How to List a Degree on a Resume

When you write a resume, it’s important to highlight each of your degrees properly so that employers can clearly understand your education.

Always add your degrees to the education section of your resume, and list them in chronological order (so your most recently earned degree goes on top).

Here’s how to list a degree on your resume by type:

Associate’s degree

Your associate’s degree should be displayed as “Associate of” without the apostrophe.

You should write out the full name of your degree without abbreviating when you can. However, if you’re pressed for space, you can use standardized abbreviations, for example:

• AA = Associate of Arts
• AB = Associate of Business
• ABA = Associate of Business Administration
• AAS = Associate of Applied Science
• AS = Associate of Science
• ASN = Associate of Nursing

Here’s what to include when listing an associate degree:

1. Degree name, using the full name or the appropriate abbreviation
2. Major or field of study (if applicable to the job you’re applying for)
3. Name of the college or university
4. Location of the school (city and state)
5. Year of graduation or expected graduation

If you lack work experience and want to add extra details about your degree, include the following optional information:

• GPA (if 3.5 or higher)
• Academic honors or awards (if applicable)
• Relevant coursework (if directly related to the job you’re applying for)
• Additional activities, such as volunteer work and school clubs

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Bachelor’s degree

Similar to an associate’s degree, there are different ways to abbreviate each type of bachelor’s degree:

• BA = Bachelor of Arts
• BBA = Bachelor of Business Administration
• BEd = Bachelor of Education
• BLA = Bachelor of Liberal Arts
• BSW = Bachelor of Social Work
• BS = Bachelor of Science

Before using any abbreviations, keep the role you’re applying for in mind. For example, if you have a BSW and you’re applying for a job that involves social services, the hiring manager will likely be familiar with the abbreviation.

However, if you’re applying to a restaurant management position with a Bachelor of Social Work, the employer may not recognize the abbreviation ‘BSW.’ In this case, it’s best to write out the full name of your degree.

When including a Bachelor’s degree on your resume, add this information:

1. Degree name, such as “Bachelor of Arts,” “Bachelor of Science,” or the appropriate abbreviation (BA, BS, BSc)
2. Major or field of study (if applicable to the job you’re applying for)
3. Name of the university
4. Location of the university (city and state)
5. Year of graduation

If you lack work experience and want to add extra details about your degree, include the following optional information:

• GPA (if 3.5 or higher)
• Academic honors or awards
• Relevant coursework

Master’s degree

Here are the different ways you can abbreviate a master’s degree on your resume:

• MA = Master of Arts
• MS, MSc = Master of Science
• MBA = Master of Business Administration
• MIB = Master of International Business
• ME, MEng = Master of Engineering
• MEd = Master of Education

It’s up to you whether or not to use periods in your abbreviations. For example, MA versus M.A., or M.Ed. versus MEd. Both styles are acceptable, but make sure you stick to one throughout your resume for consistency.

When listing a master’s degree you should follow the same guidelines for listing associate and bachelor degrees by including the necessary details and any relevant coursework or honors.

1. Degree name, use “Master of Arts” or the abbreviation “MA” or “M.A.”
2. Field of study or major
3. Name of the university
4. Location of the university (city and state)
5. Year of graduation or expected graduation

Add these details in if they suit the application or are impressive:

• GPA (if 3.5 or higher)
• Academic honors or awards (if applicable)
• Thesis title (if relevant to the job you’re applying for)
• Relevant coursework (if directly related to the job)

PhD

When listing a PhD on your resume, you should follow the same format as other degrees, but with some additional points because your degree is more advanced.
Here are some common abbreviations for a doctoral degree:

• PhD = Doctor of Philosophy
• EdD = Doctor of Education
• PsyD = Doctor of Psychology
• DBA = Doctor of Business Administration
• DNP = Doctor of Nursing Practice
• PharmD = Doctor of Pharmacy
• JD = Juris Doctor (while technically a professional doctorate and not a PhD, this is the standard degree for lawyers in the US)

Here’s how to effectively list your PhD on your resume:

1. Include essential details including university name, location, year of completion (or expected completion), field of study or specific program
2. Highlight relevant information including dissertation title (if relevant to the job), areas of specialization, any honors or awards, relevant coursework (if applicable)
3. Include your funding or fellowships, if notable add any relevant publications
4. List any teaching or research assistant positions separately in your work experience section

Multiple degrees

Have more than one degree? Here’s how to highlight your educational journey on your resume:

1. Start with your highest level of education
2. List each degree separately
3. Use consistent formatting for all degrees
4. Include all relevant information for each degree as outlined above

If you have multiple degrees from the same institution, you can group them together to save space:

Frequently asked questions about how to list a degree on a resume

These are some of the most common questions we receive about listing degrees on your resume:

What does “level of education” mean on a resume?

“Level of education” refers to the highest degree or diploma you’ve earned, such as high school, associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate.

What is a field of study on a resume?

A field of study is your major or the specific area you focused on during your education, like Biology, Computer Science, or English Literature.

Is it “bachelor” or “bachelor’s” on a resume?

Usually you should only use “bachelor” on a resume, because you’re listing your specific degree, for example:

• Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
• Bachelor of Science

You can use “bachelor’s” when speaking generally about the type of degree you have, for example: “I have a bachelor’s degree.”