How College Brand Reflects in a Resume in 2025: Does It Really Matter?

Is college brand in a resume still a big deal in 2025? Turns out, not as much as you’d think. According to the Unstop Talent Report, 88% of Indian HR professionals now prioritise skills over the college name. 

With only 7% of colleges offering full placement, it’s clear that your degree alone isn’t doing all the work. This blog walks you through when your college brand in a resume matters, when it doesn’t, and what actually gets you noticed by recruiters today.

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What Does “College Brand in a Resume” Really Mean?

In India, a viral LinkedIn post once highlighted how a candidate from IIM-A received interview calls within hours. This is while another with the same profile but from a lesser-known college heard nothing. 

That’s the power of a college brand in a resume, a name that signals credibility before your skills are even read. It used to matter more when hiring was heavily driven by assumptions tied to college tiers rather than proven ability.

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Psychological Influence on Recruiters:

• Brand recall bias: IITs/IIMs trigger instant familiarity → more likely to shortlist.
• Assumption of competence: A top-tier college = smart, disciplined, capable.
• Prestige filtering: Used by big firms to quickly reduce large applicant pools.
• Alumni comfort bias: Recruiters favor those from their own alma mater.

A college brand still shapes first impressions, but it's no longer the only thing that counts. Let’s examine when it still holds weight in 2025 and where it begins to fade.

When Does College Brand Still Matter in 2025?

In 2023, a Mint article revealed a stark truth: freshers from tier-1 colleges like IITs were still bagging nearly double the salaries compared to peers from lesser-known institutes. This was true even when the skill levels were similar. That discrepancy? It boiled down to brand power.

Despite the rise of skills-based hiring, your college name still holds sway in specific situations. Think of it less as a golden ticket, and more like a strong early-career launchpad. Here’s when that brand still makes a real difference in 2025:

1. Early Career & Campus Placements

For freshers with little or no work experience, your college name acts as a key differentiator. Recruiters often use it as a proxy for quality when there's little else to go on. Tier-1 colleges typically attract top-tier employers through exclusive campus placement drives.

For example:

• Google, BCG, and Goldman Sachs are still known to recruit directly from IITs, IIMs, ISB, and NLSIU.
• These companies rarely visit tier-2 or tier-3 colleges unless you’ve been referred internally or come with significant work experience.

Even if you’re skilled, not being in a top-ranked institute may mean you don’t get seen.

2. Roles in Consulting, Finance, and Law

In fields like investment banking, management consulting, private equity, and corporate law, pedigree continues to act as a filter. Firms often maintain closed hiring loops, sourcing mostly from select institutes.

• Consulting firms like McKinsey, Bain, and BCG still prioritize graduates from top IITs, IIMs, and a few international schools.
• Finance giants such as JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley shortlist heavily based on campus reputation.
• Top law firms typically pull from NLU Delhi, NLS Bangalore, or NALSAR Hyderabad.

In these industries, the assumption is that candidates from top schools are already “pre-screened” for work ethic, academic discipline, and problem-solving ability.

3. Global Applications for Higher Studies

College branding isn’t just a local phenomenon. If you're applying for master’s programs or MBAs abroad, global admissions committees often assess your academic environment based on the reputation of your college.

Graduating from a top 20 NIRF-ranked institute or one with international collaborations (like IISc or BITS Pilani) can boost your profile, especially for competitive scholarships or Ivy League admits.

It signals that you’ve thrived in a rigorous, competitive academic setting—which matters even more if you lack international exposure or standout research work.

4. Strength of Alumni Networks & Internal Referrals

Your college brand comes with an asset you can’t always quantify: people.

Stronger brands typically have more alumni in top global firms. These alumni can:

• Refer you internally (a major boost in companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta)
• Mentor you through career transitions
• Keep you updated on niche job roles not listed publicly

Some colleges have well-organized alumni portals, active LinkedIn groups, and even WhatsApp referral chains. These act as backdoors to companies that rarely open up to outsiders.

5. During Career Pivots or Industry Shifts

Let’s say you're switching from mechanical engineering to product design, or from law to venture capital. In such cases, your college brand becomes a fallback credibility signal.

Recruiters who can't validate your past experience in the new field may lean on your academic pedigree to assess your potential.

For instance, a fresher from BITS Pilani or IIT Bombay moving into UX design might still get shortlisted over a more experienced candidate from a lesser-known college, simply because the brand reassures recruiters about their foundational thinking and ability to learn.

6. Top Companies That Still Prioritize Tier-1 Colleges (2025)

While many startups and new-age companies have moved toward skills-based hiring, these major employers are known to favor elite institutions:

• Google India: Prioritizes direct hires from IITs, IIITs, and BITS.
• BCG and McKinsey: Most entry-level hires are from IIMs, top IITs, or select foreign universities.
• Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL): Still recruits heavily from top B-schools like IIM-A, XLRI, and FMS through the Unilever Future Leaders Program.

In each case, the brand doesn’t guarantee a job—but it guarantees a look.

So, Does the Name Still Matter?

Yes, but only in specific stages. Especially:

• When you’re a fresher with no prior work to show
• If you're targeting firms or fields where brand signals still dominate
• When global recognition of your college can influence visa officers or admissions panels
• Or when you’re relying on alumni help to make that first leap

So yes, the name still holds value, but only in certain situations. Let’s now explore when it doesn’t.

When Your College Brand Doesn’t Matter Anymore?

A Naukri Hiring Trends report revealed that 85% of recruiters prioritized skills and project experience over degrees or college names. This is especially true for mid-level and senior roles.

Why? Because beyond the early stages, companies stop asking “Where did you study?” and start asking “What can you build, solve, or deliver?”

1. Mid-Level and Senior Roles

Once you’ve spent a few years in the workforce, results trump resume. Employers look at what you’ve shipped, scaled, or solved, not where you went to college.

Take this example: A product manager from a tier-3 college with six years at Flipkart and a track record of building customer-first features is far more likely to be hired than a fresher from IIT, even for the same role.

By this stage, hiring managers are scanning for impact, leadership, and domain knowledge.

2. Startups and Tech-First Companies

Startups don’t have time to be dazzled by college names. They want people who can hit the ground running. That’s why companies like CRED, Zerodha, and Razorpay increasingly skip pedigree and focus on what you’ve built.

Here, GitHub profiles, live projects, and practical problem-solving carry far more weight. In fact, a 2025 LinkedIn survey showed that 72% of Indian startups now use skill-based assessments and real-world case tasks as part of their hiring process.

Real-World Case Study: Last year, a candidate from a relatively unknown state university in Madhya Pradesh landed an ML engineer role at a unicorn fintech startup.

What made the difference?

• He had a solid GitHub repo with well-documented machine learning models
• He’d contributed to TensorFlow’s open-source codebase
• He built a credit risk scoring engine as a side project, which mirrored the hiring company’s core product

The hiring manager never asked about his college, because his skills spoke louder.

3. When You Have a Strong Portfolio

Designers, developers, writers, and marketers often outgrow their college brand in a resume once they have a portfolio that proves what they can do.

A self-taught frontend dev with multiple live apps and responsive design projects will be hired faster than a passive IIT graduate with no project history.
In creative and digital fields, proof of work matters more than prestige.

4. Freelancing and Gig Roles

On platforms like Toptal, Upwork, or Fiverr, your college name is invisible. Clients care about delivery, quality, and reviews—not degrees.

What gets you paid is:

• How well you scope work
• How consistently you deliver
• How satisfied your clients are

Your rating and reliability become your new credentials.

5. When You Upskill and Rebrand Yourself

In 2025, career pivots are common. Many professionals switch domains using online certifications, bootcamps, or executive programs.

For example, someone with a basic BBA from a small college may go on to:

• Earn a data science diploma from upGrad or Coursera
• Build a hands-on portfolio during the program
• Get placed into roles at companies like Fractal or Dunzo

It’s no longer where you started that matters. It’s how you reposition yourself and show evidence of growth.

Once you’ve gained experience, built things, solved problems, or upskilled with intent, your college brand becomes just another line on your resume.

So if it matters sometimes and doesn’t at others, how do you build a resume that truly works in 2025?

What Matters More Than Your College Name?

Your college might open a few doors, but it’s your skills that keep them open. Recruiters today are looking beyond degrees and into what you can do on the job. Whether it’s writing clean code, managing real campaigns, or solving real-time business problems, your ability to show results matters far more than where you studied.

Here’s what actually makes your resume stand out. 

• Practical Skills and Tools: Knowing how to use Excel, SQL, Figma, or Python isn't just impressive. It's expected. Employers want candidates who can hit the ground running.
• Job-Specific Certifications: Courses in fields like digital marketing, AI, or finance from credible platforms show that you're invested in learning what actually matters at work.

• Relevant Experience: Freelance gigs, internships, or college projects that create value and help recruiters see you in action.
• Portfolio of Work: Whether it’s a blog, GitHub repo, or design deck, showing what you’ve done beats telling them where you studied.
• Soft Skills That Shine in Teams: Communication, problem-solving skills, and initiative still matter, and they’re what make people want to work with you, not just hire you.

So, while your college brand in a resume might give you a head start in a few situations, it’s rarely the reason you’ll stay ahead. What matters more is how well you prove your worth through skills, projects, and actual outcomes.

Let’s bring it all together.

Final Takeaway: Does College Brand in a Resume Really Matter?

The college brand in a resume still carries weight in some instances, especially in highly competitive roles or companies with prestige bias. But that’s no longer the full picture. Today, most employers don’t just want a big-name college tag, they want proof of what you’ve done since. 

That’s where upGrad’s programs help you step up. Here are some additional courses that can boost your resume, no matter where you studied.

• Advanced Certificate in Digital Marketing & Communication
• Professional Certificate Program in Digital Marketing
• Generative AI Mastery Certificate for Content Creation

If you're unsure where to begin or which area to focus on, upGrad’s expert career counselors can guide you based on your goals. You can also visit a nearby upGrad offline center to explore course options, get hands-on experience, and speak directly with mentors! 

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References:
https://www.business-standard.com/industry/news/skills-over-degrees-80-of-indian-employers-adopt-skills-first-strategy-125022000945_1.html
https://www.instagram.com/p/C4-qxPaovgP/
https://www.livemint.com/news/india/drop-in-annual-salary-package-for-class-of-2024-iit-graduates-11720603122219.html
https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/recruiters-shift-hiring-with-focus-on-skill-than-degrees-linkedin-125061101236_1.html