MBA on Resume: How to Write the Degree, With 7 Examples

By CVBooster Team · Published 2026-11-04 · Updated 2026-11-04

5 min read

To write an MBA on a resume, put it in the Education section, above your bachelor's degree, as: school name and city, then Master of Business Administration (MBA), your concentration, and the month and year you graduated or expect to. Spell the degree out once so both people and hiring software find it; after that, MBA alone is fine. Below are seven complete education sections for every common case: new graduate, in progress, part time while working, executive MBA, dual degree, senior professional and online program.

The MBA cost you a lot of evenings and a number with a comma in it. It deserves a correctly formatted line, not three letters and a year squeezed under your high school.

Example 1: new MBA graduate

For a recent graduate, education goes at the top, right under the header or summary, because it is your newest credential.

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What business school career offices say

The University of Maryland's Smith School gives the rule in its MBA resume guidelines: "List your degrees in reverse chronological order, current degree program first." The same guide says: "Do not list high school or prep school." Its sample shows the school, city and state, then the full degree name with a focus area on the line below, and scholarships, leadership roles and projects under that.

If you are still studying, UMass Lowell's career center explains in its guide to the expected graduation date: "An expected graduation date is the month and year you anticipate finishing your degree." It recommends writing "Expected Graduation" or "Anticipated Graduation" followed by the month and year.

For two degrees at once, Harvard's career services shows in its resume guide that you may indicate "a joint or double concentration, a secondary, and/or a concurrent master's degree," and gives formats such as one line with both degrees separated by a slash.

Example 2: MBA in progress

Write "Candidate" or "Expected" clearly. Listing the degree with only a future year, and no label, reads as if you already hold it.

Example 3: part-time MBA while working

When you work full time, your job stays at the top. The MBA goes in Education, below Experience, with "part-time" or "evening" only if the school uses that name.

Example 4: executive MBA

Experienced candidates can leave the bachelor's year off. A senior resume does not need to help the reader do arithmetic on your age.

Example 5: dual degree

Example 6: senior professional, MBA from years ago

Once your work experience matters more than the degree, the MBA moves to the bottom of the resume. Keep it to one or two lines.

Example 7: online MBA

You do not need to write "online" if the degree is the same one the school awards on campus. Write it as the school does.

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The format, line by line

• School line. Business school name, university name if different, city and state, date.
• Degree line. Master of Business Administration (MBA) the first time, then MBA anywhere else.
• Concentration. One or two, as your transcript states them.
• Bullets, only if useful. Honors, a leadership role, a capstone with a result. Smith's guide notes that projects "may be listed under your degree if they are substantial in content and results."
• Bachelor's degree below. Same format, shorter.

Where else the MBA can go

• Header. Some candidates write "Jordan Lee, MBA" after their name. It is optional; never use it before you graduate. See resume header for layout.
• Summary. One phrase, such as finance manager with an MBA in strategy, when the job asks for the degree.
• LinkedIn headline. Same rule as the header; see LinkedIn headline examples.

For the full education section, see resume education section examples. For honors, read summa cum laude on a resume, and for two majors, double major on a resume. For a complete resume, see the MBA graduate resume. Applying to business school instead? That is a different document: see the MBA admission resume.

Frequently asked questions

How do you write an MBA degree on a resume?

Write the school name and city, then Master of Business Administration (MBA), your concentration, and the graduation month and year, in the Education section above your bachelor's degree.

How do I put an MBA in progress on my resume?

Add the word Candidate after the degree or write Expected Graduation with the month and year. Never list it without a label.

Should my MBA go at the top or bottom of my resume?

At the top if you graduated recently or are a full-time student. At the bottom if you have several years of work experience that matter more for the job.

Should I write MBA after my name?

You can once you have the degree. It is optional and most useful when the job asks for an MBA.

Do I need to list my GPA from my MBA?

Only if it is strong and you are a student or recent graduate. Drop it after your first job out of school.

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