The education section: how to list your degree, and where it belongs.
The education section answers a simple question: what formal training do you have? The format is predictable, which is good news: get the details right and the reader moves on to your experience.
List each degree as degree name and major, school and graduation year, newest first. Put education below experience once you have relevant work history, and above it if you are a student or recent graduate. Add honours or a high GPA only while they are recent, and be precise about degrees in progress or not completed.
How to write the section
- Write the degree in full. 'Bachelor of Science in Nursing' or 'BS, Nursing'. Use one style throughout.
- Add the school and year. The year you graduated, or 'Expected' with a month and year if you are still studying.
- Place it by strength. Above experience for students and new graduates; below it for everyone else.
- Add extras while they help. Honours, relevant coursework or a thesis title for recent graduates; drop them later.
- Be exact about unfinished degrees. Write the credits or years completed, never a degree you did not receive.
- Leave out high school once you have a degree. Unless the posting asks for it, your highest qualifications are enough.
Illustrative examples to adapt
Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.
Standard education entry
When to use: Graduates with a completed degree.
[Your name] EDUCATION [Degree], [Major], [University] | [Year] [Second degree, if any], [University] | [Year]
Degree not completed
When to use: You studied but did not finish.
[Field of study] coursework, [University] | [Year] to [Year] Completed [number] credits toward [degree name]
Certificate or bootcamp
When to use: Training outside a degree programme.
TRAINING [Certificate or programme name], [Provider] | [Year] Covered [skills the posting asks for]
Disclosure: TryHired makes HIRED, a paid job-search program, so we have a conflict of interest when we mention it. Every sample on this page is free to use without buying anything.
Education entries by situation
| Situation | How to write it | Placement |
|---|---|---|
| Completed degree | Degree, major, school, year | Below experience once you have work history. |
| Current student | Degree, school, expected date | Above experience. |
| Unfinished degree | Coursework and credits completed | Below experience. |
| Several degrees | Newest or highest first | One block, consistent format. |
| Certificate or bootcamp | Name, provider, year | Education or a Training section. |
| Older graduate | Year optional | Below experience. |
The same line, rewritten
Illustrative example with placeholders.
| Version | Example |
|---|---|
| Weak | Went to [University] for a while, studied business. |
| Strong | Business Administration coursework, [University] | [Year] to [Year]; completed [number] credits toward a BBA. |
Why it matters: Vague wording looks like you are hiding something. A precise, honest line about an unfinished degree reads as confident and leaves no room for misunderstanding.
Before you send it
- Every degree uses the same format.
- Degrees are listed newest or highest first.
- In-progress degrees say 'Expected'.
- Unfinished degrees are described honestly.
- Placement matches your career stage.
- High school is removed if you have a degree, unless asked.
Mistakes to avoid
- Listing a degree you did not finish as completed.
- Mixing abbreviations and full degree names.
- Putting education first when your experience is stronger.
- Leaving out the expected date for a degree in progress.
- Including old GPA or honours years after graduating.
Build yours
Questions people ask
How do I list my degree on a resume?
Should education go before or after experience?
How do I list a degree I did not finish?
Should I include my graduation year?
How this page is built
Written by Maid Dizdarevic, a career coach and 8x LinkedIn Top Voice. Advice is labelled as advice. Every sample uses a fictional person marked '(illustrative)' or a 'Your name' placeholder, and every employer, school, date and result is a bracketed placeholder for your own true details.
- What a specific employer screens for: always read the posting.
- Your results: we never invent numbers, and you should never copy a result you did not achieve.
- Outcomes: no resume, letter, profile or program can promise an interview or a job.
- TryHired editorial guidance by Maid Dizdarevic, career coach, Nov 4, 2026.