U.S. High School Graduation Year Calculator by Birthday and State
Choose a tab, then enter a birth year or age, a class year you know, or the current grade. The first-grade year and high school Class of year appear in the result, and the table below runs from kindergarten to a master's degree.
What you know
Assumes kindergarten at age 5 by the cutoff, then grades 1–12 with no repeated or skipped grade. The school year is counted from July 1.
A birth year or current age is enough. Month and day make the cutoff exact.
Result
Starts 1st grade (fall)
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High school Class of
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Fill in the form. Results appear without a calculate button.
| Stage | Starts (fall) | Ends (spring) | Age at start |
|---|
College rows use typical lengths (associate 2 years, bachelor's 4, master's about 2). Middle school grades vary by district; some use K–8 or 7–12.
ready to use.
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- Results firstPut the main number up front and keep the process secondary.
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How to find a graduation year from a birthday
To find a high school graduation year, start with kindergarten: most states enroll children who are 5 by a cutoff date, and the Class of year is 13 school years after kindergarten begins. With the most common cutoff, September 1, a child born between January 1 and September 1, 2010 started kindergarten in fall 2015 and graduates in spring 2028 (Class of 2028). A child born after September 1, 2010 is one year behind: Class of 2029.
The cutoff is set by each state, and a few leave it to districts. The graduation year calculator above includes every state's date from the Education Commission of the States 2026 comparison, and it also works backward from a class year or the grade a student is in now.
The graduation year formula
Kindergarten comes first, then 12 grades. A school year starts in late summer or fall and ends in spring, so each step adds one year.
- Kindergarten year = birth year + 5 (born on or before the cutoff) or + 6 (born after it)
- 1st grade = kindergarten year + 1
- 9th grade = kindergarten year + 9
- Class of = kindergarten year + 13
- Bachelor's degree = Class of + 4 (no gap year)
Kindergarten cutoff dates by state
According to the Education Commission of the States, 22 of 51 jurisdictions use September 1. Others range from July 31 (Hawaii, Nebraska) to December 31 (Vermont), and Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania let districts decide.
- On or before September 1: California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Georgia, Michigan and 13 more states
- Before September 1 (the 1st does not count): Arizona, New Mexico, West Virginia
- August 1: Arkansas, Indiana, Nevada, Wyoming; before August 1: Kentucky, Missouri, North Dakota
- August 31: Delaware, Kansas, North Carolina, Washington
- September 30: D.C., Louisiana, Virginia; October 1: Colorado, New Jersey
- Other single dates: Tennessee Aug. 15, Utah Sept. 2, Montana Sept. 10, Iowa Sept. 15, Maine Oct. 15
Birthdays near the cutoff
The cutoff date decides whether a child starts this fall or next. With September 1, a child born on September 1 is in the earlier group, while one born on September 2 waits a year. In Arizona, New Mexico and West Virginia the child must turn 5 before September 1, so a September 1 birthday also waits.
- Born March 15, 2010 (Sept. 1 cutoff): kindergarten 2015, Class of 2028
- Born September 1, 2010 (California): kindergarten 2015, Class of 2028
- Born September 1, 2010 (Arizona): kindergarten 2016, Class of 2029
- Born October 2, 2010 (Sept. 1 cutoff): kindergarten 2016, Class of 2029
Working back from a class year
Subtract 13 from the Class of year to get the kindergarten year, then subtract 5 more to reach the birth year. With a September 1 cutoff, the Class of 2030 started kindergarten in fall 2017 and was born between September 2, 2011 and September 1, 2012.
What grade is my child in?
Grade = current school year − kindergarten year, with kindergarten as grade 0. In the 2026–27 school year, a student who started kindergarten in fall 2016 is in 10th grade and will be in the Class of 2029. The calculator switches to the next school year on July 1.
Entering an age instead of a birth year
If you only know an age, choose Current age. If this year's birthday has passed, the birth year is this year minus the age; if not, it is one year earlier. Add the birth month and the calculator settles which one applies and whether the birthday falls before the state cutoff.
Grade by birth date in the 2026–27 school year
In a state with a September 1 cutoff, each grade normally holds children born from September 2 of one year through September 1 of the next. In Arizona, New Mexico and West Virginia every range starts and ends one day earlier, and other states shift it to their own date.
| Grade | Born | Class of |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | Sep 2, 2020 – Sep 1, 2021 | 2039 |
| 1st | Sep 2, 2019 – Sep 1, 2020 | 2038 |
| 2nd | Sep 2, 2018 – Sep 1, 2019 | 2037 |
| 3rd | Sep 2, 2017 – Sep 1, 2018 | 2036 |
| 4th | Sep 2, 2016 – Sep 1, 2017 | 2035 |
| 5th | Sep 2, 2015 – Sep 1, 2016 | 2034 |
| 6th | Sep 2, 2014 – Sep 1, 2015 | 2033 |
| 7th | Sep 2, 2013 – Sep 1, 2014 | 2032 |
| 8th | Sep 2, 2012 – Sep 1, 2013 | 2031 |
| 9th | Sep 2, 2011 – Sep 1, 2012 | 2030 |
| 10th | Sep 2, 2010 – Sep 1, 2011 | 2029 |
| 11th | Sep 2, 2009 – Sep 1, 2010 | 2028 |
| 12th | Sep 2, 2008 – Sep 1, 2009 | 2027 |
College years
The National Center for Education Statistics describes an associate degree as at least 2 years of postsecondary coursework and a bachelor's degree as typically 4 years. A master's degree takes at least 1 year beyond the bachelor's; many programs take 2, which the table uses.
Graduation dates on résumés and college applications
Most high schools hold graduation in May or June, so a résumé usually shows only the graduation year, or an expected month and year while you are still enrolled. College applications ask for your high school graduation date, which matches your Class of year.
- Still in high school, Class of 2028: write "Expected June 2028" (or May, matching your school calendar)
- Already graduated: the year alone is enough, for example "High School Diploma, 2024"
- GED or another equivalency: list the year you earned the credential rather than a Class of year
- College Class of: the spring you should finish a four-year degree, so Class of 2028 in high school usually becomes Class of 2032 in college
- Moved, repeated a grade or started late: check the date on your diploma or transcript
When the result can be different
The table assumes a student moves up one grade each year. Adjust by hand in these cases.
- Waiting a year to start kindergarten ("redshirting"): add one year.
- Early entrance allowed by a district (California Education Code §48000(b) is one example): subtract one year.
- Repeating or skipping a grade: add or subtract that year.
- Transitional kindergarten or pre-K years do not change the Class of year.
- Moving between states: the new school may place a student by age or by records.
Class of years by birth year
For a September 1 cutoff. Born after September 1? Add one year to each.
| Born in | Kindergarten | 1st grade | Class of |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 2013 | 2014 | 2026 |
| 2010 | 2015 | 2016 | 2028 |
| 2014 | 2019 | 2020 | 2032 |
| 2019 | 2024 | 2025 | 2037 |
| 2023 | 2028 | 2029 | 2041 |
| 2025 | 2030 | 2031 | 2043 |
Frequently asked questions
If I was born in 2010, what year will I graduate high school?
With a September 1 cutoff, a birthday from January 1 to September 1, 2010 means kindergarten in 2015 and the Class of 2028. A birthday after September 1 means the Class of 2029. In a state with a different cutoff, pick it in the calculator.
What year will a baby born in 2025 graduate?
With a September 1 cutoff, a baby born by September 1, 2025 starts kindergarten in 2030 and graduates in 2043; born later in 2025, the Class of 2044.
What class year is a 10th grader in 2026–27?
The Class of 2029. A 10th grader has 10th, 11th and 12th grade left, and graduates in spring 2029.
What is the kindergarten cutoff date in my state?
Most common is age 5 by September 1 (22 of 51 jurisdictions). Examples: California and Texas Sept. 1, Colorado and New Jersey Oct. 1, Virginia Sept. 30, Indiana Aug. 1, Vermont Dec. 31. Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania leave it to districts.
My child was born on September 1. Which class are they in?
In most September 1 states, including California, a child who turns 5 on September 1 starts kindergarten that year. Arizona, New Mexico and West Virginia require turning 5 before September 1, so the child starts the next year.
What year was I born if I am in the Class of 2030?
With a September 1 cutoff, between September 2, 2011 and September 1, 2012. You started kindergarten in fall 2017.
How many years is K–12?
Thirteen school years: kindergarten plus grades 1 through 12. NCES notes that students typically finish elementary and secondary school by age 18.
How old are students when they graduate high school?
Usually 17 or 18 at graduation in spring. A child who turned 5 just before the cutoff is 17 in the spring of senior year, and one who turned 5 soon after the previous cutoff is 18.
Does my graduation year change if I start kindergarten late?
Yes. Starting a year later moves every year back by one, and repeating a grade does the same. Skipping a grade moves the Class of year one year earlier.
What grade will a child born in 2015 be in for 2026–27?
With a September 1 cutoff, a child born January 1 to September 1, 2015 is in 6th grade (Class of 2033). A child born later in 2015 is in 5th grade (Class of 2034).
How do I show an expected graduation date on a résumé?
Write the month and year your school holds graduation, such as "Expected June 2028". The calculator gives the year; your school calendar gives the month. After graduating, the year alone is enough.
Is this calculator an official placement?
No. Schools place students by state law, district policy and records. Use the result for planning, and check with your district for enrollment decisions.