Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a college or university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. It is a pre-university qualification normally taken by students in the final two years of high school.
Degree
An academic degree is the state of recognized completion of studies at a school or university. A diploma is generally issued in recognition of having satisfactorily completed the prescribed course of study. The most common degree awarded today is a Bachelor’s degree. Higher education institutions commonly offer master’s, doctoral, academic certificates, and professional degrees.