The short answer
Arkansas uses a statewide scale of A = 90–100, B = 80–89, C = 70–79, D = 60–69, F = below 60 — a 10-point scale with no plus or minus grades. It applies to all public secondary schools; optional for elementary. Each letter earns A 4, B 3, C 2, D 1, F 0 GPA points.
Verified: we opened the cited source page and checked these values (October 2026).
The official Arkansas grading scale
| Letter | Percent range | Points wide | GPA points |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 90–100 | 11 | 4.0 |
| B | 80–89 | 10 | 3.0 |
| C | 70–79 | 10 | 2.0 |
| D | 60–69 | 10 | 1.0 |
| F | below 60 | — | 0.0 |
Applies to: all public secondary schools; optional for elementary.
Arkansas also sets a weighted scale for AP, IB, approved honors and concurrent-credit courses: A = 5, B = 4, C = 3, D = 2, F = 0. So an 85% in an approved AP class is a B worth 4 points, while the same 85% in a regular class is a B worth 3. The rules are adopted under Ark. Code Ann. 6-15-902 and apply to all public secondary schools; elementary schools may use them but don’t have to.
Same score, different letter: Arkansas vs. the plus/minus scale
Many teachers, websites and calculators assume the plus/minus scale (A 93+, A− 90–92, B+ 87–89 …). Here is how sample scores land on Arkansas's scale instead:
| Score | Arkansas letter | Plus/minus letter |
|---|---|---|
| 97% | A | A+ |
| 93% | A | A |
| 91% | A | A− |
| 89% | B | B+ |
| 86% | B | B |
| 84% | B | B |
| 80% | B | B− |
| 78% | C | C+ |
| 75% | C | C |
| 72% | C | C− |
| 70% | C | C− |
| 68% | D | D+ |
| 65% | D | D |
| 61% | D | D− |
| 59% | F | F |
The base letter matches the plus/minus scale for all 15 sample scores, because both use the same 90/80/70/60 cut-offs. What Arkansas's scale removes is the plus and minus: a 91 is a plain A here but an A− (3.7 points) on the plus/minus scale, and an 80 and an 89 are both a B instead of a B− (2.7) and a B+ (3.3). Where a school maps whole letters to whole points, scores of 90–92 gain 0.3 points and scores of 87–89 lose 0.3 compared with plus/minus grading.
What the state's documents say
ADE Uniform Grading Scales rules (Ark. Code Ann. 6-15-902). Weighted scale for AP/IB/approved honors/concurrent: A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, F=0. Possibly superseded by a later codification (Rule 96-202) with the same values.
Source: www.law.cornell.edu. Verification: source page opened and checked during our October 2026 research.
Turning a Arkansas letter into GPA points
On a 10-point scale with whole letters, GPA math is simple: average the points of your classes, weighted by credits. Three B's and three A's in equal-credit classes give (3 × 3.0 + 3 × 4.0) ÷ 6 = 3.5. One C among five A's gives (2.0 + 5 × 4.0) ÷ 6 ≈ 3.67.
Enter your grades in the high school GPA calculator (type the letter, not the percent, so the state scale is respected), compare scales in the grading scale converter, or see what a GPA means on the GPA scale. State facts beyond grading are on the Arkansas school facts page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the grading scale in Arkansas?
Does Arkansas use plus and minus grades?
Who does the Arkansas grading scale apply to?
Sources & method
- Arkansas scale: https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/arkansas/005-15-05-Ark-Code-R-004 (opened directly).
- Plus/minus comparison: the common US scale (A 93+, A− 90–92, B+ 87–89 …) used across this site. Sample-score letters are computed from the published ranges.
Checked October 2026. Grading rules change — if your district's handbook differs, the handbook wins. Spotted an error? Tell us via the about page.