Cum laude on a resume: where it goes and how to write it
Put the honor on the degree line, not in a section of its own. The usual order is the degree, the field, the school, the year, and then the honor: B.S. in Biology, Westbrook State University, 2025, cum laude. Some writers put it first and some put it last; what matters is that it sits next to the degree it describes, so a reader sees them together. If there is a minor, a thesis or a GPA, those go on the next line, not in the same breath.
Write the Latin lowercase. Most style guides print cum laude, magna cum laude and summa cum laude in lowercase and without italics when they follow a degree, though some set them in italics, and either is accepted on a resume as long as you use one style all through. Do not abbreviate it to “CL”, and do not put it in the name of the degree. Add it only if you have it: the honor is conferred by your school, and a degree audit or transcript can confirm it.
Magna cum laude and summa cum laude on a resume
The higher honors are listed the same way, and they are rarer, so a recent graduate gains from showing them. If your honor is shown on your diploma, write it as the diploma does. These are the usual shapes.
| Situation | How it reads |
|---|---|
| Cum laude | B.A. in Economics, Lakeview University, 2025, cum laude |
| Magna cum laude | B.S. in Nursing, Pine Valley College, 2024, magna cum laude |
| Summa cum laude | B.B.A. in Finance, Westbrook State University, 2025, summa cum laude |
| Graduating soon | B.A. in Psychology, Harlan College, expected May 2026; on track for magna cum laude (GPA 3.8) |
| With departmental honors | B.S. in Chemistry, Riverbend University, 2024, cum laude; Honors in Chemistry (thesis on solvent extraction) |
| Honors program | B.A. in History, Cedar State University, 2025, University Honors Program, magna cum laude |
The “on track for” form in the fourth row is for students whose honor has not been conferred yet. Say it only when your record supports it, and replace it with the plain honor after commencement. If you are still deciding what else the education section should hold, the guide to the resume education section sets out the order.
How to put Dean's List on a resume
Dean's List is awarded term by term, so you list it as a short line under the degree with the number of terms: Dean's List, six semesters, or Dean's List, Fall 2023 to Spring 2025. It is stronger when you name the school or college if there is more than one list. Do not put it in a separate Awards section unless you have three or more items there; the page on awards to put on a resume shows when that makes sense.
Dean's List matters most in the first two or three years after you finish. Later it fades, and a line of work results is worth more. If you earned both Dean's List and Latin honors, you may keep both for a first job and drop the Dean's List after that, since the honor on the degree already implies it.
Where to put GPA on a resume, and when to leave it off
Put your GPA after the degree and the honors, on the same line or the one below: GPA 3.8/4.0. Give your major GPA instead of the overall figure only if it is clearly higher and you label it: Major GPA 3.9/4.0. Use the scale your school uses, and write the scale, so that a reader from another country is not left guessing.
Should you put a GPA on your resume at all? A common rule is yes if it is 3.5 or above and you graduated within the last two or three years, or if a job posting asks for it. Leave it off when it is low, when you have several years of experience, or when your honors already say it for you. Never round up or change a number: many employers verify GPA, and a wrong figure can cost you the offer. Leaving a GPA off is normal and nobody will read it as a problem.
What the honors mean, briefly
Cum laude, magna cum laude and summa cum laude are Latin for with praise, with great praise and with highest praise. The three bands rank in that order, and each school decides what earns them, often a GPA cut-off or a share of the graduating class. The numbers differ from one school to the next, so check yours before you describe your standing. If your school does not confer Latin honors, you can still show distinction through a GPA, Dean's List or a named honors program.
Sources
Checked on 13 October 2026.