Listing your Bachelor’s degree correctly on a resume is crucial for a successful job search. A clearly structured education section allows hiring managers to quickly assess your background and helps applicant tracking systems (ATS) categorize your qualifications. Providing essential information in a standardized, easily digestible format ensures your foundational credentials are not overlooked.
Selecting the Optimal Placement for the Education Section
The strategic placement of your education section depends entirely on your experience level and the relevance of your degree to the target job. For recent graduates, placing the education section near the top of the resume, often directly following the professional summary, is the preferred approach. At the beginning of a career, academic achievements are typically your most compelling selling point, making the education section a primary focus.
Professionals with significant work history, generally five or more years of relevant experience, should position the education section toward the bottom of the resume. In this scenario, your professional experience and accomplishments carry more weight, and your degree serves as a supportive credential rather than the main qualification. Moving the education section down emphasizes your career trajectory over your academic history, which is appropriate for experienced candidates.
Essential Formatting Rules for Listing Your Degree
A standardized format ensures clarity and effective parsing by ATS software. Begin the listing with the Institution Name, followed by the City and State where the campus is located. This geographic detail provides necessary context.
Next, specify the degree type, using either the full degree name or its common abbreviation, ensuring consistency. For example, you may use “Bachelor of Science” or “B.S.” To maximize ATS compliance, some experts recommend including both the full title and the abbreviation, such as “Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)”.
The final mandatory component is the graduation date, included only if the degree is complete. Listing the year is often sufficient, though a Month and Year format is acceptable. Experienced professionals often omit the graduation date entirely to prevent age bias, shifting the emphasis to career achievements.
Handling Specific Academic Details
Including Your Major and Minor
The major must be listed clearly as part of the degree information, such as “Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.” This immediately communicates your field of study to the recruiter. Including a minor is optional and should only be done if it is directly relevant to the job or demonstrates a valuable secondary skill set.
If you are a recent graduate lacking extensive professional experience, you may include a short list of relevant coursework to highlight specific, job-related knowledge. Otherwise, simply stating the major title is sufficient.
When to List Your GPA
Listing your Grade Point Average (GPA) depends on two factors: the score and your career stage. Only list your GPA if it is 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, as a lower number can detract from your candidacy. For recent graduates, an impressive GPA is a strong indicator of academic proficiency, making its inclusion highly recommended.
Once you have accumulated two to three years of relevant work experience, your professional achievements supersede academic metrics. At this point, omit your GPA unless the employer specifically requests it. If your GPA in your major is significantly higher than your overall score and is relevant to the position, you can list the “Major GPA” instead, ensuring it is clearly labeled.
Formatting Latin Honors
Academic distinctions known as Latin Honors—cum laude (with praise), magna cum laude (with great praise), and summa cum laude (with highest praise)—should always be included if awarded. These honors attest to exceptional performance and should be listed immediately after the degree title.
For proper formatting, these Latin phrases must appear in lowercase and be italicized, such as magna cum laude. If your institution uses a different phrasing like “Highest Honors,” use the exact wording that appears on your diploma. Since Latin Honors imply a high GPA, you may choose to omit the numerical GPA when listing the honor, though including both is acceptable.
Addressing Common Scenarios and Exceptions
If you are currently pursuing a degree that is not yet complete, list the school and degree program followed by an “Expected Graduation Date.” This provides clarity without misrepresenting your credentials. Include the anticipated month and year of completion to give recruiters a timeline.
When you hold multiple degrees, list them in reverse chronological order, placing the most recently earned degree first. This draws the recruiter’s attention to your most current academic qualification. Professional certifications or non-degree development should be separated from formal degree listings and placed in a dedicated “Certifications” or “Professional Development” section.