Jen David 
Show off your educational achievements to get your career started
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! But how should it be presented on your resume? Read on to find out…
What does cum laude mean?
Literally translated, cum laude means “with praise.” There are actually three cum laude awards. The lowest is simply cum laude (with praise), progressing through magna cum laude (with great praise) to summa cum laude (with highest praise). All are impressive academic accomplishments.
What does graduating cum laude mean?
To achieve this recognition, you'll need to graduate with strong grades - usually a GPA of 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.
Do employers care about Latin Honors?
If you're aiming to impress a potential employer, 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, have a solid foundation of knowledge in your chosen subject, and you're able to deliver quality work within deadlines. All in all, it proves you have the right attitude and aptitude. And that says a lot 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, all you have to do is simply 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 instead.
Expert tip: Many people ask, “What GPA qualifies for cum laude?” That doesn't matter because you should avoid trying to translate your grade into an equivalent cum laude grade. It doesn't work like that. If the university didn't give it to you, then you don't have it.
How can I show cum laude on my resume?
It's clearly important to mention Latin honors on your resume if you receive them, but how exactly do you do that? We have some basic guidance on the wording and format, as well as some examples to inspire your own resume.
How to word the Education section
Every education section needs to include:
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Your degree (for example, Bachelor's degree)
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The subject (for example, Mathematics with Finance)
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The institution (for example, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
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The date of completion (for example, 2024)
As a recent graduate, you can expand further on these key sections to give a more rounded outline of your learning, specializations, and skills. These sections are optional, so you can include them if you think they would support your application:
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Grade (e.g., a GPA of 3.5 or higher or a Latin honor such as cum laude)
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Modules (list only the most relevant courses if you've completed many)
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Project, thesis, or dissertation titles (don't go into too much detail here)
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Positions of responsibility (for example, course representative or society leader)
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Other awards (for example, Dean's List or scholarships)
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Skills acquired (especially if your resume is looking light on transferable skills)
How to format the Education section
As a recent graduate, you'll probably 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.
Make sure that the non-negotiable information stands out on the page and has priority, complementing this with any other relevant details below.
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. 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
Now you know what's expected, let's take a look at a few examples.
Bachelor's degree in American History
University of Pennsylvania, 2024
Graduated with a GPA of 3.8 (summa cum laude)
Thesis title: The Impact of the Civil War on American Literature
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY | 2024
Honors degree in Economics (Graduated magna cum laude)
Dean's List student
Courses included: Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Econometrics and The Global Economy
Honors degree in Life Sciences and Medicine (cum laude)
University of Miami, 2024
Top Student (Human Medicine, 2023)
Head of Animal Protection Society and Course Representative
As you can see, the Latin honors are written in lowercase, italicized letters, as recommended by the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
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
By now, you should understand what graduating cum laude means and how to incorporate your Latin Honor on your resume. Such recognition can only be a benefit to your job search! 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.