?
100 divided by the total. On a 40-mark test each mark is 2.5%.
Does rounding help me?
Sometimes. Many institutions round to the nearest whole percent, which can lift 84.5% to 85%. Check whether yours does.
Where these figures come from
- Brysbaert (2019), Journal of Memory and Language — How many words do we read per minute? — the 238 wpm silent reading rate, from 190 studies
- US Department of Education — the federal education department
Last checked: September 2026. Reading and writing rates are from published meta-analyses, cited on the page.