Summary
List Eagle Scout on a resume under Awards or Honors with the year you earned it, and add a short line on your Eagle project if you are a student or early-career candidate. The rank signals sustained leadership and a completed service project, which only a small share of Scouts achieve. The organization is now Scouting America, so use that name or add "formerly Boy Scouts of America." Senior candidates can shrink it to one line.
Put Eagle Scout on a resume under Awards or Honors, with the year you earned it. If you are a student or early in your career, add one or two bullets about your Eagle project, because that project is real evidence of planning and leadership.
The rank is rare. One Scouting America council reports that about 4% of Scouts earn Eagle, and more than 2.75 million have done so since 1912. That scarcity is why recruiters who know Scouting notice it.
There is one new wrinkle. The Boy Scouts of America officially became Scouting America on February 8, 2025. This guide shows how to handle the name, where the entry goes at each career stage, and how to write it.
Should you put Eagle Scout on a resume?
Yes, especially if you are a student, recent graduate or early-career candidate. Eagle Scout shows you completed 21 merit badges, held a leadership role and ran a community service project before age 18. Experienced candidates can keep it as a one-line award. Cut it only when stronger, more recent achievements need the space.
To earn Eagle, a Scout needs 21 merit badges, 13 of them required, a troop leadership position and a community service project, all before the 18th birthday. That is several years of goal-setting and follow-through on a single line.
It also lines up with what employers look for. NACE reports that 70% of employers use skills-based hiring and rank critical thinking, communication and teamwork near the top. An Eagle project gives you a concrete example of all three.
Scouting America also points to its own research. A 2026 Harris Poll commissioned by the organization found that 74% of Eagle Scouts had held leadership positions, compared with 31% of non-Scouts. Treat that as context, not proof. Your own bullets still have to show the leadership.
Eagle Scout is not only a male credential anymore. Nearly 1,000 young women formed the inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts in 2021, so the same advice applies to every Eagle.
Where does Eagle Scout go on a resume?
Most candidates should list Eagle Scout on a resume under Awards, Honors or Achievements. High school students and college students with little work history can give it a full Leadership entry with project bullets. Mid-career and senior candidates should keep a single line in Awards. Avoid placing it in your skills list or burying it inside your work history.
Placement depends on how much other evidence you have. Use this table:
| Career stage | Best section | How much detail |
|---|---|---|
| High school student | Leadership or Activities, near the top | Rank, year, troop, 2–3 bullets |
| College student or new grad | Leadership, or Awards and Honors | Rank, year, 1–2 project bullets |
| 1–5 years of experience | Awards and Honors | One line, optional project clause |
| 5+ years of experience | Awards, or Community Involvement | One line, no bullets |
| Scouting volunteer as an adult | Volunteer Experience | Adult role as its own entry |
High school students have the most to gain. Our high school resume guide shows where a Leadership section fits, and our sibling guide on whether to put high school on your resume explains when to drop school-age entries.
If you group several honors together, our sibling guide on awards on a resume shows how to order them. Scouting, sports and clubs can also share an Activities section, as covered in extracurricular activities on a resume.
How do you name Scouting America after the 2025 rename?
Write "Eagle Scout, Scouting America" with the year you earned the rank. If you earned it before February 2025 and want extra clarity, add "(formerly Boy Scouts of America)." Both names are accurate. Pick one style and use it everywhere, including your LinkedIn profile, so the details match.
The rename did not change the rank. Eagle Scout is still the program's highest rank, and the Scouts BSA program name is still in use for the 11-to-17 age group.
Many older guides still say "Boy Scouts of America" only. That is not wrong for a past award, but a recruiter who searches the name will now land on Scouting America. Adding both names in one line removes any doubt.
STANDARD (Awards and Honors) Eagle Scout, Scouting America, 2022
EARNED BEFORE THE RENAME Eagle Scout, Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America), 2019
WITH A SHORT PROJECT CLAUSE Eagle Scout, Scouting America, 2021 – Led 18 volunteers to build a 300-foot accessible trail at a county park
SENIOR CANDIDATE Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America, 2004
How do you describe your Eagle Scout project?
Describe the Eagle project like a work project: what you built or delivered, for whom, how many people you led, how much you raised and how long it took. Start each bullet with an action verb and include a number. One or two bullets are enough. The project is your proof of leadership, so make it specific.
The project is the part employers can actually evaluate. "Eagle Scout" alone says you finished. The project bullets say what you can do.
Use this simple formula: verb + what you delivered + who it served + scale (people, money, hours). Keep each bullet under two lines. Our guide to listing projects on a resume uses the same structure.
LEADERSHIP Eagle Scout | Scouting America, Troop 214 | Columbus, OH | Earned May 2024 • Planned and led construction of 6 raised garden beds for a senior center; managed 22 volunteers over 140 total hours • Raised $2,850 from 4 local businesses and a community car wash; delivered the project $150 under budget • Served as Senior Patrol Leader for a 35-member troop, running weekly meetings and two annual campouts
Choose the bullet that best matches the job. For a finance internship, lead with the budget. For a customer-facing role, lead with the people you coordinated. For more phrasing, see our list of leadership skills for a resume.
Prepare the 60-second project story
Interviewers who were Scouts often ask about the Eagle project. Have a one-minute answer ready that covers the problem, your plan, one thing that went wrong and the result. It doubles as a strong answer to "Tell me about a time you led a team."
When should you drop Eagle Scout from your resume?
Keep Eagle Scout on a resume as a one-line award for most of your career, since it takes little space. Remove the project bullets once you have two or more years of relevant work. Drop the line entirely if your resume is over length, if it pushes out a stronger professional result, or if the role is outside the US.
Experience replaces Scouting as your main proof over time. A results bullet from your current job will beat a project from age 16 for almost any role.
List the rank with the year you earned it
Write "Eagle Scout candidate" for a rank you did not finish do: Describe the project with people, money and hours dont: List every merit badge you earned do: Shrink it to one line as your experience grows dont: Keep three project bullets on a mid-career resume do: Use Scouting America, adding the former name if useful dont: Put Eagle Scout in your skills list
There are a few honest edge cases. If you completed most requirements but aged out, you did not earn the rank, so list your actual rank (such as Life Scout) and the work you did. If you now serve as an adult leader, list that role separately under volunteer experience.
The award also works off the page. Mention it in your LinkedIn Honors section and in interviews. When your resume is ready, check that every section parses correctly with the Rezoom ATS resume checker.
Frequently asked questions
Is Eagle Scout impressive on a resume?
Yes, to many employers. Only a small share of Scouts earn it (one council puts it near 4%), and it shows sustained leadership and a completed service project. Its impact is strongest early in your career.
Do I still write Boy Scouts of America?
You can, since that was the name when many people earned the rank. The organization has been Scouting America since February 2025, so writing "Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America)" is the clearest option.
Where does Eagle Scout go on a resume?
Most people list it under Awards or Honors. Students with little work history can give it a full Leadership entry with project bullets.
Should I put Eagle Scout on my resume at 40?
Yes, as one line under Awards if space allows. Drop the project details and let your professional results carry the page.
Can I put Eagle Scout in my resume summary?
Only if it supports the job, such as a leadership program or a public service role. In most cases, the Awards section is enough.
What if I did not finish my Eagle Scout rank?
List the highest rank you earned, such as Life Scout, and describe any leadership or service work. Never call yourself an Eagle Scout if you did not complete the rank.
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