A Golden Rule Company
What Do You Put on Your Resume When You Haven’t Finished Your Degree – YET?
Last Updated on July 23, 2026 by Jessica Hernandez
What should you include on your resume when you haven’t finished your degree?
Still working on your degree? Here’s exactly how to list in-progress education on your resume so it works for you, not against you.
(Updated July 2026)
How do you talk about an incomplete degree on your resume without it looking like a red flag? Short answer: you list it with intention, not embarrassment.
I’ve reviewed thousands of resumes at Fortune 500 companies and thousands more since founding Great Resumes Fast in 2008. The candidates who get called back aren’t the ones with finished degrees. They’re the ones who framed their in-progress education clearly and confidently.
If you’re still pursuing your degree or certification, especially one the job requires, you should absolutely include it. Below is exactly how, plus what’s changed about how employers actually view in-progress education in 2026. How do you address your incomplete education on your resume in a way that looks positive to potential employers?
What should you include on your resume when you haven’t finished your degree?
How do you address your incomplete education on your resume in a way that looks positive to potential employers?
If you’re still pursuing your degree or certification, then you should absolutely include this information on your resume.
Especially if the position requires whatever degree or certification you’re pursuing. There are two great ways to handle including this information on your resume:
- State the college you’re attending
- The degree you’re pursuing
- Your area of study
- Current GPA (if 3.0 or higher)
- Include your anticipated graduation date; this is very important if your graduation date is within the next 12 months.
It could look something like this:
University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, Bachelor of Science Degree, Communications/Public Relations, GPA 4.0, Anticipated graduation date: May 2027
Here’s another option:
- List the university you’re attending
- The degree you’re pursuing
- Your area of study
- Current GPA (If 3.0 or higher) and the words In Progress. This works well if you’re still going to be in school for a couple of years.
It might look like this on your resume:
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Bachelor of Arts Degree, Business Management – In Progress Current GPA 4.0
One more important note about including education on your resume:
I always recommend listing education at the top of the resume if the degree or certification is a requirement for the opportunity and it has been recently obtained or will soon be completed.
If the degree or education you have isn’t required or directly related to the position, put it at the end of the resume. This is also the case if you want to share with the employer that you have some education, but you don’t want to advertise that you didn’t complete your education.
Why Employers Are More Open to In-Progress Degrees Right Now
The rules around unfinished degrees have loosened. The share of U.S. job postings requiring a bachelor’s degree fell from 51% in 2017 to roughly 44% by 2024, and that trend has continued into 2026.
That doesn’t mean a degree stopped mattering. It means employers are weighing it differently. According to NACE’s Job Outlook 2025 Spring Update, about half of employers say they have positions that are flexible on degree status, and nearly two-thirds report using some form of skills-based hiring to evaluate candidates. (Source: NACE Job Outlook 2025 Spring Update).
What this means for you: a degree in progress isn’t a liability you need to hide. It’s evidence you’re actively investing in the skills the role needs, and you should present it that way. And we know from other research studies that employers look favorably on “potential” when deciding between a candidate with experience or one with potential; surprisingly, they prefer the candidate with “potential” – they fill in the blanks. Behavioral psychology for the win.
Your resume doesn’t need a finished degree to be a finished product. It needs to be clear, confident, and built to get past the robots and in front of a real human. That’s exactly what my free Executive Resume Template does (in-progress degree and all).
Grab it here → It takes five minutes to download and a lot less time to feel good about your resume again.
Where Exactly Should In-Progress Education Go on the Resume?
This is the part people get wrong most often, so let’s go a layer deeper than “top or bottom.”
Put it at the top when:
- The job posting lists the degree as required or preferred
- You’ll finish within the next 6–12 months
- You’re early-career and your coursework is your strongest relevant credential
Put it at the bottom when:
- The role doesn’t require the degree and your work experience carries more weight
- You’ve been out of school for a while and don’t want the “in progress” label to read as recent or unresolved
- Your professional experience section is strong enough to lead
A Harvard Business School and Burning Glass Institute study found that hiring managers, especially for entry-level roles, still default to reading education signals like school, coursework, and grades when other data is thin (Source: Harvard Business School / Burning Glass Institute research). That’s exactly why the placement decision matters as much as the wording.
Should You Include Your GPA If Your Degree Isn’t Finished?
Only if it’s 3.0 or higher. Below that, a GPA line does more harm than good, since it invites a comparison you don’t need employers making before they’ve read your experience.
For roles above entry level, GPA rarely gets asked about at all. Hiring managers evaluating mid-career or advanced-degree candidates are typically looking at outcomes and experience, not transcripts, so a missing GPA line raises no flags there.
Bold takeaway: GPA is a door-opener for entry-level candidates and a non-factor for everyone else. Include it only when it’s working in your favor.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Listing an Unfinished Degree
- Vague timelines. “Pursuing degree” with no date reads as stalled. An anticipated graduation date, even an approximate one, reads as active progress.
- Burying it in a skills section. Education in progress belongs in your education section, not folded into a bullet under “skills” where an ATS can miss it entirely.
- Overexplaining why you paused. You don’t need to explain it. (What Hiring Managers Want to See on Your Resume in 2026 covers what to prioritize instead).
- Treating “in progress” as permanent. If your plans changed and you’re not finishing, the framing is different. That’s covered in my other article: How to List Education On Your Resume When You Don’t Plan to Finish Your Degree.
FAQs: Listing an Unfinished Degree on Your Resume
Q: Should I put “some college” on my resume if I didn’t finish my degree? A: Only list it if it’s relevant or currently in progress. Name the school, area of study, and status (“In Progress” or an anticipated date) rather than a vague “some college” line.
Q: Where do I put an anticipated graduation date if I’m not sure of the exact month? A: Use your best estimate (a season or year is fine, like “Anticipated 2027”). An approximate date still signals active progress far better than no date at all.
Q: Will employers assume I dropped out if my resume shows an in-progress degree? A: No. Framed clearly with a program name and status, in-progress education reads as active enrollment, not a stalled attempt, especially with a stated anticipated completion date.
Q: Should recent graduates worry more or less about degree status than someone further along? A: More, generally. Entry-level hiring managers rely more heavily on education signals when a candidate has limited work history, which is why GPA and program details carry more weight early in a career. You also should include relevant coursework, projects, or internships to show potential and expertise.
Q: Does an in-progress degree ever belong above my work experience? A: Yes, if the job requires that degree or you’re early-career with strong coursework and limited experience. Otherwise, keep work experience first and education below it.
An unfinished degree isn’t something to hide on your resume. It’s something to frame with the right placement, the right details, and confidence in what you’ve already built. Get those three right, and the rest of your resume gets to do its job.
Okay, one more thing before you go. You don’t have to figure out the wording for your whole resume by yourself (that’s what I’m here for). Download the free Executive Resume Template, plug in your experience, and watch how differently it reads when it’s built with intention instead of guesswork. Yes, send me the free template →
If you are not planning on finishing the degree or certification program that you started for whatever reason, then check out this article on how to include education information when you didn’t finish your degree and don’t plan to complete it.
Share this post:
About the author
Jessica Hernandez, President, CEO & Founder of Great Resumes Fast
Hi, I’m Jessica. I started this company back in 2008 after more than a decade directing hiring practices at Fortune 500 companies.
What started as a side hustle (before that was even a word!) helping friends of friends with their resumes has now grown into a company that serves hundreds of happy clients a year. But the personal touch? I’ve kept that.
You might have seen me featured as a resume expert in publications like Forbes, Fast Company, and Fortune. And in 2020, I was honored to be named as a LinkedIn Top Voice of the year!
I’m so glad you’re here, and I can’t wait to help you find your next perfect-fit position!
30 Comments
Leave a Comment
Improve Your Resume: Download Your Free Executive Resume Template Today
Are you struggling to create an executive resume that will impress employers? Download this free executive resume template and receive a series of 10 emails with expert guidance on how to write resume content that resonates with employers so you get more interviews.
It's everything you need to stand out, make an impression, and accelerate your job search.
Work with Us
Great points here. It’s so important to know someone is working on their degree and has an anticipated completion date. for mid level and higher positions and for advanced degrees, the GPA may not be as important. It’s usually something we look at for entry level positions, so if it’s not great or GPA doesn’t really apply, no worries to omit it. I’ve never had a hiring manager ask for someone’s GPA for more senior level positions and/or advanced degrees.
[…] Do You Put on Your Resume When You Haven’t Finished Your Degree Yet? Very similar to number 5, this popular article explains what you can do with that incomplete degree on your […]
Regardless of what style you prefer, the quality is something that really counts when keeping
your home safe and secure. It often comes in two varieties one with dual flexible
sides and one that has a hard side and a flexible side that looks a lot like wood molding.
If your garage door is old and worn out, a new one can do a lot to
improve the look of your home.
I am curious to find out what blog platform you have been utilizing?
I’m having some minor security issues with my latest blog
and I’d like to find something more secure. Do you have
any solutions?
hello my name is wepaly im from turkmenistan lets to be friends !
constantly i used to read smaller articles or reviews that also clear
their motive, and that is also happening
with this article which I am reading at this time.
GooԀ blog post. І absolutely love this site. Ҝeep it up!
Lenders may have to provide financial information, information regarding
the number of loans they currently make and a copy of
the underwriting criteria. The second type will be the repayment mortgage loan exactly where the monthly installments consist of a portion of
the richesse cost and also the curiosity.
Borrowers can apply for a secured loan in order to pay
off debt and repair bad credit. This weighs closely when you’re just establishing your credit score
history. Article Source: Scott has done extensive research on how to rent apartments
for bad credit.
In sone countries beer with 1% alcohol content are served for children in school instead of soft drinks.
As we started our journey back down Reading Rooad no one
said a word. After our work iin Germany, we had 12 days to wander the countryside inn a rented car.
What you typed was very reasonable. However, what about this?
what if you added a little information? I am not suggesting your content isn’t solid,
however suppose you added a headline to possibly grab a person’s attention? I mean What
Should You Include On Your Resume When You Haven’t Finished Your Degree Yet?
is kinda plain. You ought to look at Yahoo’s front page and note how they create article headlines to get people interested.
You might try adding a video or a related pic or two to grab readers excited about
everything’ve got to say. Just my opinion, it would bring your website a little livelier.
Link exchange is nothing else but it is just placing the other person’s weblog link on your page at suitable place and other person will also do same in favor of you.
I am not positive the place you are getting your information, however great topic.
I needs to spend some time finding out much more or understanding more.
Thanks for magnificent information I use to be searching foor this
information for my mission.
Who are the legal representatives who work with tech startups in Maine?
Hi there, I desire to subscribe for this weblog to take
latest updates, so where can i do it please
help.
You actually make it appear so easy together with your presentation however I to find this matter to be actually one thing
which I think I might never understand. It sort of feels too complex and very vast for
me. I’m having a look ahead in your next post, I’ll attempt
to get the dangle of it!
La Luna controla siempre la hora de la marea alta y de la
marea baja, al paso que el Sol altera el grado de ascenso de descenso del nivel del agua
sensiblemente en diferentes épocas del mes sinódico.
I am truly pleased to read this webpage posts which includes lots of valuable information, thanks for providing these
kinds of information.
If you want to grow your knowledge simply keep visiting this
web site and be updated with the hottest news posted here.
wonderful way of doing things.
Iam constantly looking online for stories that can facilitate me.
Thx!
I just like the valuable info you provide to your
articles. I will bookmark your blog and take a look at again right here regularly.
I am somewhat sure I’ll be told lots of new stuff proper right here!
Best of luck for the following!
This site truly has all the information I wanted about this subject and
didn’t know who to ask.
I in addition to my friends have already been examining the nice thoughts located
on your website and then then developed a terrible suspicion I never expressed respect to the website owner
for those strategies. All of the ladies appeared to be consequently very interested to read through them and have in effect absolutely been having fun with them.
I appreciate you for truly being really considerate and then for utilizing some useful things most people are really desirous to understand about.
My very own honest apologies for not expressing gratitude to sooner.
http://Doubledubs.com/
What Should You Include On Your Resume When You Haven't Finished Your Degree Yet?
I go to see everyday a few web sites and sites to read content, except this webpage offers feature based posts.
Hello i am still studying bsc what should I mention in my resume pls tell me about this
Very well written article! Can’t wait to read more of your amazing work.
Really nice article and helpful me.I highly recommend you RKDEMY for diploma engineering coaching classes .
thanks admin for the post
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More: greatresumesfast.com/blog/what-do-you-put-on-your-resume-when-you-havent-finished-your-degree-yet/ […]