How to List Education on a Resume: Examples, Tips, and Unique Scenarios

Listing the education you've obtained on your resume helps potential employers build a more complete picture of your qualifications and background. The education section of your resume is the place to list any degrees you've earned—or are in the process of earning—so employers can verify that you have the required credentials.

Learn how to feature any degrees or other types of education you've earned on your resume, what information to include, and how to highlight your education based on your career stage. Afterward, keep building in-demand skills with a Coursera Plus subscription and get access to over 10,000 courses.

How to list your education on a resume

There’s more than one way to format your education section, depending on the amount of work experience you have and what details are most relevant to the job you're applying to. For each school you have attended, consider including some combination of the following information, but always include the first three bolded items: school name, degree obtained, and location.

Degree information to include on your resume:

• School name

• Degree obtained

• Location

• Dates attended or graduation date

• Field of study (major and minors)

• GPA if it was above 3.5 

• Honors, achievements, relevant coursework, extracurricular activities, or study abroad programs

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Where to list your education on a resume 

Education should be included in a separate resume section, apart from work experience and skills. Where you place the education section on your resume depends on several factors, such as your education history, your work history, and the job for which you are applying.

• Recent graduate: If you are still in school or recently graduated, it’s appropriate to list your education first before your work experience. At this career stage, your education can be your most impressive section, and you’ll want it to be the first section employers see.

• Relevant education: If you are pursuing a job that requires a particular degree or credential, you should also list your education first. Employers will want to make sure you have those certifications before proceeding with your resume.

• Advanced career stage: If you’ve been working for several years, your work history is likely more relevant than your education history, so it may make sense to list it first. This is particularly true if the field of study of your degree isn’t particularly relevant to the job or industry you’re targeting.

6 helpful tips for listing education on your resume

Follow the guidance below to ensure you're featuring your education on your resume in the best possible way.

1. List in reverse chronological order.

Similar to the work experience section of your resume, it's common practice to list the information in your education section in reverse chronological order, meaning you'll start with the education you've earned most recently and move backward.

If you've completed a college degree, you don't need to list your high school diploma. However, if you haven't completed college, list your high school education and highlight any accomplishments if possible. If you've earned multiple degrees, rank your highest degree first and continue in reverse chronological order.

Master of Fine Arts, X University, 2025

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Z University, 2023

2. Include relevant majors and minors.

If your degree is relevant to the role or the course you’re applying for, include your major and any minors that can tailor your education section. This is especially important if a job post asks for something specific and you have covered it in your degree program.

You can either call out the major on a separate line or include it as part of the degree. See the examples below.

Bachelor of Science Degree, X University, 2025

Major: Biology

or

Bachelor of Science in Biology, X University, 2025

3. Highlight certifications separately

An education section is traditionally used to highlight high school diplomas and college degrees. If you've earned a certification, certificate, or other professional credential emphasizing the additional effort you've undertaken to advance your skill set, you'll want to list them separately in a "Certifications and Licenses" resume section.

4. Add any relevant projects.

If you're a recent graduate or in the early stages of your career, highlighting relevant projects, extracurricular activities, and coursework is an excellent way to help you stand out from other candidates.

If your degree program included projects that were relevant to what you’re applying for, make sure you include them. However, avoid adding everything you covered in your degree unless it is highly relevant and will add something to your resume.

5. Include awards and accolades.

Awards, scholarships, or special mentions are an excellent addition when listing your degree as an early career professional. This is especially so if they relate directly to the role, but regardless, showing you have the commitment and skills to achieve an award can make you stand out.

6. Include your GPA if it’s high.

Earning a degree is an accomplishment in itself. But if you achieved a high GPA during your time in your degree program, that's an accomplishment you'll want to call out. Include your GPA if it's 3.5 or higher, but consider leaving it off if it's 3.4 or lower.

How to frame unique education situations

While many resumes have straightforward education sections, some have incomplete or complex education histories. Thankfully, there are easy ways to ensure that your resume showcases your positive qualities and qualifications.

Incomplete education

If your resume includes any incomplete education, it’s important to avoid words like “unfinished” or “incomplete” as they could cast a negative shadow over your qualifications. 

If you’re in the process of completing your degree, include your expected graduation date. This lets employers know that you are still working on your degree while avoiding any confusion or misrepresentation of your qualifications. For example:

University of Michigan

BS in Computer Science candidate

Expected to graduate in 2023 

3.9 GPA

If you’re wondering how to list education on your resume when you don’t have a degree, there’s a format for that, too. Say you’ve completed part of a degree but do not intend to finish. You can still use it on your resume. List the number of credit hours completed toward a degree in place of graduation date, and include any courses relevant to the job you’re applying for.

University of Michigan

Completed 30 credit hours toward a BS in Computer Science

Relevant coursework: Web development, Object-oriented programming, Agile software projects

If you have not attended college but have completed trade school or a certification program, it’s good to include that information under the education section of your resume. Listing certifications as a graduate can be beneficial, too. This shows employers that you are continually learning and staying up to date with trends and technology.

Complex educational history

Whether you attended multiple schools to earn one degree or earned multiple degrees from multiple schools, listing your education is only as complex as its formatting.

Attending a few different colleges before landing at the one you graduated from does not mean you have to list every school. Employers are mainly interested in the school from which your degree was earned. It is, however, a good idea to list every school that you have received a degree from.

If you have earned multiple degrees at the same level, you should list all of them. In terms of order, it is okay to list either your most recent or most relevant first. 

Resume vs. curriculum vitae

If you’re applying for a PhD or research program or a job in academia, you may be asked to submit a curriculum vitae or CV instead of a resume. If this is the case, your education section should come before your work experience. CVs are generally longer than resumes, so you can include your complete academic history, including all certifications and achievements. 

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