How to List cum laude on Your Resume?

As you leave formal education behind and prepare to start your career, you'll need to have a strong resume to support your applications. One way of showing off your abilities is to highlight your academic achievements. If you've graduated cum laude, that's definitely an accomplishment worth shouting about! 

As with anything, there’s a right way and a wrong way to list cum laude on your resume. So, how do you list cum laude on your resume?

What does cum laude mean?

First, it’s probably worth knowing what all of the laude designations mean. Literally translated, cum laude means “with praise.” There are actually three cum laude awards. 

1. cum laude (with praise)

2. magna cum laude (with great praise) 

3. summa cum laude (with highest praise). 

All are impressive academic accomplishments that ultimately mean you earned a GPA of at least 3.5 or higher. Each university sets its own cum laude requirements, but if you are awarded this honor, you've certainly been noticed for your academic prowess. 

Your Latin designation will appear on your diploma as an official record of your success – and if it’s on your diploma, you should take the time to learn how to list cum laude on your resume. 

Do employers care about Latin Honors?

As you set out on your job search, your priority is to impress a potential employer so they call you for an interview. Mentioning that you graduated cum laude is a great addition to your resume. It shows hiring managers that you are driven, have the capacity to learn, possess a solid foundation of knowledge in your chosen subject, and can deliver quality work within deadlines. 

All in all, it proves you have the right attitude and aptitude. And that says a lot, especially when you may not have much professional experience to add to your resume yet!

What if I don't graduate cum laude?

It's not a problem if you don't receive a cum laude award – some universities don't even give out Latin honors! Don't be tempted to embellish the qualifications on your resume, as you'll almost certainly get caught during pre-employment checks. 

If you missed the mark on high honors – or you’re at a school that doesn’t give out Latin honors – all you have to do is cite your degree on your resume the same way it appears on your diploma. If your GPA is strong (3.5/4.0 or higher), you can add that, too. 

How to list cum laude on your resume

It's clearly important to mention Latin honors on your resume if you receive them, but how exactly do you do that? Here are some examples: 

Every education section needs to include: 

• Your degree (for example, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Art, Master of Science)

• The subject (for example, Mathematics with Finance)

• The institution (for example, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

As a recent graduate, you can expand further on these key details to give a more rounded outline of your learning, specializations, and skills. These pieces of information are optional, so only include them if you think they would support your application: 

• Your graduation date (for example, 05/2025)

• Grade (e.g., a GPA of 3.5 or higher or a Latin honor such as cum laude)

• Modules (list only the most relevant courses if you've completed many)

• Project, thesis, or dissertation titles (don't go into too much detail here)

• Positions of responsibility (for example, course representative or society leader)

• Other awards (for example, Dean's List or scholarships) 

• Skills acquired (especially if your resume is looking light on transferable skills)

How to format the Education section

If you’re a recent graduate, you'll want to position your Education section near the top of your resume, just below the Profile and Key Skills. That's because it's likely to be more relevant to your chosen career than any work experience you have. 

When a few years have passed since your graduation, it's time to start dropping the optional details in your education section. Your professional experience will start to take priority now. 

Expert tip: Honors like cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude should be one of the last things you drop, however, as they are such impressive achievements. 

When you've landed your first job in your chosen profession, you can move your education so that it appears below your professional experience, as that will begin to take precedence. 

Example of cum laude on your resume

With the rules of your education section defined, let's take a look at a few examples of how to list cum laude on your resume. 

Bachelor of Arts in American History | University of Pennsylvania, 01/2025

• GPA: 3.8 (summa cum laude)

• Thesis title: The Impact of the Civil War on American Literature

Bachelor of Science in Economics | Columbia University | 05/2024

• Dean’s List Honors (Graduated magna cum laude)

• Relevant courses included: Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Econometrics and The Global Economy

Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences and Medicine | University of Miami | 05/2024

• cum laude

• Top Student (Human Medicine, 2023)

• Head of Animal Protection Society and Course Representative

One of the most important details surrounding how to list cum laude on your resume is in how the phrase is formatted. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Latin honors are always written in lowercase, italicized letters.

If you're noting that you graduated cum laude, it's not strictly necessary to include your GPA too. However, it can be sensible to include both because some employers will be looking specifically for a GPA. 

Use your academic record to impress hiring managers

Graduating cum laude means you worked hard to accomplish something great. That is the type of thing hiring managers look for in job seekers. By learning how to list cum laude on your resume, you’re going one step further to proving you have what it takes to succeed in the jobs you apply for. Good luck for the future – you're beginning your career in a strong position.

Of course, if you need more help with your resume, we're here for you. Send your resume for a free resume review by one of our experts, so that you can be confident you're stepping into your job search with your best foot forward. 

This article was originally written by Jen David. It’s been updated by Marsha Hebert.

Recommended reading: 

• How to Create a Resume With No Education

• 7 Powerful Changes to Make to Your Academic CV

• Finding a Job as a New Graduate