How To Put Education on a Resume (With Examples)
Not sure what to include, where to place it, or whether to add your GPA and coursework? Use this guide to include your education clearly on your resume.
Along with work experience section and skills, the education section gives employers a clear snapshot of your qualifications.
The following guide will help you complete the education section on your resume with the relevant information, so a potential employer can see your academic interests and areas of knowledge.
Along with the tips below, try ResumeCoach’s AI resume builder to get instant suggestions for drafting an education section that stands out and is relevant to the role you’re applying to.
What Education Should Be on a Resume?
When drafting your resume, your education section should clearly highlight your academic achievements. What you include depends largely on your career stage, but generally, you should cover:
- Highest degree: Always list your most advanced degree first, whether it’s a master’s degree or a BA or BS.
- School details: Include the institution’s name, location, and graduation year.
- High school: Only include your high school if you lack a college degree.
- Extra details: Add academic honors, a high GPA, or relevant coursework if you are a recent graduate.
Experience or Education on a Resume: What To Put First
Depending on your personal situation, you may want to list first your education section or the work experience part on your resume.
It could also depend on the position you’re interested in or the skills you have gained from different roles in your professional and academic career.
- If you are a recent graduate or still studying, your academic achievements often carry more weight. In this case, it usually makes sense to place your education section before work experience.
- If you have several years of work experience, it’s usually better to highlight this, even when changing careers.
For those jobseekers who are unsure of which section should be highlighted and therefore come first, it is possible that using an online resume creator or resume template could help them to build a suitable resume for their ideal job.
Also, it is possible that choosing a resume format will help you decide on which section should have more precedence in your resume.
Ready to create a resume with perfect education, experience, and skills sections? Generate a complete resume with AI by answering a few simple questions and choosing an ATS-friendly template.
How To Put Education on Your Resume in
When it comes to writing the education section for your resume, it’s important that you maintain a certain structure in order for it to be easily found by hiring managers.
Follow the steps below to make sure you add relevant education on your resume related to the role you want:
- Start with your most recent qualification: List your education in reverse chronological order, starting with your highest or most recent degree.
- Include the essential details: Add your degree title, institution name, graduation year, and location for each qualification you list.
- Check the job description first: Identify any education requirements mentioned and make sure your section directly reflects what the employer is looking for.
- Highlight relevant coursework: If you’re early in your career, include relevant projects or academic awards that align with the role.
- Add your GPA: Include it only if it’s 3.5 or above and you’re a recent graduate. Otherwise, leave it out.
- Keep formatting consistent: Use the same font, date format, and layout as the rest of your resume to maintain a professional appearance.
Education Section in a Resume Examples
Within the resume education section, you should always list the course name, the institution where you completed the degree program or training, and the type, such as:
BA English Literature, College of William and Mary, VA
It is not obligatory to include the graduation date or your grades; however, it can be useful depending on your level of experience and relevance to the role.
Here are two examples of resume education sections to help you understand how you should format this part of your resume:
Experienced applicant: Marketing manager education section example
BA Marketing, University of Michigan | 2014-2018
If you are experienced, this more concise approach can be better, as hiring managers are looking more at your experience.
Entry-level applicant: Data analyst education section example
BS Data Science, University of Texas | 2021-2025 | GPA: 3.8/4.0
Relevant Coursework: Statistical Analysis, Python Programming, Data Visualization, Machine Learning Fundamentals
Academic Achievements: Dean’s List 2021-2023 | Best Final Year Project Award: Predictive Analytics in Retail
As an inexperienced applicant, adding more information can be helpful to make up for your lack of on-the-job experience.
Upgrade Your Resume with AI-Powered Suggestions
Already have a resume? Upload it and instantly improve it with AI. Strengthen your experience and education sections, optimize keywords for ATS, and refresh the layout in seconds, without starting over.
Simply enter your profession in the search bar and choose from AI-recommended results.
Powered by AI, our resume builder provides instant, natural language suggestions tailored to the job you’re applying for.
When Removing or Omitting Education From Your Resume Could Hurt
Leaving out certain qualifications could make you appear underqualified or confuse recruiters about your background.
For instance, if the job specifically requires a degree or certification that you leave off, recruiters may assume you don’t meet the basic criteria.
Additionally, removing too much education could create unexplained gaps in your resume, raising red flags for hiring managers.
💡Tip
To avoid this, always make sure that key qualifications and relevant education align with the job requirements.
Struggling with Resume Writing?
Ease the process with our templates
FAQs About the Education Section on a Resume
If you still have doubts about formatting education on a resume or how to add your credentials, review the answers to the following questions.
Yes, it’s okay to leave education off your resume in certain cases. If your qualifications are not relevant to the job or if you have more recent, applicable experience, trimming down your education section can help streamline your resume.
However, removing key qualifications could make you appear underqualified or confuse recruiters. Always make sure the education you include aligns with the job requirements and helps present you as a strong candidate.
Yes, recruiters may notice a gap if you do not list your degree, especially if it fills a significant time period. Gaps in your resume can raise red flags, leading recruiters to wonder what you were doing during that time.
If your degree is incomplete or unrelated to the role, consider including it briefly to avoid confusion. This way, you show that you were engaged in productive activities, even if they were not directly related to your career path.
Yes, you can create a resume without formal education. Focus on highlighting your skills, experience, and any relevant training or certifications.
A hybrid resume format works well in this case, allowing you to showcase your strengths before addressing the education section. Many employers prioritize experience and potential over formal qualifications, so do not let a lack of education hold you back from applying to jobs where you’re otherwise qualified.
You can remove your degree if it’s not relevant to the job or if it makes you appear overqualified. But it’s important to be aware that leaving off a degree could confuse recruiters or raise questions about gaps in your resume.
If you do decide to leave out a degree from your resume, stay consistent across all platforms (like LinkedIn) and focus on tailoring the rest of your resume to highlight qualifications that align with the role you’re applying for.
Depending on your specific professional background, you can use alternative headings for the education section on your resume.
Some good options include academic background or educational qualifications. Always choose the phrase that best highlights your overall experience.