A 60 in grades is typically a D-minus in the American grading system, placing it right at the border between barely passing and failing. Whether it counts as a passing grade depends on your school, your program, and sometimes the specific course. In many cases, a 60 is the lowest score you can receive and still earn credit, but at some institutions it falls into failing territory.
Where a 60 Falls on the Letter Grade Scale
Most U.S. high schools and colleges use a grading scale that breaks percentage scores into letter grades. On the most common version of that scale, a 60 to 62 earns a D-minus, while anything below 60 is an F. Some schools set the D range starting at 60, others at 65. That difference matters: at a school where the D range begins at 65, a 60 is an F.
The general breakdown looks like this:
- A: 90 to 100 percent
- B: 80 to 89 percent
- C: 70 to 79 percent
- D: 60 to 69 percent
- F: Below 60 percent
Keep in mind that these ranges are not universal. Individual schools publish their own grading policies, and professors sometimes use custom scales where a 60 could land in a different bracket entirely. Always check the syllabus or your school’s academic catalog for the exact cutoffs that apply to you.
What a 60 Means for Your GPA
On a standard 4.0 scale, a D-minus is worth about 0.7 grade points per credit hour. However, some GPA conversion tables, including the one College Board publishes, group anything below 65 as an F and assign it 0.0 grade points. If your school uses that version, a 60 contributes nothing to your GPA and can drag your cumulative average down significantly.
Even when a 60 does earn a small number of grade points, its effect on your GPA is harsh. A single course with a 0.7 mixed into a transcript of B’s and C’s can lower your overall GPA by several tenths of a point, which matters if you’re trying to stay above a threshold for financial aid, athletic eligibility, or academic standing.
Is a 60 Considered Passing?
In many high schools, 60 is the minimum passing grade. You earn the credit, and the course counts toward graduation. That said, some high school districts set the passing line at 65 or even 70, which would make a 60 a failing mark.
At the college level, the answer gets more complicated. Many colleges consider a D (including D-minus) a passing grade for general elective courses, meaning you earn credit hours but the grade still signals very weak performance. However, courses required for your major often need a C or higher to count. If you score a 60 in a required course, you may technically pass but still have to retake it to satisfy your degree requirements.
Graduate programs almost universally require higher performance. A C is typically the lowest acceptable grade in a master’s or doctoral program, so a 60 would not meet the standard in most graduate courses.
How a 60 Affects Your Academic Record
Even when a 60 is technically passing, it can create problems beyond the single course. Many schools place students on academic probation when their cumulative GPA drops below 2.0, and a string of D-range grades makes that threshold hard to maintain. Scholarships and financial aid often have their own GPA requirements, sometimes 2.5 or higher, and a 60 puts those at risk.
If you’re planning to transfer to another school, be aware that many colleges do not accept transfer credit for courses graded below a C. A 60 in a course you hoped would transfer may mean retaking it at your new institution.
A 60 Means Something Different Outside the U.S.
If you’re looking at a grade from a university in the United Kingdom, a 60 carries a very different meaning. UK universities grade on a scale where 40 is the minimum pass, and a score of 60 to 69 earns an Upper Second-Class Honours degree classification, commonly called a 2:1. That’s a strong result, roughly equivalent to a B or B-plus in the American system. The highest classification, First-Class Honours, requires 70 or above.
Other countries have their own scales as well. A 60 in one system is not automatically comparable to a 60 in another, so if you’re evaluating international transcripts or studying abroad, check the grading conventions for that specific country and institution.
What You Can Do About a 60
If you’ve received a 60 in a course and you’re concerned about the impact, you have a few options depending on your school’s policies. Many colleges allow grade replacement, where you retake the course and the new grade replaces the old one in your GPA calculation. Some schools offer pass/fail grading for certain courses, though a passing mark in pass/fail mode typically requires a C or better, so a 60 would likely not qualify.
Talk to your academic advisor about whether retaking the course makes sense for your situation. In some cases, the original grade still appears on your transcript even after a retake, but only the new grade factors into your GPA. If the course is an elective and you already earned the credit, it may be more strategic to focus on earning strong grades in upcoming courses rather than revisiting the old one.