Writing your education section doesn’t have to be complicated. Here’s a simple example of how to format this section of your resume:
EDUCATION
Columbia University, New York, NY
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
September 20XX–May 20XX
Below, we’ll show you how to list your education on your resume in three simple steps, followed by ten examples you can customize for your resume.
What to include in your education section
Always include these details in your resume education section:
- School name and location
- Degree and major (and minor, if applicable)
- Graduation date (or expected graduation date)
Only include your high school education if it’s your highest degree.
If you have a bachelor’s degree or higher, leave high school details off your resume and focus on more relevant qualifications like work experience, certifications, and skills.
Additional achievements strengthen your resume when your work history is limited, especially if you’re early in your career.
However, when space is limited, prioritize professional accomplishments instead. Only include your highest degree in that case.
Additional achievements to include
Here are some optional items to include in your education section to make it stronger:
- GPA (if above 3.5): A high GPA on your resume shows you produce high-quality work and manage your responsibilities effectively.
- Honors and awards: Graduation honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude), Dean’s List recognition, or honor society membership demonstrate consistent high performance.
- Scholarships and grants: Merit-based awards show motivation and academic strength, indicating you’re worth their investment.
- Thesis: Include your thesis title when it’s relevant to your target industry.
- Relevant coursework: Relevant coursework shows employers you have foundational knowledge in your field and skills to build upon.
- Extracurricular activities: Add clubs or sports when they demonstrate skills relevant to the position.
How to format your resume’s education section
Bold the most important information in your education section to make it clear and easy for hiring managers to skim. Typically, this is the school name or degree title.
If you have multiple degrees, list them in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent.
Here’s an example of a properly formatted resume education section:
EDUCATION
Cornell SC Johnson School of Business, Ithaca, NY
Master of Business Administration
August 20XX–May 20XX
Baruch College, City University of New York, New York, NY
Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain Management
September 20XX–May 20XX
Where to list education on your resume
The placement of your education section signals its importance to hiring managers. Position it based on your level of professional experience.
When your education is stronger
Put your education section near the top of your resume when your academic credentials outweigh your professional experience. This applies if you’re:
- A current student still completing your degree
- A recent graduate entering the workforce
- Changing careers and your degree is more relevant than your work history
In these cases, place education below your resume summary but above your work experience.
When your experience is stronger
For most jobs, hands-on work experience is more relevant than your education.
If you have more than a couple years of relevant work experience, list your education below your work experience section.
Resume education section examples
Below are examples showing you how to format your education section based on your academic status.
Find the scenario that best matches yours background and adapt the format for your resume.
High school student example
List your high school education only if you haven’t earned a college degree.
Here’s how to list your high school diploma if you’re still in school or recently graduated:
Example #1: High school student
EDUCATION
Jefferson High School
Clifton, NJ
Expected graduation date: May 20XX
GPA: 3.7/4.0
Relevant courses: AP Literature, Mathematics, Web Design
Example #2: Recent high school graduate
EDUCATION
Madison High School
San Francisco, CA — May 20XX
GPA: 3.8/4.0
If you’ve completed any higher education, such as an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, omit your high school details and focus on your more advanced qualifications.
College/university student example
Always include your degree on your resume even if it isn’t directly related to the job you want. Most professional roles require a college degree, so listing it is essential.
Here’s how to format an unfinished degree:
Example #3: Unfinished degree
EDUCATION
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
20XX–Present
Expected graduation date: May 20XX
GPA: 3.8/4.0
Completed 80 credits toward a B.A. in Communications
Relevant Coursework: English Literature in the 21st Century, Basic Literary Composition, the History of the Gilded Age
Exchange student example
Here’s how to list a study abroad program on your resume:
Example #4: Exchange student
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts in Economics
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
August 20XX–May 20XX
Study Abroad Program (Spain)
Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
January 20XX–May 20XX
- Completed a rigorous program in Spanish language, literature, and culture
- Earned an A average in all courses
- Received excellent evaluations for participation and engagement
Highlighting your accomplishments in bullet points that describe what you achieved during a study abroad program can help give you a competitive edge over other candidates.
In particular, you’ll stand out to hiring managers if you developed language skills during your study abroad program.
Double major example
If you’re listing a double major on your resume, put the most relevant major first. Here’s an example:
Example #5: Double major
EDUCATION
New York University, New York, NY
Bachelor of Arts in Communications & History
May 20XX
Additional achievements example
Here’s how to format your education section if you want to add honors, coursework, or extracurricular activities:
Example #6: Including additional acheivements
EDUCATION
May 20XX
New York University, New York, NY
Bachelor of Arts, Communications
May 20XX
Honors: Cum laude (GPA: 3.8/4.0)
Dean’s List (4 semesters)
Thesis: Teenagers, Texting, and Interpersonal Relationships
Relevant Coursework: Language and Identity, Media and Values, Mass Media Law
Active member, Wagner Student Association
Member, NYU Arts and Culture Network
If you include relevant coursework on your resume, you can format it as a simple list (as shown above) or use bullet points that explain what you achieved in each class.
Graduate/master’s student example
Here’s how to list a master’s degree on your resume, along with your previous degree:
Example #7: Master’s student
EDUCATION
MBA
Cornell SC Johnson School of Business, Ithaca, NY
Dean’s List (4 semesters)
Relevant Coursework: Supply Chain Management, Financial Accounting Strategy and Negotiations
Thesis: Supply Chain Management: Differences in Theory and Practice
Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain Management Baruch College, City University of New York, New York, NY
20XX–20XX
Doctorate student (PhD) example
If you’re applying for positions that require a PhD, include your dissertation along with your degree details.
Here’s how to include a doctoral degree on a PhD resume:
Example #8: PhD
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Economics
New York University, NY
20XX–20XX
Dissertation: In Flux: The Impact of Global Supply Chain Disruption on Inflation Rates
Master of Science in Data Analytics
Fordham University, NY
20XX–20XX
Bachelor of Arts in Economics
Columbia University, NY
20XX–20XX
Continuing education example
If you’re actively pursuing professional development or taking courses to build industry-specific skills, you can list this work as continuing education on your resume.
Example #9: Continuing education
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Finance, Cum Laude
Georgetown University, Washington, DC
August 20XX–May 20XX
Continuing Education
Data Analytics
Georgetown University, Washington, DC
January 20XX–May 20XX
Digital Marketing
Georgetown University, Washington, DC
September 20XX–December 20XX
Listing relevant coursework completed after graduation shows employers that you’re a self-starter and motivated to develop professionally.
Training and certifications
Most certifications should appear in a separate certifications section on your resume, but non-traditional education — like coding bootcamps or trade apprenticeships — can be listed in your education section if they’re directly relevant to the field.
Place them below any degrees you hold.
Example #10: Coding bootcamp
EDUCATION
Full-Stack Web Development Certificate
General Assembly, New York, NY
January 20XX–May 20XX
Relevant Coursework: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Node.js, Express, MongoDB
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