How to Put Your High School Diploma on Your Resume

High school is an important time in anyone’s life, but employers don’t always need to see it listed on the education section of your resume.

Employers have a limited amount of time to spend on each application, so you want to make sure that when you write a resume, you focus on your most relevant skills and experience.

Keep reading to learn how to put your high school diploma on your resume, and when it’s better to leave it off.

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Should you put your high school diploma on your resume?

You should put your high school diploma on your resume if it’s your highest level of education.

However, there are many situations where you should leave your high school off your resume.

Here’s how to determine whether adding your high school education will improve your chances of getting invited for an interview:

When to include high school education on your resume

Many jobs, even entry-level positions, require you to have at least a high school diploma, especially if you don’t have any relevant work experience.

By highlighting your diploma on your resume, you can show hiring managers that you meet the position’s education requirements.

You should include your high school education on your resume if:

• High school is your highest degree of education
• You’re currently in college
• You’re currently in high school

When to take high school off your resume

While listing high school education on your resume is the right option in some situations, it’s not always necessary.

You should take your high school education off your resume if:

• You’ve graduated college
• You have several years of work experience
• There’s no space left on your resume

If it’s been a few years since you graduated high school, you’ve likely gained some relevant education and work experience. Employers are much more interested in seeing these qualifications on your resume than your secondary education.

4 steps for listing high school education on a resume

Now that you know you want to include your high school on your resume, here are four easy steps to follow:

1. Use the correct format

If you already have some work experience, your high school diploma will be less important to employers than your professional achievements.

This means you should format your resume so that your high school diploma is placed lower on the page and comes after any higher education you have.

Here’s an example of a resume education section written by a sophomore in college:

By listing their college education first and their high school diploma second, they draw attention to their most recent educational experience, which is what’s most relevant to employers.

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2. Include your GPA

If you have a high GPA (3.5 or over), it could help set you apart from other candidates with a similar educational background.

Here’s an example of how to include your GPA on your resume:

Keep in mind however that you should only add your GPA if you think it’ll give you a competitive edge over other applicants. If your GPA is lower than 3.5, it’s better to leave it off.

3. Mention relevant coursework

Whether you’re trying to land a summer job or you’re writing a resume with no experience, mentioning classes or school projects relevant to the position you’re applying for can help convince employers that you’ve got the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in the role.

For example, if you’re trying to land a job as a photographer assistant and you took a photography class in school, you should mention it on your resume.

Below is a good example of how to list relevant coursework in your resume’s education section:

Then, spotlight the skills you picked up during your high school classes in the skills section of your resume, like in this example:

4. Highlight awards and accomplishments

Putting awards and other accomplishments from your time in high school on your resume shows that you’re someone who works hard to reach your goals.

The following are a few examples of achievements to highlight on your resume:

• Academic awards
• Honor roll
• Leadership roles
• Student government positions

Place your academic achievements in your education section or in a separate section on your resume, like in this example:

List your accomplishments in chronological order and remember to include a date for each achievement.

Additional resources

Need some extra help writing your resume? Here are six more resources to help you put together an impressive application:

Frequently asked questions

These are some of the most common questions we receive about putting high school education on your resume:

What do I put on my resume if I’m still in high school?

As a current high school student, you should place your education section directly under your contact details and resume objective.

You can include all this information in your education section:

• Your school’s name and location
• GPA
• Relevant coursework
• Awards and achievements
• Extracurricular activities
• Expected graduation date

What’s the proper name for a high school diploma?

The most common name for this level of education is a high school diploma, but it is sometimes also called a high school degree or certification.

Do employers care about high school on your resume?

Employers care about high school if it’s required for the role or it’s your highest level of education. However if you’ve graduated from college, employers don’t need to see your high school diploma.

Should I include high school on my resume if I didn’t graduate?

Yes, you should include high school on your resume even if you didn’t finish. Here are three things you can list even without graduating:

• The name and location of your high school
• The years you studied
• The courses you took
• Any awards or achievements

You should certainly include high school education if a relevant course directly applies to the job.

For instance, mention your three years of high school Spanish when applying for a position requiring Spanish-speaking abilities.