How Many Credits Do You Need to Graduate High School?
byPhoebe Brown
4 min to read
Sometimes students and their families might feel confused about exactly how many credits a high school student needs to graduate, what counts toward credits, and if there are any non-course requirements. If you or your family is wondering how many credits you need to graduate high school, there’s some important information to know before graduation day.
How Many Credits Do You Need to Graduate High School?
The exact number and type of high school credits students need to graduate depends on what state they’re in, the school district, and the school they go to; however, in the U.S., most states require between 20-26 hours of credits, covering a mix of core academic areas and electives. Generally, one credit hour is equal to one course, but sometimes honors and AP®* courses can be worth between 1.25 to 1.5 credits per course.
How Many Core Academic Classes Are Required to Graduate?
While the exact amount of core academic credits and graduation requirements vary by state and school, generally, students need to take:
Three or four history, government, or social studies courses
Three or four math courses, including algebra, geometry, calculus, and trigonometry
Two to three science courses, such as chemistry, physics, and biology
Four English or language arts courses
Three to four physical education (P.E.) and health courses
How Do Students Know What Electives to Take?
Typically, students get to pick what electives they want to take, but they might not know how to choose. While electives available depend on each school, high schoolers should think about what interests them and what they want to learn more about. This is also a good time to explore subject areas they might not have taken before or subjects that may help them develop future career skills.
Some examples of classes students can take for elective credits include:
Music courses, such as orchestra, band, and chorus
Art classes in different art mediums
School paper or yearbook classes
Creative writing courses
Environmental science classes
Personal finance courses
Technology classes
Speech or debate
What Are Non-Course Graduation Requirements?
Typically, high schools also have non-course graduation requirements in addition to course credits, such as:
Completing volunteer or service work hours – the number of hours depends on the school or state
Passing standardized tests – these include state tests, course exams, and exit exams
Meeting attendance requirements – students typically must meet certain in-person or online attendance requirements to graduate
Earning the minimum passing grade requirements – this means students must pass the courses they take at a certain level in order to graduate
High School Graduation Requirements
Whether students attend in-person high school, online high school, or are homeschooled, each state has their own requirements students must meet before they earn a high school diploma.
Students and their families should check the laws and requirements for their state and confirm it with their school before enrolling or beginning an education program. This information is typically available through the state’s Department of Education and local school districts.
What Types of High School Diplomas Can You Earn?
The type of high school diploma students can get depends on factors such as courses took, their GPA, and if they attended a vocational school or International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Typically, students will earn:
Standard High School Diploma: Given to students who finish and pass all basic graduation requirements including core academic subjects in math, science, English, social studies, P.E., and elective credits.
Honors Diploma: This is given to students who did well in their classes, took advanced courses, and earned a high GPA.
Vocational or Technical Diploma: Career-focused programs, such as vocational and technical schools, often award this type of diploma to show that students have the skills needed to go into the career they have trained for during high school.
International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma: Some high schools offer IB programs. High school students who complete and pass the IB program requirements are awarded an IB diploma.
All these types of diplomas show that high school students have met their state’s and school’s graduation requirements.
Find an Online High School for You
Along with going to in-person school, attending an online high school, like Connections Academy®, offers students and their families more flexibility with access to LiveLessons® taught by teachers well-versed in online learning, and online discussion boards that give students and their families more ways to get work done around their lives.
Many online schools like Pearson Online Academy also offer credit recovery programs during the summer that students enrolled in either online or in-person schools can access in order to retake the courses they need to graduate on time.
Learn more about attending online high school by downloading our eGuide and finding a school near you.
*AP® and Advanced Placement® are registered trademarks of the College Board. Used with permission.
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