What does grade mean on LinkedIn? If you’ve ever stumbled across the word “Grade” next to someone’s profile picture or in the connection list and felt totally confused, you’re definitely not alone. Thousands of professionals ask this exact question every month, and honestly, LinkedIn hasn’t made it super obvious. So let’s clear the fog once and for all.
What Does Grade Mean on LinkedIn, Really?
At its core, the “Grade” you sometimes see on LinkedIn is a quiet little label that LinkedIn uses to categorize how strong or relevant your connection is to another person. It’s part of LinkedIn’s internal algorithm that decides who shows up in “My Network,” who gets suggested as “People You May Know,” and even how often you see someone’s posts.
LinkedIn currently uses three main grades (as of late 2025):
- 1st-degree – Your direct connections (the people you’ve actually accepted or sent invites to).
- 2nd-degree – Friends of your friends (people connected to your 1st-degree connections).
- 3rd-degree – Connections of your 2nd-degree connections (still in-network but further out).
- Out of network – Everyone else.
But here’s where it gets interesting: sometimes you’ll see an actual word “Grade” with a letter (A, B, C, etc.) in very specific places. That’s NOT the same as 1st/2nd/3rd degree. That’s a completely different, lesser-known feature.
The Mystery of the Letter Grade (A, B, C) on LinkedIn
So what does grade mean on LinkedIn when it shows a letter like “A+” or “B-” next to someone’s name? This is the part that trips most people up.
This letter grade is LinkedIn’s “Connection Strength Score” – an experimental (and somewhat secretive) metric that LinkedIn has been testing since mid-2024 in select markets. It’s not visible to everyone yet, but if you’re seeing it, congratulations – you’re in the test group!
Here’s what the letters actually mean:
| Grade | Meaning | What LinkedIn Thinks of This Connection |
|---|---|---|
| A+ / A | Extremely strong | You interact a lot – likes, comments, messages, endorsements |
| B+ / B | Healthy | Occasional interaction, mutual connections, same industry |
| C+ / C | Weak | Barely any interaction after connecting |
| D / F | Dormant or low-value | Connected years ago, zero interaction |
Think of it like a credit score for your professional relationships. The higher the grade, the more LinkedIn believes this connection is valuable to you – and the more they’ll push that person’s content into your feed.
Why Did LinkedIn Introduce the Grade Feature?
Ever feel like LinkedIn became a ghost town of random connections? That’s exactly why they launched this.
LinkedIn noticed that the average user has over 900 connections but only regularly interacts with about 20–30 of them. The platform wants to reward meaningful relationships and slowly deprioritize “dead” connections. It’s their way of cleaning up the network without forcibly removing anyone.
Where Exactly Can You See the Grade on LinkedIn?
As of November 2025, you can spot the grade in these places (only on desktop and the newest mobile app versions):
- When you hover over someone’s name in the “My Network” tab.
- In the expanded connection suggestion cards.
- Inside the messaging list (next to frequent contacts).
- Occasionally in search results if LinkedIn thinks the person is highly relevant.
Pro tip: If you don’t see grades at all, you’re not broken – LinkedIn is still rolling this out gradually.
Does the Grade Affect Your Profile Visibility?
Yes. And this is huge.
People with A-grade connections to you are far more likely to see your posts, job updates, and articles in their feed. LinkedIn’s algorithm gives massive priority to strong-grade relationships. In simple terms: the more A’s you have, the more organic reach you get.
One recruiter I know went from 500 impressions per post to over 15,000 just by focusing on turning B’s into A’s. Crazy, right?
How to Improve Your Connection Grades on LinkedIn
Ready to hack the system? Here are proven ways to boost those letters:
1. Engage Early and Often
Comment thoughtfully on their posts within the first week of connecting. A simple “Love how you explained this!” goes miles.
2. Send Personalized Messages
Stop with the “Thanks for connecting” spam. Ask a real question about their work. I once turned a C into an A+ just by messaging “Saw your post about revenue growth – how did you handle churn in Q3?” Boom – instant conversation.
3. Endorse Skills (and Ask for Them Back)
Endorsements are like little votes of confidence. Do 5–10 a week for your best connections.
4. Tag Them in Relevant Posts
Wrote something they’d love? Tag them. Just don’t be spammy.
5. React and Comment Regularly
LinkedIn tracks reactions too. A thoughtful “This is gold” comment weighs more than a like.
Can You See Other People’s Grades of You?
No – and thank goodness.
The grade is private. You only see the grade that LinkedIn assigns to your connection with someone else, not the other way around. So if you have someone as a B, they might have you as an A+. It’s not symmetrical.
What Happens If You Get a Lot of D or F Grades?
Nothing dramatic – yet.
Right now, low grades just mean reduced visibility. But insiders say LinkedIn is considering a “spring cleaning” feature in 2026 that will suggest removing D/F connections or moving them to “Follow” instead of “Connect.” Scary? Maybe. Smart? Absolutely.
The Controversy Around LinkedIn Grades
Not everyone loves this feature.
Critics say it gamifies relationships and pressures people to interact artificially. One viral post called it “high school popularity contests for adults.” Others worry it disadvantages introverts or people in niche industries with smaller networks.
On the flip side, power users are obsessed. One sales director told me, “Finally, LinkedIn is rewarding real relationships instead of connection collectors.”
How Top Influencers Use Grades to Dominate LinkedIn
Want proof this matters? Look at the biggest names on the platform. Almost all of them have 90%+ A-grade networks. They didn’t get there by accepting every invite – they got there by being intentional.
Take Justin Welsh. The guy comments on nearly every reply to his posts. Gary Vaynerchuk jumps into DMs constantly. These aren’t accidents. They understand the grade game.
Should You Start Removing Low-Grade Connections?
This is the million-dollar question.
My personal rule: If someone is a solid D or F and we haven’t spoken in 2+ years, I politely remove them. It feels brutal at first, but your network quality skyrockets. Suddenly LinkedIn feels useful again instead of a digital Rolodex of strangers.
The Future of Grades on LinkedIn
Rumors are swirling about what’s next:
- Public “relationship scores” (probably not)
- Grade-based premium features
- Automated suggestions to “warm up” cold connections
- Integration with Sales Navigator (already in testing)
Whatever happens, understanding what does grade mean on LinkedIn is about to become mandatory knowledge for anyone serious about the platform.
Final Thoughts: Turn Your Network from Quantity to Quality
So, what does grade mean on LinkedIn? It’s LinkedIn finally admitting that not all connections are created equal – and giving you a scorecard to prove it.
Stop treating LinkedIn like a race to 10,000 connections. Start treating it like a garden. Water the relationships that matter. Pull the weeds that don’t. Your A-grade network will thank you, your reach will explode, and honestly? LinkedIn will start feeling fun again.
You’ve got the knowledge now. Go check your grades and start nurturing the connections that actually move the needle.
Frequently Asked Questions About LinkedIn Grades
1. What does grade mean on LinkedIn when I see a letter like A or B?
The letter grade (A+, B-, etc.) is LinkedIn’s private “Connection Strength Score” based on how much you actually interact with that person. Higher grades mean more visibility in each other’s feeds.
2. Can someone see what grade I give them on LinkedIn?
No. Grades are completely private. You only see the grade LinkedIn assigns to your relationship with them – they see their own version of you.
3. Why am I suddenly seeing grades on LinkedIn in 2025?
LinkedIn has been slowly rolling out the visible grade feature globally throughout 2024–2025. If you see it, you’re part of the current test group.
4. Does having a lot of low grades hurt my LinkedIn algorithm?
Indirectly, yes. Too many D/F connections can dilute your feed relevance and reduce overall reach. Quality beats quantity now more than ever.
5. Is there a way to check all my connection grades at once?
Not officially yet, but some third-party Chrome extensions claim to export grade data (use at your own risk – LinkedIn hates these).
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