How to List Degrees on Your Resume

After analyzing nearly a million resumes, we found a powerful advantage: job seekers with higher degrees, including bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD are 2.5 times more likely to land an interview than those without a degree.

That’s why knowing how to list your degree on a resume is crucial. Listing your degree incorrectly can confuse recruiters, cause your resume to be overlooked by applicant tracking systems (ATS), and cost you interviews.

In this guide, you will learn how to effectively format your resume for associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees. Plus, you will learn how to list multiple degrees or in-progress education on your resume for maximum impact.

How to format a degree on your resume

Properly formatting your degree on your resume boosts your credibility and shows recruiters how your educational background aligns with the job.

Here’s the standard format for listing your degree on your resume:

Here is an example:

1. Start with your degree and its abbreviation

List the full name of your degree and its abbreviation.

For example: Instead of just putting “MBA,” you can write “Master of Business Administration (MBA).”

This ensures that recruiters reviewing your resume clearly understand your qualifications. Additionally, listing both the full title and abbreviation of your degree increases your chances of matching resume keywords in applicant tracking systems and getting noticed by recruiters.

2. Include the name of your institution

Write the name of your school or institution and its location. This adds credibility and context to your degree, helping recruiters quickly assess the quality of your education.

3. Add your graduation date

Your graduation date shows your educational timeline and experience level. This also gives recruiters and hiring managers a better sense of your professional background.

So, when listing your degree, include the month and year of your graduation, or use “Expected [Month, Year]” if you are still studying.

4. List other relevant information if you lack work experience

If you are a recent graduate or if you don’t have relevant work experience yet, you may feature extra information to demonstrate your skills and potential to recruiters and prospective employers.

Here are examples:

Here is an example:

While adding these details enhances your resume, make sure to keep your resume concise and at an ideal length.

5. Keep your formatting consistent

This makes your resume look polished and helps recruiters quickly find your qualifications. Note that whatever format you choose, consistency is vital for a readable, professional-looking resume.

For more tips on date formatting, refer to our comprehensive guide on how to format dates on a resume. You may also check our full guide on how to format the education section of your resume for more tips.

How to list an associate degree on your resume

An associate degree is a 2 or 3-year college program. It can be a stepping stone to your bachelor’s degree or a short stand-alone program. Types of associate degrees and their common abbreviations include:

Examples of how to list an associate degree on your resume

Here’s an example of how to list a completed associate degree on your resume:

If you’ve earned two associate degrees, it’s important to showcase both clearly and effectively on your resume. Your multiple degrees demonstrate your diverse skills and make you stand out to employers.

List your associate degrees in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent. Additionally, keep the format consistent.

Here’s how:

If both of your degrees are from the same institution, you may also list them like this:

How to list a bachelor’s degree on your resume

In many professional circles, bachelor’s degrees are the gold standard of post-secondary education, both for stable employment and earning potential. 

A bachelor’s degree is a 4-year (or longer) undergraduate degree. They’re highly flexible and personal, with endless combinations of major and minor subjects. 

Popular bachelor degrees and their abbreviations include:

Examples of how to list a bachelor’s degree on your resume

The example below illustrates how to clearly format your resume education section with all the required information.

To include your major and minor on your resume, use a clear format to make this information stand out. Here’s an example:

How to list a master’s degree on your resume

When you go to graduate school after an undergraduate degree, you earn a master’s degree. 

A list of master’s degrees and their abbreviations include:

Examples of how to list a master’s degree on your resume

Since the master’s degree is the higher and more recent degree, list it first. Then list your bachelor’s degree. You can skip extra academic details unless you don’t have enough relevant work experience to highlight. Here’s an example:

When listing your master’s degree, you can also highlight your achievements and honors to demonstrate your academic excellence and add credibility to your qualifications. Here’s an example:

Post-graduate degrees are not only limited to master’s degrees. Law school graduates earn a Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or J.D. degree. All these variations mean they become entry-level lawyers.

When listing your J.D. degree, you can also include societies or organizations to give your resume a competitive edge. Here’s an example.

How to include unfinished degrees on your resume

Sometimes, the path to finishing your education gets interrupted. Should you include an unfinished degree on your resume?

If the job you’re applying for is relevant to your existing coursework, including it on your resume can boost your resume. But it’s important to make clear that your degree is incomplete. 

Examples of how to list unfinished degrees on your resume

Even if your degree is incomplete, you can still draw on your completed credits to enhance the strength of your resume.

When listing an unfinished degree, you can highlight your completed credits and the years you attended school. Here’s an example:

In this specific example of how to list an unfinished master’s degree, you can include relevant details to show your progress and the relevant skills you gained. Doing this also demonstrates your expertise in specific areas, even if you didn’t finish the degree. Here’s how you can present it:

How to include in-progress education on your resume

If you’re getting a head start on your post-grad job applications, listing your degree as in progress is important for transparency. Luckily, it’s simple to list your in-progress degree on your resume.

Example of how to list an in-progress degree on your resume

When listing an in-progress degree, mention your degree type, major, and university name, followed by “In Progress” and the expected graduation date. Here’s an example:

How to list multiple degrees on your resume

When you have multiple degrees, how can you organize them on your resume? 

Your degrees should be listed in reverse chronological order, meaning the most recent, and often most advanced, degree is first. 

Example of how to list multiple degrees on your resume

Your education section can show the trajectory of your learning. In this example, the hiring manager will see an increasing specialization in healthcare management from an associate to a master’s degree.

How to add a professional certificate to your resume

The prevalence of professional certifications is on the rise. Of all the post-secondary students in the country, around 50% are choosing associate degrees and professional certificates. They differ from bachelor’s degrees because they offer direct pathways to a given career. 

As an affordable option for higher education, certifications can help you develop specialized skills to show off on your resume. 

Example of how to list professional certifications on your resume

Here is an example of how you can list certifications on your resume to showcase your skills and competence.

Where to place your education section

Once you know how to list your degrees on your resume, the next question is, where does it go? 

Remember that accuracy in your degree listing ensures credibility with recruiters. For tips on what not to include, check out our article on resume lies to avoid.

How to format your degree for the ATS

There’s more than one way to format your education section, depending on your work experience and what details may be most relevant to the job you’re applying for.

However, consider the ATS when you choose your formatting. 

When you submit your resume, it is processed and stored in a database called the ATS or applicant tracking system. This software organizes all resumes and job applications, making it easier for recruiters to review them.

Through the ATS, recruiters can just search for a keyword for a specific job. These keywords are usually job titles and hard and soft skills. The system then pulls candidates whose resumes best match these keywords.

To make sure your resume is optimized for the ATS, use Jobscan’s resume scanner!

When you scan your resume into Jobscan’s scanner, it provides you with a resume score to show how closely your resume matches the keywords of the requirements in the job description. The higher the score on your resume, the more likely you are to get a job interview!

The scanner also checks the education section of your resume to make sure the degrees listed align with the job description. Additionally, it checks all sections of your resume for ATS readability and correct formatting.

All you have to do is upload your resume and the job description and wait for the results.

Key takeaways

Correctly formatting and listing your degrees on your resume is crucial to stand out to recruiters.

Keep these tips in mind:

FAQs