A printable grading scale is a one-page chart that turns a raw score into a percentage and letter grade without a calculator. Choose your scale, 10-point or plus/minus, find the column for your test's total questions, and read across from the number correct. Print it on card stock and laminate it for reuse.
What does a printable grading scale show?
A printable grading scale comes in two formats, and most teachers keep one of each. The first is a percentage-to-letter chart: one row per letter grade with its percentage range, the version you pin on a classroom wall or staple into a syllabus. The second is a score grid, the layout the original E-Z Grader made famous, with the number of questions across the top, the number correct down the side, and the percentage where the two meet.
The letter chart answers "what letter is 84%?" and the grid answers "what percentage is 21 out of 25?". Grading a stack of tests takes both steps, so printing both saves the most time. The table below is the standard plus/minus scale most US schools use, ready to copy onto a printed sheet. Our grading scale page explains each band in detail.
| Letter grade | Percentage | 4.0 GPA |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 97–100% | 4.0 |
| A | 93–96% | 4.0 |
| A− | 90–92% | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87–89% | 3.3 |
| B | 83–86% | 3.0 |
| B− | 80–82% | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77–79% | 2.3 |
| C | 73–76% | 2.0 |
| C− | 70–72% | 1.7 |
| D+ | 67–69% | 1.3 |
| D | 63–66% | 1.0 |
| D− | 60–62% | 0.7 |
| F | Below 60% | 0.0 |
Which grading scale should you print?
Print the scale your school or department actually uses. A chart that disagrees with the gradebook causes grade disputes. Four layouts cover almost every US classroom. The 10-point scale gives one letter per ten points (A = 90–100%). The plus/minus scale splits each letter into three bands. The 7-point scale raises every cutoff (A = 93–100%, F below 70%). A strict or professional-program scale often requires 80% just to pass.
Check the student handbook or the district policy before you print, because the same 84% is a B on the 10-point scale but a C on the 7-point scale. The 10-point vs. 7-point grading scale guide covers where each one is used.
| Letter | 10-point scale | 7-point scale | Plus/minus (base letter) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 90–100% | 93–100% | 90–100% (A−, A, A+) |
| B | 80–89% | 85–92% | 80–89% (B−, B, B+) |
| C | 70–79% | 77–84% | 70–79% (C−, C, C+) |
| D | 60–69% | 70–76% | 60–69% (D−, D, D+) |
| F | Below 60% | Below 70% | Below 60% |
Printable grading chart by number of questions
The most useful sheet to keep next to an answer key shows the minimum correct answers needed for each letter at common test lengths. Each cell in the table is the total questions multiplied by the cutoff (90%, 80%, 70%, 60%), rounded up to a whole question, because a student can't get half a question right on an equal-weight test.
On a 25-question test, a student needs 23 correct for an A because 22.5 rounds up. That means only 2 wrong answers still earn an A. Print this table as is, or open the full per-score version for your test size: grading scale for 20 questions, 25 questions, or 50 questions.
| Test length | A (90%) | B (80%) | C (70%) | D (60%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 questions | 9 correct | 8 correct | 7 correct | 6 correct |
| 15 questions | 14 correct | 12 correct | 11 correct | 9 correct |
| 20 questions | 18 correct | 16 correct | 14 correct | 12 correct |
| 25 questions | 23 correct | 20 correct | 18 correct | 15 correct |
| 30 questions | 27 correct | 24 correct | 21 correct | 18 correct |
| 40 questions | 36 correct | 32 correct | 28 correct | 24 correct |
| 50 questions | 45 correct | 40 correct | 35 correct | 30 correct |
How do you make and print your own grading scale?
Generate the chart for your exact test and scale, then print it on its own. You'll get a sheet that matches your gradebook to the question. A generic chart downloaded from a marketplace usually stops at a fixed number of questions (one popular free printable only goes up to 30) and assumes a scale you may not use.
- Open the grade chart generator and enter the total number of questions or points on your test.
- Pick the scale preset that matches your policy: standard, strict, or lenient.
- Use your browser's print command (Ctrl + P on Windows, Cmd + P on a Mac) and choose "Fit to page".
- Print on card stock so the sheet stands up to daily handling.
- Laminate it or slide it into a sheet protector so it can be wiped and reused all year.
- Write the scale name and school year in a corner so an old chart never gets mixed up with a new policy.
How do you read a grid-style grading chart?
Find the total number of questions across the top row, go down to the row for the number correct, and read the percentage where they meet. For a 25-question test where a student got 21 right, the cell reads 84%. That's a B on both the 10-point scale and the plus/minus scale (83–86%).
The grid does the division for you: 21 ÷ 25 × 100 = 84%. Some grids list wrong answers instead of correct ones, so check the column label before you trust a number. On a missed-count grid the same student is "4 wrong" and still lands on 84%. The quick grader method shows how to move through a stack of papers with a grid without recounting.
When is a paper grading scale not enough?
A printed chart works for equal-weight tests with a fixed number of questions. It breaks down when the math changes from test to test. Paper can't handle weighted categories, odd point totals like a 37-point quiz, partial credit in half points, or a rescale after you drop a bad question. For those cases, a points grade calculator or the main grade calculator is faster than hunting for the right row.
| Situation | Printed chart | Online calculator |
|---|---|---|
| Equal-value questions, common test size | Works well | Works |
| Odd totals (37 points, 43 questions) | Needs a custom chart | Works |
| Partial credit / half points | Awkward | Works |
| Weighted categories (tests 50%, homework 30%) | Doesn't work | Use a gradebook calculator |
| Dropping or rescoring a question | Reprint needed | Instant |
How do you keep a printed scale consistent with your gradebook?
Decide your rounding policy before you print, and write it on the chart. The most common grade dispute is a student at 89.5% asking whether that's an A. Some schools round 89.5 up to 90 and others truncate it to 89. The chart should state which rule you use. The grade rounding rules guide lists the common policies.
Match the printed cutoffs to the ones set in your learning management system too. Then share the same sheet with students and parents at the start of the term, so the numbers on paper, in the syllabus, and in the online gradebook all agree. Reprint whenever the district changes its scale. Laminated charts outlast policies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get a free printable grading scale?+
You can generate one for free with the grade chart generator on this site and print it straight from your browser. Free versions are also listed on teacher resource sites such as Teachers Pay Teachers, though those usually cover fixed test sizes and one scale only.
What is the standard grading scale to print?+
The standard US plus/minus scale is the safest default: A 93–96%, A− 90–92%, B+ 87–89%, B 83–86%, B− 80–82%, and so on down to F below 60%. If your school uses whole letters only, print the 10-point version: A 90–100%, B 80–89%, C 70–79%, D 60–69%, F below 60%.
How do I print a grading scale so it fits on one page?+
Use your browser's print dialog and choose "Fit to page" or scale to 100% with narrow margins. A single test size and a single scale fit comfortably on one letter-size sheet. Several test sizes may need landscape orientation.
Should I laminate my grading chart?+
Yes, if you'll use it all year. A chart printed on card stock and laminated, or kept in a sheet protector, survives daily handling and can be wiped clean. Just reprint it whenever your grading policy changes.
How many questions can a student miss and still get an A?+
On the 10-point scale, a student can miss 10% of the questions: 1 on a 10- or 15-question test, 2 on a 20- or 25-question test, 3 on a 30-question test, and 5 on a 50-question test. Stricter scales that start the A at 93% allow fewer misses.
What is the difference between a grading scale and a grading chart?+
A grading scale is the rule that maps percentage ranges to letters. A grading chart applies that rule to a specific test length, listing every possible score and its grade. Most teachers print the scale once and a chart for each test size they use.
Can I make a printable grading scale for a test with an unusual number of points?+
Yes. Enter the exact total, such as 37 points or 43 questions, into the grade chart generator and print the result. Fixed printables rarely cover odd totals, so a custom chart is the reliable option.
Is 89.5% an A on a printed grading scale?+
Only if your rounding policy says so. Many schools round 89.5% up to 90% (an A−), but others record 89% (a B+). Write your rounding rule on the printed chart so the answer is the same every time.
Do printable grading scales work for weighted grades?+
No. A printed chart converts one test score at a time, but a weighted course grade blends categories like tests, quizzes and homework at different percentages. Use a gradebook calculator for the combined grade.
What is the 7-point grading scale?+
The 7-point scale gives each letter a band of roughly seven points: A 93–100%, B 85–92%, C 77–84%, D 70–76%, and F below 70%. It's stricter than the 10-point scale, so print the one your district actually uses.
Can students use a printable grading scale too?+
Yes. A student can use the same grid to check a returned test by finding the number of questions and the number correct. Keeping a copy in a binder also makes it easy to spot a grading mistake quickly.
Muhammd Salman
I build and maintain Grade Calculator independently. Every worked example on this site is checked against the underlying formula, with notes on where school or instructor policy can change the result. More about this site →