What's the difference between a valedictorian and salutatorian?
Isabella Harris
Updated on January 18, 2026
Valedictorian is the academic title conferred upon the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution, typically based upon the highest grade point average . Salutatorian is the academic title conferred upon the second highest ranking student in the class.
grade point average
It could be considered broadly equivalent to the old English O-Level qualification and is the predecessor to the Standard Grade. Along with its more advanced sibling, the 'Higher Grade', the O-Grade was the bedrock of the Scottish educational system for many years.
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What are the top 3 graduates called?
Generally, the highest honor in college is the summa cum laude. The next highest is the magna cum laude, and the third is the cum laude.What is higher than a valedictorian?
Summa cum laude is the highest level of distinction, magna cum laude is next and that is followed by cum laude. It is a great honor to be named valedictorian or salutatorian, and it is an honor worth celebrating at graduation and beyond.What GPA do you need to be a salutatorian?
Students with a 4.0 average will be included in the selection for Valedictorian and Salutatorian and will receive the full 30 points awarded for the top GPA.Who comes after salutatorian?
In the year of graduation, ranking in a class will be based on the eligible semester grades. Class rank will determine Valedictorian, Salutatorian, and Top Ten for the classes of 2019, 2020, and 2021. These distinctions will be based on GPA through the last semester of senior year.Valedictorian vs Salutatorian & Class Rank: Why They Matter for College Admissions
What are the top 2 graduates called?
Valedictorian and Salutatorian SelectionThe student with the highest grade point average will be named the Valedictorian of the graduating class. The student with the second highest grade point average will be named the Salutatorian.