{"study":{"title":"Resume Statistics & ATS Score Benchmarks 2026: The State of Resumes","sourceUrl":"https://pikaresume.com/state-of-resumes","methodologyUrl":"https://pikaresume.com/research-methodology","firstPublished":"2026-06-10","lastUpdated":"2026-09-15T05:34:42.823Z","sampleSize":154099,"unitOfAnalysis":"successful_ats_diagnostic_scan","repeatScansMayBeIncluded":true,"profileSample":{"selection":"most_recent_eligible_scans","selectionDescription":"latest eligible successful scans, ordered by scan time","maximumScansConsidered":10000,"appliesTo":["sectionFailRates","checksProfile"],"sectionEligibility":"eligible_scans_with_section_present","checksEligibility":"eligible_scans_with_all_8_canonical_sections"},"scoreComparability":"rubric_at_scan_time","methodologyLastReviewed":"2026-09-12","temporalCoverage":{"from":"2026-05-04T14:21:44.032Z","to":"2026-09-15T05:33:23.162Z"},"citation":"Pika Resume. “Resume Statistics & ATS Score Benchmarks 2026: The State of Resumes.” Updated September 15, 2026. Aggregate dataset of 154,099 successful Pika ATS diagnostic scans. https://pikaresume.com/state-of-resumes","limitation":"Self-selected successful Pika ATS diagnostic scans; repeat scans and variants may be included, so counts are not unique people, documents, or applications. The data is not representative of every applicant, employer, or ATS.","trendLimitation":"Scores reflect the Pika rubric in use when each scan ran. Until scoring versions are stored with historical results, score trends are product telemetry and must not be treated as comparable evidence of labour-market change."},"aggregateData":{"meta":{"hasEnoughData":true,"totalAnalyzed":154099,"dateRange":{"from":"2026-05-04T14:21:44.032Z","to":"2026-09-15T05:33:23.162Z"},"lastUpdated":"2026-09-15T05:34:42.823Z","minSample":30,"passThreshold":70,"unitOfAnalysis":"successful_ats_diagnostic_scan","repeatScansMayBeIncluded":true,"profileSampleLimit":10000,"profileSampleSelection":"most_recent_eligible_scans","sectionProfileEligibility":"eligible_scans_with_section_present","checksProfileEligibility":"eligible_scans_with_all_8_canonical_sections","scoreComparability":"rubric_at_scan_time","methodologyLastReviewed":"2026-09-12"},"overall":{"averageScore":60.3,"medianScore":62,"passRatePct":10.9,"failRatePct":89.1},"gradeDistribution":[{"grade":"excellent","label":"Excellent (85+)","count":38,"pct":0},{"grade":"good","label":"Good (70-84)","count":16819,"pct":10.9},{"grade":"needs_work","label":"Needs work (55-69)","count":112453,"pct":73},{"grade":"poor","label":"Poor (under 55)","count":24789,"pct":16.1}],"scoreBands":[{"band":"1-39","count":5540,"pct":3.6},{"band":"40-54","count":19249,"pct":12.5},{"band":"55-69","count":112453,"pct":73},{"band":"70-84","count":16819,"pct":10.9},{"band":"85-100","count":38,"pct":0}],"sectionFailRates":[{"name":"Format & ATS Parsing","sampleSize":9971,"passPct":18.1,"warningPct":78.4,"failPct":3.5,"avgScore":66.6},{"name":"Section Structure","sampleSize":9450,"passPct":44.2,"warningPct":54.1,"failPct":1.7,"avgScore":76.2},{"name":"Contact & Personal Details","sampleSize":9960,"passPct":84.6,"warningPct":14.5,"failPct":0.9,"avgScore":95.4},{"name":"Work Experience","sampleSize":7069,"passPct":0.8,"warningPct":89.5,"failPct":9.7,"avgScore":60.8},{"name":"Education","sampleSize":9728,"passPct":67.5,"warningPct":32.3,"failPct":0.2,"avgScore":80.9},{"name":"Skills & Keywords","sampleSize":9564,"passPct":7.4,"warningPct":87.1,"failPct":5.6,"avgScore":70.4},{"name":"Projects, Certifications & Achievements","sampleSize":7876,"passPct":3.4,"warningPct":89.4,"failPct":7.1,"avgScore":67.4},{"name":"Impact, Grammar & Consistency","sampleSize":9993,"passPct":0.6,"warningPct":63.8,"failPct":35.6,"avgScore":57.1}],"keywordGap":{"scansWithJdPct":0.7,"avgKeywordMatchScore":65,"sampleSize":1098},"topMissingKeywords":[{"keyword":"unit testing","count":249,"pctOfJdScans":22.7},{"keyword":"docker","count":241,"pctOfJdScans":21.9},{"keyword":"ci/cd","count":220,"pctOfJdScans":20},{"keyword":"cloud computing","count":215,"pctOfJdScans":19.6},{"keyword":"agile","count":209,"pctOfJdScans":19},{"keyword":"aws","count":197,"pctOfJdScans":17.9},{"keyword":"git","count":154,"pctOfJdScans":14},{"keyword":"technical documentation","count":150,"pctOfJdScans":13.7},{"keyword":"kubernetes","count":147,"pctOfJdScans":13.4},{"keyword":"system design","count":140,"pctOfJdScans":12.8},{"keyword":"sql","count":132,"pctOfJdScans":12},{"keyword":"problem solving","count":105,"pctOfJdScans":9.6},{"keyword":"typescript","count":103,"pctOfJdScans":9.4},{"keyword":"data analysis","count":99,"pctOfJdScans":9},{"keyword":"agile methodology","count":96,"pctOfJdScans":8.7}],"percentiles":{"p10":52,"p25":57,"p50":62,"p75":64,"p90":71},"checksProfile":{"avgPassed":2.4,"totalChecks":8,"cleanSweepPct":0,"sampleSize":5190},"monthlyTrend":[{"month":"2026-05","count":111,"avgScore":68.5},{"month":"2026-06","count":119,"avgScore":69.6},{"month":"2026-07","count":33508,"avgScore":61.5},{"month":"2026-08","count":76550,"avgScore":59.7},{"month":"2026-09","count":43811,"avgScore":60.5}],"quarterlyTrend":[{"quarter":"2026-Q2","count":230,"avgScore":69,"passRatePct":43.5,"isComplete":true},{"quarter":"2026-Q3","count":153869,"avgScore":60.3,"passRatePct":10.9,"isComplete":false}]}}