Is 60% a C or a D?
Where the D ends and the C begins
| Grade | Percentage | GPA value | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 73–76 | 2.0 | The "counts everywhere" line |
| C− | 70–72 | 1.7 | First grade in the C range |
| D+ | 67–69 | 1.3 | Passing, rarely counts for prerequisites |
| D | 63–66 | 1.0 | Passing, credit only |
| D− | 60–62 | 0.7 | Lowest passing grade — this is where 60% sits |
| F | Below 60 | 0.0 | No credit |
So a 60% is ten full points from the C range and thirteen from a true C. That gap matters: many majors, prerequisite chains, and transfer agreements require a C or C−, so a 60 earns credit but often can't be built on.
10-point vs. 7-point scales: why answers differ
The table above is the 10-point scale — each letter spans ten percentage points, and it's what the large majority of US schools use today. But a 7-point scale still survives in some districts and older institutions: there, 93–100 = A, 85–92 = B, 77–84 = C, 70–76 = D, and anything below 70 fails. On a 7-point scale, 60% isn't a D at all — it's an F.
| Score | 10-point scale | 7-point scale |
|---|---|---|
| 60% | D− | F |
| 70% | C− | D |
| 78% | C+ | C |
| 86% | B | B |
| 94% | A | A |
Several southern US states used 7-point scales widely into the 2000s before converting to 10-point, partly because their students were competing for scholarships against 10-point-scale transcripts. If your school's scale isn't printed on the syllabus or report card, ask — the same 60 can mean credit or no credit.
Why people think 60% might be a C
Two honest sources of confusion. First, other countries: in Canada some provinces grade 60–69 as a C (or even B−), in India 60% often marks First division, and in many European systems 60% is a comfortable middle grade. Second, curved courses: a US professor who curves to a B− median can turn a raw 60 into a fine letter grade — but that's the curve rewriting the number, not the scale. On the posted US scale, uncurved, 60% is a D− every time.
Try it yourself: Test Grade Calculator (EZ Grader)
Type your score and see exactly which letter band it lands in.
Frequently asked questions
Is 60% at least passing?
At most US schools, yes — 60% is the exact floor of passing (D−), and 59.9% fails. But some districts set passing at 65, 7-point-scale schools fail anything below 70, and many college programs require a C for the course to count toward a major.
What percentage do I need for an actual C?
A C− starts at 70 and a full C at 73 on the standard scale. If you're at 60% mid-course, that's a 10–13 point climb — doable with heavy remaining weight, so calculate what's left before writing it off.
Why does the D range even exist if Ds barely count?
The D marks "passed the course, didn't demonstrate competence to build on it." You keep the credit toward graduation but usually can't use it for prerequisites or transfer. Some schools have concluded the tier isn't useful and simply fail everything below C−.