Email Signature with Credentials — MD, PhD, CPA & More

Physicians (MD, DO)

MD (Doctor of Medicine) and DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) are both complete physician credentials. Neither is higher than the other — they reflect different training paths. In signatures, they come immediately after the name before any other credentials.

If you’re also a researcher or hold a research degree: MD, PhD. The clinical credential leads even if you identify more as a researcher, because the MD is the licensure.

Nurse Practitioners (NP, APRN)

Nurse Practitioners use NP as their primary credential, preceded by the educational degree and followed by specialty certification. The most common format:

Registered Nurses (RN, BSN)

The nursing convention is licensure first (RN), then academic degree, then specialty certifications. This is different from most other fields where the degree comes first.

PhD — when to use it

Include your PhD in your signature when: you work in academia or research, when it’s directly relevant to your role (a data scientist with a statistics PhD, a clinical psychologist), or when you’re in a field where the doctorate signals a specific scope of practice. Omit it when it’s irrelevant to your current work — a PhD in English Literature listed in a tech startup CEO’s signature just reads as credential-padding.

EdD vs. PhD

Both are doctoral degrees. The EdD (Doctor of Education) is typically a professional practice doctorate, while a PhD is research-focused. In educational administration and leadership roles, EdD is perfectly appropriate and should be listed. In research contexts, the PhD carries more weight. Neither is inherently superior — it depends on context.

Master’s degrees (MA, MS, MEd, MBA)

Master’s degrees are usually worth listing if they’re directly relevant and you don’t also hold a doctorate in the same field. An MBA is worth listing in business contexts. An MS in Computer Science is worth listing in tech roles. An MA in Communications probably belongs on your LinkedIn rather than your email signature for most corporate roles.

JD (Juris Doctor)

The JD is the academic degree conferred by law school. You use JD when you want to emphasize the educational credential — common in academic settings, consulting roles where the legal training is relevant but you’re not practicing law, or on CVs. Format: Thomas Reid, JD

Esq. (Esquire)

Esq. is a courtesy title used by licensed, practicing attorneys in the United States. It goes after the name without any other title. You’d use Esq. when you’re actively practicing law and corresponding professionally. Don’t use both JD and Esq. — pick one. Format: Thomas Reid, Esq.

LLM and SJD

The LLM (Master of Laws) and SJD (Doctor of Juridical Science) are post-JD degrees. They’re worth including when you’re in a specialty where they add meaningful context — international law, tax law, academic law practice. In general practice, they can be listed after Esq. or JD if relevant.

The most widely recognized accounting credential in the US. Goes immediately after the name. If you hold a CPA in multiple states, you list it once — not state by state. Often paired with a master's: Jane Lee, CPA, MSA.

The CFA Institute has specific rules: you can display 'CFA' after your name, but you cannot write 'James Chen is a CFA' or use 'CFA' as a noun. It must be used as an adjective or post-nominal. CFA candidates who haven't passed all three levels cannot use the designation.

CFP® (note the registered trademark symbol) is technically correct, though many practitioners omit it in signatures for brevity. The CFP Board requires that you clearly distinguish yourself as a CFP professional. Used by financial planners, wealth advisors, and investment advisors.

The most recognized project management credential globally. Worth including if project management is a significant part of your role. Works well in consulting, construction, IT, and operations.

AWS certifications are widely recognized in cloud and tech. The full name is long for a signature — shorthand like 'AWS Certified' or 'AWS-SAA' (Solutions Architect Associate) is commonly used. Don't stack multiple AWS tiers; pick the highest or most relevant.

The gold standard in information security. Highly relevant for security engineers, CISOs, and security architects. The (ISC)² requires accurate representation — you must be in good standing to use the credential.

CISM (Certified Information Security Manager) and CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor) are relevant for IT governance, audit, and security management roles. Worth including if these are central to your position.