Should I Capitalize Bachelor’s Degree?

When It Makes Sense

• Good fit: When the degree appears in a headline, résumé heading, or official certificate where title case is customary.
• Good fit: When following a style guide (e.g., Chicago Manual of Style) that explicitly instructs capitalizing academic degrees in formal lists or bullet points.

When You Should Avoid It

• Warning sign: In the body of an essay, article, or email where most style guides recommend lowercase for consistency and readability.
• Warning sign: When submitting documents to an institution that has its own guidelines specifying lowercase for degree names.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Capitalization signals formality and can make titles or headings stand out, reinforcing the credential’s importance.
• Aligns with certain style manuals, ensuring consistency across professional publications that require title case.

Cons

• Inconsistent capitalization may appear sloppy if the rest of the document follows lowercase conventions.
• Over‑capitalizing can clash with institutional or publisher guidelines, potentially leading to revisions.

Decision Checklist

• Does the document follow a specific style guide that addresses degree capitalization?
• Is the degree name part of a heading, title, or formal label where title case is typical?
• Will the chosen format maintain consistency throughout the entire piece?

Alternatives to Consider

If you want to avoid the debate altogether, you can use the abbreviation (e.g., B.A. or B.S.) which is universally capitalized, or you can rephrase sentences to sidestep the degree name entirely, such as “earned a bachelor’s degree in biology” rather than “earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology.”

Final Recommendation

In most everyday writing, keep “bachelor’s degree” lowercase unless you are adhering to a style guide that mandates capitalization in headings or formal lists. Prioritize consistency and the expectations of your audience, and consult the relevant style manual when in doubt.