IB to GPA Converter - International Baccalaureate to US GPA
Convert your International Baccalaureate Diploma score and subject grades to US GPA on 4.0 and 5.0 scales, with HL/SL context, evaluator guidance, and benchmark tables for international applications.
IB 45 maps to approximately 4.0 GPA on standard 4.0 conversion
IB 7 is the highest subject grade and aligns with A+/4.0 equivalency
IB Diploma minimum award threshold is 24 total points
IB conversion requires both subject-level and total-score perspectives. This page provides both with HL/SL handling and formal credential context for application-ready interpretation.
What Is the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme?
Overview: The IB Diploma is a two-year pre-university programme with global standardization and strong emphasis on breadth plus rigor.
Subject groups: Students complete six subjects across languages, humanities, sciences, mathematics, and arts or substitutions.
Higher Level and Standard Level: At least three subjects are HL, with greater depth and workload than SL.
1-7 grading scale: Each subject is graded 1-7, where 7 is the highest subject result.
TOK, EE, CAS: TOK and EE add up to 3 bonus points; CAS is compulsory but non-point-bearing.
Total score: 42 subject points plus up to 3 core points gives a maximum diploma score of 45.
IB Subject Grade to GPA Conversion Table
Subject-level conversion is generally the most defensible method for official credential interpretation and admissions comparisons.
| IB Grade | Descriptor | % Equivalent | GPA (4.0) | GPA (5.0 HL) | GPA (5.0 SL) | US Letter Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Excellent | 80-100% | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | A / A+ |
| 6 | Very Good | 70-79% | 3.7 | 4.5 | 3.7 | A- |
| 5 | Good | 60-69% | 3.3 | 4.0 | 3.3 | B+ |
| 4 | Satisfactory | 50-59% | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.0 | B |
| 3 | Mediocre | 40-49% | 2.3 | 3.0 | 2.3 | C+ |
| 2 | Poor | 30-39% | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.7 | C- |
| 1 | Very Poor | 0-29% | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | D |
IB Diploma Total Score to GPA Conversion Table
Total-score conversion is useful for single-field application forms, while subject-level conversion remains best for formal credential accuracy.
| IB Total Score | UCAS Points | GPA (4.0) | GPA (5.0) | US University Tier | Classification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 768 | 4.00 | 4.83 | Elite | Outstanding |
| 42 | 704 | 3.93 | 4.67 | Top 10-25 | Excellent |
| 40 | 672 | 3.87 | 4.55 | Top 25 | Excellent |
| 38 | 640 | 3.80 | 4.44 | Top 25-50 | Very Good |
| 35 | 592 | 3.70 | 4.28 | Top 50-75 | Good |
| 33 | 560 | 3.63 | 4.17 | Top 75-100 | Good |
| 30 | 512 | 3.53 | 4.00 | Regional competitive | Satisfactory |
| 28 | 480 | 3.47 | 3.89 | Open-admission mix | Minimum standard |
| 24 | 280 | 3.33 | 3.67 | Minimum diploma | Diploma minimum |
How IB to GPA Conversion Works - Methodology
Subject-level conversion: Convert each subject grade first, then average. This aligns with common evaluator practice.
Total-score conversion: Useful for quick aggregate equivalency but less precise than subject-level conversion.
HL weighting: 5.0 weighted systems may give HL additional headroom, while 4.0 systems usually treat HL and SL equally in points.
Evaluator practice: WES and ECE commonly process subject-level conversions and may treat TOK/EE differently by report type.
IB vs A-Level context: IB breadth across six subjects can produce different average behavior than specialist A-Level profiles.
IB vs A-Level: GPA Comparison
| IB Profile | IB Total | GPA (4.0) | A-Level Equivalent | A-Level GPA (4.0) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,7,7,7,7,7 | 42+ | 4.00 | A*A*A*A*A*A* | 4.00 | Both maximum profiles |
| 7,7,7,6,6,6 | 39+ | 3.83 | A*A*A AAA | 3.85 | Very close equivalence |
| 6,6,6,6,6,6 | 36+ | 3.70 | AAAAAA | 3.70 | Direct equivalence |
| 6,6,6,5,5,5 | 33+ | 3.53 | AAA BBB | 3.50 | Marginal gap |
| 5,5,5,5,5,5 | 30+ | 3.30 | BBBBBB | 3.30 | Direct equivalence |
| 4,4,4,4,4,4 | 24 | 3.00 | CCCCCC | 3.00 | Diploma minimum equivalent |
IB Diploma GPA and US University Benchmarks
| IB Total | GPA (4.0) | US University Tier | Typical Minimum IB | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40-45 | 3.87-4.00 | Ivy / MIT / Stanford band | 38-40+ | Most selective range |
| 37-39 | 3.77-3.83 | Top 10-25 | 35-38 | Highly competitive range |
| 34-36 | 3.67-3.73 | Top 25-50 | 32-35 | Strong selective fit |
| 30-33 | 3.53-3.63 | Top 50-100 / flagships | 28-32 | Broad competitive range |
| 27-29 | 3.43-3.50 | Regional mix | 24-28 | Programme variability high |
| 24-26 | 3.33-3.40 | Open admission mix | 24 | Diploma minimum context |
College Credit and Advanced Standing for IB Higher Level Subjects
Typical HL credit thresholds: Credit often starts at HL 5 or 6, with stricter institutions requiring HL 7.
Credit amounts: Common awards range from 3-4 credits per qualifying HL subject, with variation by discipline.
GPA impact: Most IB-awarded credits do not enter university GPA calculations and appear as transfer/exemption credit.
Claim process: Submit official IB transcript to registrar and verify subject-specific policies before enrolment.
Policy variation: Always verify current institution policy because thresholds and granted credit can change by cycle.
Worked Examples: IB to GPA Conversion
When Do You Need to Convert IB Grades to GPA?
Related Conversion Paths
Use IB and A-Level to GPA combined calculator for side-by-side qualification comparison.
For tariff and percentage mapping, see IB to UCAS Points, IB to Percentage, and the UCAS Tariff Table.
For A-Level parallels, check A-Level to GPA, A-Level to UCAS Points, and A-Level to Percentage.
See WES GPA calculator and GPA scale guide for evaluator-focused context.