The education section is an essential part of a resume, showing employers that you have the knowledge and training to do the job. While the resume education section may seem simple on the surface, there’s a lot of nuance to getting it right.
How to add an education section to your resume
When you learn how to write your resume, you’ll quickly see that an education section is a standard component. Like your professional summary or objective statement, job history and skills sections, how you present your education history is based on your background and resume format.
The education section takes on particular importance for entry-level job seekers who don’t have work experience. Education is a way to showcase knowledge and skills before they’ve been tested in the workplace.
With that in mind, here are three things to do when you write this part of your resume.
1. Figure out where to put the education section
Placing your education section in the right spot on your resume is important.
The main factor is how long you’ve been in the job market.
If you’ve been working for several years, employers will be more interested in your work experience instead of your education, in which case your education should go below your professional history.
Here’s an example of a chronological resume that minimizes the education section (a combination resume would work just as well):
Now, if you’re a recent graduate or entering the workforce for the first time, your education section should take priority over work experience because you simply don’t have many professional achievements to highlight.
Here’s a functional resume in which professional experience takes a backseat to education:
See our resume templates for more examples of education placed on a resume.
2. Decide what should be included in your education section
The education section should focus on high-level information about your educational history. You don’t want to overwhelm the reader with irrelevant details like specific classes or extracurricular activities unrelated to the job.
Here are the factors you must include in your resume education section:
- Name and location of the school
- Years attended or year of graduation
- The degree you obtained (if applicable)
Those are the basics, but there are many optional sections to consider, like the following:
- Field of study
- GPA (if it is above a 3.4)
- Honors and achievements
- Notable coursework
- Relevant extracurricular activities
The final step to completing an excellent education section is formatting.
3. Format your education correctly
Making sure your education section is properly formatted is just as important as the contents. After all, a poorly-formatted section could be unreadable or — even worse — mislead the employer.
The key is to keep the section organized and concise and to use font stylings (bold and italics) to differentiate the information. (Our Resume Builder can help with this.)
Here’s one example of ideal formatting:
EDUCATION
Moore College of Art and Design, Philadelphia, PA
Master of Arts in Education (M.A.), May 2019
Notice how bold is used to highlight the school and location while the degree and completion date are in italics.
Here’s a candidate with a similar educational background. See how she uses bullet points to emphasize notable awards:
EDUCATION
Master of Arts in Education, May 2019
Moore College of Art and Design, Philadelphia, PA
Recognition:
- Professional Development Fellowship Award
- Union League Civic and Arts Foundation Award
Bachelor of Visual Arts, May 2017
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Recognition:
- Ralph DuCasse Studio Art Award
The second example flips the school and the degree, emphasizing the level of educational attainment rather than the institution. This example is also the lengthiest you’d want a resume’s education section to be. If you believe you need more space to fully account for your education, browse our CV examples to consider whether a CV would be a better choice.
Okay, let’s get more specific with education examples covering everything from listing a Ph.D. to highlighting incomplete coursework.
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10+ resume education section examples
Listing your education properly depends on many factors, including your level of education, when you finished your studies, and whether you have academic accomplishments you’d like to mention.
Find your particular situation among the examples below.
How to list high school education on your resume
A high school diploma is an easy addition to a resume. Simply list your school name and location, year of graduation and the diploma you earned. Feel free to mention your GPA (if it’s over 3.4) and clubs or organizations you participated in — especially if they’re relevant to your target position.
Pro tip:
Don’t add your high school if you went on to get an advanced degree.
High school education examples
EDUCATION
High School Diploma
Cleveland High School, Seattle, WA
Graduated: May 2019
GPA: 3.9
or
Fleming Island High School, Orange Park, FL
High School Diploma
Expected graduation: May 2023
GPA: 3.7/4.0
Pro tip:
If you attended more than one school and transferred from one to the other, display the school you graduated from.
What if you have a GED?
Employers count a General Education Development Certificate (GED) as an educational equivalent to a high school diploma. The same could be said for similar certificates, like the High School Equivalency Diploma (HiSET) and the California High School Equivalency Certificate.
GEDs and HiSETs should be listed on your resume unless you’ve completed higher education. If you have a college degree or you’ve completed some college, there’s no need to mention your GED.
If you’re working toward a GED, let the employer know by including “in progress” or “expected completion date: [insert month and year]” next to the certificate.
Okay, here’s an example of what a GED section should look like:
EDUCATION
General Education Development Certificate (GED)
Pro tip:
If you’re listing a GED on your resume, there’s no need to include your (incomplete) high school education.
How to list higher education on your resume
Listing your higher education is crucial because it tells employers whether you are adequately trained in your field and have the right knowledge base. When jobs require an advanced degree, employers check applicants’ educational backgrounds to see if they are qualified.
If you have advanced degrees, list them from the highest rank down in reverse-chronological order. That means starting with your most recent degree, then your next most recent until you finish your post-high school educational history. You may want to place your certificates and other coursework under separate headings.
Pro tip:
When you have more than one major, only list the major that’s most relevant to the job you’re applying for.
Example for college graduates
Here’s an example for job seekers with an associate degree:
EDUCATION
Associate of Science in Health Information Technology
Indiana University Northwest, Gary, IN
Completed: May 2020
Dean’s List 2018–2020
Here’s an example for job seekers with a bachelor’s degree:
EDUCATION
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, May 2021
GPA: 3.8/4.0
Honors: Magna Cum Laude
Example for graduate students (master’s degree)
When you have an advanced degree, like a master’s or a Ph.D., you should start by listing your most advanced degree, then your previous degrees, such as a bachelor’s or associate. Here’s an example:
EDUCATION
Master of Business Administration
University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
Completed: 2016
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN Completed: 2012
Example for doctorate students (Ph.D.s)
Job seekers who have a doctorate (Ph.D.) should include their dissertation or thesis alongside their diploma, especially if their dissertation is relevant to the job.
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Geological Sciences
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Graduated: May 2022
Dissertation: Temporal Factors in Coastal Erosion
Master of Science in Geological Sciences
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Graduated: December 2018
Bachelor of Arts in Geology
Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA
Graduated: May 2016
Honors: Cum Laude
Pro tip:
By the way, if you’re applying for an academic position, you may want to use a CV. Check out our CV examples to get started.
How to put in-progress education on your resume
It’s perfectly acceptable to list in-progress studies on your resume. Include work you’ve completed, the degree you’re working toward and when you expect to graduate.
In-progress education example
EDUCATION
Miles Community College
Miles City, MT
Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.), Small Business Management (in progress)
Diploma expected May 2023
Relevant Coursework Completed:
- Business Law
- Management
- Interpersonal Communication
Words for describing ongoing education
You want to use the right wording for degrees that are in progress. Here are a few phrases hiring managers like:
- In progress
- Expected: [month and year]
- Expected completion: [month and year]
- Expected graduation: [month and year]
- Anticipated: [month and year]
If you’d like some help wording your education section, check out our Resume Builder. When you share a few basic details about your education, the section will be written and formatted for you.
How to list unfinished education on your resume
If you have some formal education but did not receive a degree, don’t worry; your education counts! List the name of the school and relevant coursework. Certifications, awards, training and professional development courses or workshops will add weight to this section.
Pro tip:
Never attempt to explain incomplete education or unfinished degrees on your resume. You can always share some context in your cover letter.
Education section example for candidates who never finished
Incomplete education should always begin with the school name, like so:
EDUCATION
University of Wisconsin-Madison, May – August 2011
Completed coursework: Elements of Data Science, Essentials of Analytics, Statistics, Basics of Coding
or
New York University, September 2013 – May 2014
Completed 28 credits in Social Sciences
Can you put certificates and training in the education section?
Yes! If you’re looking for work in a hands-on industry like a restaurant, construction, maintenance, beauty or public service, use your education section to display your job-related certificates, licenses and on-the-job training.
Certifications show an employer you have the hard and soft skills to adequately perform the job. Even soft skills, which are more challenging to learn, can be conveyed by a certificate.
Here’s an example that lists training in the education section:
EDUCATION
Boise Technical College
Licensed Journeyman Electrician, June 2010
IBEW Apprenticeship Program
Electrician’s Apprentice, August 2007
Certificates:
- Certified Electrical Safety Technician
- SGS Electrical Installations Certification
- NTT Electrical Codes and Standards Certification
Should you ever cut education from your resume?
Education is an integral part of a resume, but there are situations where you’d be better off omitting information.
Here are common reasons to cut education from your resume:
- A high school diploma becomes irrelevant when you have college experience or professional certificates and training. While you may be asked if you graduated high school on the application, there’s no need to include it on your resume if you have more recent or advanced education.
- Certain courses you completed are obsolete. Skills change over time, and some of your earlier training and courses may no longer be practical. If the coursework on your resume is dated, leave it off.
- You may find you’re running out of space for other sections. When you run out of space, you may want to toss the education section. This should be a last resort, and even then, only if the education is very old.
Resume education section FAQ
On your resume, create a section called “Education.” If you graduated within the last three years, place it above your work history section. Otherwise, put it below your work history. List schools attended (with dates) in reverse-chronological order and add essential information, such as diplomas or certificates earned and relevant courses taken, under each school.
You can also touch on your educational background in your cover letter, which should accompany your resume. We have cover letter examples to show you how to write a cover letter, as well as cover letter templates and a cover letter formatting guide.
Do not include irrelevant information, such as courses that do not match the job or training that isn’t applicable.
Yes! Most employers count the GED as education equivalent to a high school diploma. No need to list it on your resume if you have completed a higher education program.
Don is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with more than 10 years’ experience creating digital content, including four years helping job seekers develop their careers. He holds an M.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University.
