In most US high schools, a D is technically passing — it earns the course credit. But “passing” hides three different lines, and which one applies depends on the scale, the school, and what the course is for: the same 65% can be a comfortable pass, a bare D+, or an outright F depending on the room you’re standing in.

Line 1: the scale

The percentage-to-letter ladder sets the raw pass line, and the US runs at least three common versions:

scale	lowest passing	the F line
standard (10-pt)	D− at 60%	below 60
strict (7-pt)	D− at 70%	below 70
lenient / standards-based	D− at 50%	below 50

The full thresholds — every rung, all three scales — are in letter grades explained. A student moving districts can gain or lose a full letter without a single answer changing.

Line 2: “passing” vs “counts”

High school asks one question — did the credit post? College asks two:

• Does it earn credit hours? A D usually does.
• Does it satisfy the requirement? Frequently not. Prerequisite chains (you need a C in Calc I to take Calc II), major requirements, and professional-program courses commonly set C or C− floors, so the same D is simultaneously a pass and a roadblock.

This is why advisors say “a D is a pass that doesn’t go anywhere” — the credit counts toward the total, the sequence stalls.

Line 3: the GPA floor

Even where every D counts, the average has its own minimum. A D is worth 1.0 grade points, and degree programs typically require a ~2.0 cumulative GPA — so a student can pass every single course and still fail the degree on points. The same math applies to financial-aid satisfactory-progress rules, which generally sit near a 2.0 cumulative.

The honest answer

“Is a D passing” resolves to: passing enough for the credit, rarely enough for the next step, and never enough for the average. If you’re setting a scale rather than living under one, the grader prints all three ladders — and if you’re weighting categories rather than counting points, weighted vs points covers where that system diverges.

Frequently asked questions

Is 60% a passing grade?

On the standard 10-point scale, yes — 60% is D-, the bottom rung of passing. But it's the single most variable number in US grading: many districts set their floor at 65% or 70%, and colleges may accept the credit while refusing it for the major. 'Does it count?' needs the school's policy, not just the scale.

Is a D passing in college?

Usually for credit, often not for the requirement. A D typically earns the course's credit hours toward the total you need to graduate — but prerequisite chains and major courses commonly demand a C or C- minimum, so a D in Biology 101 may not unlock Biology 102. Registrars call this 'credit hours earned vs requirement satisfied'.

Is a C- a passing grade?

Almost everywhere, yes — 70–72.99% on the standard scale. The catch is specific rather than general: some programs set C (flat) as the minimum for key courses, and a transcript of C-'s sits under the 2.0 GPA most degree programs require overall.

What's the lowest passing grade?

On the standard scale, D- at 60%. On strict 7-point scales, D- at 70% — there's no letter between 69.9 and failing. On lenient standards-based scales, D- can reach down to 50%. A few schools skip minus grades entirely and end the ladder at D.

Can you pass every class and still not graduate?

Yes — this is the D-trap most students miss. Courses that pass at D still award only 1.0 grade points, and most degree programs require a ~2.0 cumulative GPA. A straight-D record earns credits in every column and still fails the GPA check.