How to List Education on a Resume (with Examples)

• Degree name, written out or abbreviated consistently: Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or B.S.
• Major, and minor if relevant: “B.A. in Psychology, Minor in Spanish”.
• School name, city and state.
• Graduation month and year, or just the year.
• Optional: GPA, Latin honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude), Dean’s List, relevant coursework, thesis or capstone.

List degrees in reverse-chronological order: a master’s goes above a bachelor’s, which goes above an associate degree.

Students and recent graduates put education near the top, right after the summary, because it is their strongest qualification. Once you have a couple of years of relevant work experience, education moves below experience and shrinks to the essentials.

There are exceptions: fields where a specific degree or license is a requirement, such as nursing, teaching or accounting, may keep a short education line high on the page even for experienced candidates.

• GPA: include it if it is strong (many candidates use 3.5 as a rough threshold) or if the employer asks for it. Use the scale: “GPA: 3.7/4.0”. Remove it once you have a year or two of experience.
• Major GPA: if it is noticeably higher than your overall GPA, you can list it instead, labeled clearly: “Major GPA: 3.8/4.0”.
• Honors: Latin honors, Dean’s List, honor societies and scholarships fit on one line.
• Relevant coursework: three to five courses that relate to the job, only while you are a student or recent graduate.

A degree you are still working on goes on your resume with the expected graduation date. Employers understand the word “Expected” and it shows exactly when you will be available full time.

If you started a degree and didn’t finish it, you can still list the coursework you completed. Be precise so nobody assumes you graduated.

Never write a degree name with no qualifier if you didn’t finish it. Background checks often verify degrees, and a misunderstanding here can cost you an offer.

• High school diploma: list it only if it is your highest level of education or the posting asks for it. One line is enough: “High School Diploma, Westview High School, Tacoma, WA, 2023”.
• GED or other high school equivalency: list it the same way, for example “GED, 2022”.
• Certifications and licenses: give them their own “Certifications” or “Licenses and Certifications” section with the full name, issuing organization and year, plus the license number or state where relevant.
• Bootcamps and online courses: list them under “Training” or “Professional Development”, with the provider and year, if they relate to the job.

If you are worried about age bias, you can leave the graduation year off older degrees. The degree and the school are what employers need.