A valedictorian is the highest-ranking student in a graduating class, and a salutatorian is the second-highest-ranking student. Both titles are based on grade point average, and both typically come with a role in the graduation ceremony. The terms are most commonly used in American high schools, though colleges and universities award them as well.
How Each Title Is Determined
Schools select their valedictorian and salutatorian by comparing cumulative GPAs across the graduating class. The student with the highest GPA earns valedictorian, and the next highest earns salutatorian. In schools that use weighted GPAs, honors and Advanced Placement courses carry extra points, which means course selection plays a direct role in the ranking.
The margins can be razor-thin. A thousandth of a GPA point sometimes separates the valedictorian from the salutatorian, or the salutatorian from the third-ranked student. Because of this, many schools have detailed tie-breaking procedures. One common approach counts the number of AP courses a student completed with passing scores on the AP exam (a 3 or higher on the 1 to 5 scale). If that still produces a tie, some schools total the actual AP exam scores to find the student with the strongest overall results.
When ties can’t be broken, or when a school chooses not to break them, multiple students may share the title. It’s not unusual for a graduating class to have co-valedictorians.
What They Do at Graduation
The valedictorian traditionally delivers a speech at the commencement ceremony. The word “valedictorian” comes from the Latin “vale dicere,” meaning “to say farewell,” and the speech is meant to be a farewell address to the graduating class. In practice, valedictorian speeches range from reflective and sentimental to humorous, depending on the student and the school’s culture.
The salutatorian’s role varies more by school. At some institutions, the salutatorian also gives a speech, often serving as a welcoming address (the word comes from the Latin “salutare,” meaning “to greet”). At others, the salutatorian only speaks if the valedictorian declines. Both students are typically seated in a place of honor on the stage during the ceremony.
Regardless of whether either student actually gives a speech or even attends the ceremony, the titles are permanent. Schools note valedictorian and salutatorian status on the student’s official academic transcript.
How Much It Matters for College Admissions
Being named valedictorian or salutatorian is a genuine accomplishment, but at highly selective colleges, it’s increasingly treated as a baseline rather than a differentiator. Schools like Stanford and Ivy League institutions receive thousands of applications from valedictorians every year, and many of those students are denied admission. Admissions officers at competitive schools look beyond class rank to extracurricular involvement, essays, recommendations, and how a student distinguishes themselves outside of academics.
That said, the title carries real weight in other contexts. Many state university systems offer automatic or priority admission to students who graduate at the top of their class. Scholarship programs, both at the institutional and private level, frequently list valedictorian or salutatorian status as an eligibility criterion or a factor that strengthens an application. For students applying to less selective schools, the distinction can make a meaningful difference in both admissions and financial aid.
Why Some Schools Are Moving Away From These Titles
A growing number of high schools have stopped naming a valedictorian and salutatorian altogether. The core concern is that a system built around ranking students against each other, often separated by fractional GPA differences, creates problems that outweigh the benefits.
One issue is course avoidance. When every tenth of a point matters, students may skip valuable but challenging courses, or avoid unweighted electives like art and music, because those classes could mathematically drag down their GPA. The pressure also pushes some students toward anxiety over tiny scoring discrepancies rather than genuine engagement with learning. Critics of the system point out that traditional class ranking only recognizes a handful of students, leaving out many others who met high academic standards.
Many of these schools have adopted Latin honors instead: summa cum laude (with highest honors), magna cum laude (with great honors), and cum laude (with honors). This system, long used by colleges and universities, sets fixed GPA thresholds rather than ranking students against one another. Any student who meets the threshold earns the distinction, which means dozens or even hundreds of graduates can be recognized rather than just two. Supporters say this approach is more equitable, reduces unhealthy competition, and is already familiar to college admissions offices and employers.
Schools that keep the valedictorian and salutatorian system sometimes pair it with Latin honors, recognizing the top two students individually while also honoring a broader group of high achievers.