How and Where to Put Cum Laude on Your Resume

In a competitive job market, you want any advantage you can get to put you in the best light. So if you have a proven track record of academic excellence, you might wonder how to put graduated with honors on your resume.

If you have some of the highest distinctions, like cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude, there are specific ways to include Latin honors on your resume. In some cases, it may not make sense to include them. In this guide, learn, about academic honors, whether to add Latin honors on your resume or not, and how to put cum laude on your resume.

Need to highlight academic achievements on your resume? Make a free resume that showcases cum laude and other distinctions with Teal's AI Resume Builder.

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Understanding academic honors

Academic honors are notable distinctions that highlight a student’s excellence in school. Some include being on the Dean’s list or honor roll. There are also “Latin honors” given to students in a graduating class and based on grade point average (GPA). There are three different types of this academic honor, which use Latin words to describe the level of distinction. 

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Cum laude

The term “cum laude” is a type of Latin honor that refers to graduating with honors. To qualify for this distinction, your GPA needs to be above a certain level. Each school sets its own criteria and standards. 

For example, graduating seniors at the University of Connecticut must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to get the cum laude distinction. However, for students at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, you must have a GPA of 3.5 to receive the cum laude distinction. 

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Magna cum laude

“Magna cum laude” is the next level of distinction and refers to graduating with high honors. The Latin translates to “with great praise” and is a step above “cum laude.” Criteria can vary by school, but the minimum GPA requirements are higher than cum laude— for example, a GPA of 3.4 or 3.7.

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Summa cum laude

The term “summa cum laude” is the most prestigious of Latin academic honors and refers to graduating with the highest honors. The translation means “with highest praise.” The GPA requirements can vary but are the highest out of all of the Latin honors. To qualify for this level of distinction, students at graduation may need a GPA of 3.7 or 3.9 up to the coveted 4.0. 

These different types of honors can easily signify your academic achievements and excellence. But first, consider whether to put cum laude on resumes first. 

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Should you add Latin honors to a resume?

Graduating with Latin honors is a major achievement. But whether that helps you in your job search depends.

In general, job seekers may not need to include a particular distinction if they have several years of work history. However, there are situations where it makes sense to list cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude on your resume.

• You’re a recent graduate. If you recently graduated cum laude or with other Latin honors and are breaking into the workforce for the first time, it can make sense to add them to show your work ethic and your educational achievements in your college career. 
• You’re applying to graduate school. You might want to go straight into graduate school to pursue your master’s or doctorate. If you’re submitting your application to grad school, adding Latin honors shows your commitment to academic pursuits and education. 
• You have limited work experience. You may not have a long work history to show prospective employers. So adding anything that can show your skills and achievements can help. 
• You’re applying for jobs with a focus on education. If you’re applying to be a professor or a position at an academic institution, it makes sense to include your academic honors. Additionally, if you’re applying for positions in law, finance, or management it can distinguish you from other candidates. 

If you don’t fall into one of these categories, adding your academic honors may be taking up precious space on your resume. While it can signify your academic excellence, employers care more about your work experience and skills. 

If you've graduated summa cum laude, adding it to on a resume is the most impressive and sets you apart from others. Putting magna cum laude on a resume may also give you a competitive advantage. Putting cum laude on a resume may make sense, but it depends on the school’s criteria. Typically, you only want to include your GPA if it’s 3.5 or above. If your GPA is less than that—even if it meets the cum laude distinction for your school—it’s best to skip it.

Where to put cum laude on a resume

If you decide to put cum laude on your resume, the best place to put it is in the Education section. It makes the most sense there and can add context to your studies and showcase your academic achievements. 

Alternatively, if you have enough to warrant it, you can include academic awards and honors in a separate Awards and Honors section. What’s a good benchmark? Typically, if you have three or more distinctions and awards, it can justify having a separate awards section or separate honors section. Make sure there’s enough space so it doesn’t detract from your Experience section, which is typically the part of your resume that carries the most weight. 

Using Teal’s Resume Formatting feature, you can easily add your awards and scholarships with their own section or as an addition to your resume Education section. 

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How to list academic honors on a resume

Academic honors can come in different forms. They can include the President’s List, Dean’s List, honor roll, school awards, and Latin honors which are cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude. 

Summa cum laude is often considered the highest honor. Magna cum laude is second in rank “with high honors'' and cum laude third “with honor.”

President’s list and Dean’s list are also based on grades, though President’s list is more prestigious as it typically refers to students with all A’s whereas Dean’s list can be A’s and B’s.

The honor roll is next as it’s more lenient with the GPA and then any school awards based on your field of study. So at a glance, the ranking is:

1. Summa cum laude

2. Magna cum laude

3. Cum laude

4. President’s list

5. Dean’s list

6. Honor roll 

7. School awards 

This matters because you want to list your honors in order of importance. 

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How to format academic honors on a resume with Teal

If you only have one or two academic honors, put them in the Education section of your resume. If you have three or more, consider adding an “Awards and Honors” section or something similar. 

In Teal, go to the Resume Builder and click on the “Education” section. From there, you can add your degree, GPA, and honors.

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If you have several to include, head to the “Awards & Scholarships” section and add them here. Make sure to list academic honors in order of importance, with the most important one at the top, and then in listing in descending order. So if you want to learn how to put honor society on resume or other awards, this is your best strategy.

There is also a specific way to format academic honors. In a departure from what you’re probably used to, Latin honors are typically written in lowercase and italics. 

Lowercase letters were an evolution of the Latin alphabet based on cursive handwriting. The Chicago Manual of Style recommends using italics for foreign words that are unfamiliar. 

Teal Note: Teal does not currently offer the option to italicize resume words or phrases. And while whether or not you use italics for specific words is unlikely to impact your chances of landing an interview, it’s important to use the format that works best for you.

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Latin honors on resume examples

Adding Latin honors on your resume is pretty simple, but there are some formatting rules to take into consideration. 

In addition to the nuts and bolts of formatting, there are different ways to structure the honors. For example, including it on a separate line or the same line as your degree. Here’s how to put cum laude on a resume.

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Summa cum laude on resume 

Option #1:

Education 

[Degree], [Graduation Year]

[School]

Honors: summa cum laude [(GPA)]

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Example:

Education 

Bachelor of Science in Engineering, 2018

Columbia University 

Honors: summa cum laude (3.9)

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Option #2:

Education 

[Degree], summa cum laude 

[School]

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Example:

Education 

Bachelor of Science in Engineering, summa cum laude 

Columbia University

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Option #3:

Education 

[School]

[Degree], summa cum laude 

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Example:

Education 

Columbia University

Bachelor of Science in Engineering, summa cum laude 

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Magna cum laude on resume

Option #1:

Education 

[Degree], [Graduation Year]

[School]

Honors: magna cum laude [(GPA)]

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Example:

Education 

Bachelor of Science in Engineering, 2018

Columbia University 

Honors: magna cum laude (3.7)

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Option #2:

Education 

[Degree], magna cum laude 

[School]

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Example:

Education 

Bachelor of Science in Engineering, magna cum laude 

Columbia University

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Option #3:

Education

[School]

[Degree], magna cum laude 

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Example:

Education 

Columbia University

Bachelor of Science in Engineering, magna cum laude 

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Common mistakes to avoid when listing academic honors

Listing summa cum laude or other academic honors should be a plus to your resume, not detract hiring managers or recruiters.

To maximize the benefits, here are some common resume mistakes to avoid when you list Latin honors.

• Wasting space. Your resume should be between one and three pages long—depending on your level of experience. And it should illustrate your relevant employment history. If adding your academic honors takes up more space or makes your resume excessively long, consider removing them. 
• Not relevant. If you’re more than three years out of school or your honors don’t relate to the job, don’t include them. Only include honors if related to your job or as a recent grad with a diploma. 
• Using the wrong format. Avoid capitalizing when listing Latin honors and keeping them as plain text. The recommended format is writing Latin honors in lowercase and with italics.
• Cum laude below 3.5 GPA. Some schools may have a cum laude distinction for students with a GPA below 3.5, such as the University of Connecticut, which has a 3.0 threshold. However, the general rule is to only include the GPA on resume if it’s 3.5 or above. 

Pro Tip: To help you format your experience and include honors only when relevant, use Teal’s AI Resume Builder to customize each resume.

With Teal, you can create a base resume. Then toggle on only the experience and details relevant to each unique job you apply for.

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Make the most of academic honors with Teal

Your academic honors, such as cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude, have a time and place in your resume. These distinctions have the most leverage if you’re new to the workforce or trying to get a job at a university or other field that values education. 

Teal’s Resume Builder and its comprehensive resume sections can help you add Latin honors to your resume without the extra work of manually formatting each section. Then, if you’re applying for a job where the honor isn’t relevant, it’s possible to uncheck that section and create different versions of your resume—without the hassle.