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Magna Cum Laude: Meaning, Requirements, and Value

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Updated June 06, 2024
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Magna Cum Laude Magna Cum Laude

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What Is Magna Cum Laude?

Magna cum laude is a Latin phrase that means “with great praise" and is an academic honor awarded to students who graduate with a grade point average (GPA) near the top of the class. There is no set GPA to determine magna cum laude as the precise standards differ among colleges.

U.S. colleges commonly use three levels of academic distinction. Cum laude, meaning "with distinction," magna cum laude, or "with great praise," and summa cum laude, or "with highest distinction."

Key Takeaways

  • Magna cum laude is an academic honorific awarded to students who have achieved academic excellence.
  • There are generally two other honorary academic distinctions: cum laude and summa cum laude.
  • There is no set standard to qualify for academic honors, with each school free to set its own criteria.
  • Some colleges do not offer Latin honors and instead use the word “distinction” to honor students who achieve academic excellence.

Understanding Magna Cum Laude

The awarding of Latin honors—the titles are referred to as Latin honors because they retain their original Latin forms—is common in colleges and universities in the United States, although not all bestow them. Many high schools also grant Latin honors.

Magna cum laude means “with great praise” and is awarded to students who have achieved academic excellence. It is more prestigious than cum laude honors but less prestigious than summa cum laude.

The criteria by which each of these distinctions is achieved is set by each institution. Some use GPA while some calculate their honors according to class placement. For example, a student in the top 3% of the class might qualify for a magna cum laude distinction. Colleges may consider other factors in their decisions to grant magna cum laude status.

An institution might require that students complete an honors thesis to be eligible. Others seek letters of recommendation from faculty members attesting to students’ exceptional academic performance. Others stipulate that students must complete a certain number of advanced courses.

Latin honors are most commonly awarded with bachelor's degrees. Students who graduate with honors may wear stoles of a distinct color or some other designation during commencement ceremonies, and their honors may be cited when their names are read.

Latin honors are generally included in a student’s official transcript.

Examples of Magna Cum Laude

Magna cum laude is generally awarded to a student who has earned a high GPA or some other mark of academic achievement, but not the highest possible. The criteria vary and may include some combination of the student’s GPA, class rank, number of hours completed, and recommendations from an academic department.

The academic thresholds for honors differ among academic institutions and even among programs at the same institution. 

For example, Texas A&M graduates must complete 60 credit hours while earning a GPA of 3.70 to 3.899 to earn a magna cum laude degree.

At some universities, the GPA requirements for Latin honors change every academic year because they are based on a percentage of the student’s class.

Note

Some schools have substituted other titles, such as “with distinction,” in place of or in addition to the traditional Latin terms.

For example, a student graduating magna cum laude in engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles, must finish in the top 5% to 10% of the class after completing 90 credits. For the 2023–2024 academic year, students would need to achieve a grade point average of 3.934. For the 2022-2023 academic year, the required GPA was 3.898.

Brown University does not use a student’s GPA in its calculation since the school does not calculate GPAs. Students are eligible for just one Latin honor, magna cum laude, upon graduation. A student achieves that honor by earning a high percentage of A grades and S for distinction marks for courses, as well as meeting other criteria as determined by the school. No more than 20% of a graduating class can earn magna cum laude honors.

The Value of a Magna Cum Laude Degree

The relative value of a magna cum laude degree or another Latin honor is difficult to judge as a factor in the job market. It may mean a great deal to some employers and nothing to others. Nonetheless, as new college graduates compete for their first jobs, having a Latin honor on a resume can't hurt.

It is of benefit to students competing for slots in graduate school. The top law schools, for example, expect students to have achieved certain GPAs as undergraduates—the type of high marks that are often accompanied by Latin honors.

What Grades Do You Need for Magna Cum Laude?

The academic thresholds for magna cum laude status differ among academic institutions but it generally means a very high GPA; close to the highest possible, which in most schools, the highest GPA is 4.0. Requirements are also subject to change and may differ among academic programs at the same institution.

Grade point average (GPA) isn’t always the only factor taken into consideration. Some colleges consider the number of hours completed and recommendations from an academic department. Some award Latin honors to the top percentage in a class.

Is Magna Cum Laude the Highest?

No. In schools where Latin honors are used, the highest distinction is summa cum laude, followed by magna cum laude, and then cum laude.

Is Graduating With Honors Important?

Graduating with honors notes that an individual has shown exemplary performance at school, particularly in academics, as most honors are given as a result of achieving a high grade point average. This distinction can impress employers and indicate to them that an individual is capable of performing at the highest level. It can also benefit students when applying for higher academic degrees. It's important to note, however, that graduating with honors is not a guarantee of future success.

The Bottom Line

Getting a degree is always a great achievement, but a new graduate needs to stand out in a crowded field of job seekers or graduate school applicants. Latin honors such as a magna cum laude distinction indicate hard work and determination. It could be the factor that gets you in the door for an interview.

Article Sources
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  1. Texas A&M University, Aggie One Stop. “Graduation With Honors.”

  2. University of California, Los Angeles, Samueli School of Engineering, Office of Academic and Student Affairs. “Latin Honors Eligibility.”

  3. Brown University. “The College: Latin Honors (Magna Cum Laude).”