“Please forgive me for being picky. High schools give diplomas. Colleges and universities award degrees.”
Wrong! Yet, one more demonstration of the lack of knowledge in this country. Colleges do issue diplomas for degrees.
High schools do not award or confer degrees. The proper expression is “high school diploma”. The diploma merely will state that the student has completed the program.
Colleges and universities award degrees. You are right, however, the college **diploma** will plainly state what **degree** has been conferred.