A high school “degree” is usually called a high school diploma.

Quick Scoop

In most English-speaking countries, when you finish high school you earn a high school diploma , not a college-style degree. People sometimes say “high school degree” in casual speech, but the formal credential is the diploma you get when you graduate.

What you actually receive

  • The standard credential is a high school diploma (often after grades 9–12 in the U.S. and Canada).
  • In some cases, students receive a certificate of completion instead of a full diploma.
  • If someone did not finish traditional high school, they might earn a GED (General Educational Development) , which is a high school equivalency diploma.

Diploma vs “degree”

  • A diploma is the official proof that you completed secondary school requirements.
  • The word “degree” is normally reserved for college-level study (associate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral), so calling it a “high school degree” is informal and not technically precise.

If you’re filling out forms, resumes, or applications, the correct term to use is “High School Diploma” (or “GED” if that’s what you earned).

Forum-style TL;DR

  • What is a high school degree called? → High school diploma.
  • Alternatives: GED (equivalency) or certificate of completion , depending on your situation.

Meta description:
If you’re wondering “what is a high school degree called?” the formal name is high school diploma , the standard credential you receive when you graduate secondary school, with GED and certificates as common alternatives.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.