How many resumes were analyzed in this study?

This study analyzed over 10,000 resumes submitted through the CareerOS ATS Checker tool between January and June 2026. All data was anonymized and aggregated — no personally identifiable information was used.

What was the average ATS score across all resumes?

The average ATS score was 52 out of 100. Only 23% of resumes scored above 80, which is considered the threshold for likely being reviewed by a recruiter.

What is the most common ATS rejection reason?

Missing keywords was the #1 reason resumes scored poorly, affecting 67% of low-scoring resumes. Formatting issues (tables, columns, images) were the second most common problem at 43%.

Which file format gets the best ATS scores?

.docx files scored an average of 71, while PDF files scored 65. The gap is largely due to older ATS systems that still struggle with PDF parsing. Simple, single-column PDFs performed nearly as well as .docx files.

We Analyzed 10,000+ Resumes — Here's What ATS Systems Actually See

Name: CareerOS
Author: CareerOS

Key Finding: Most Resumes Fail ATS Screening

Our analysis of 10,247 resumes scanned through the CareerOS ATS Checker between January and June 2026 reveals a striking reality: 77% of resumes scored below 80, the threshold where recruiters are likely to review them. The average score was just 52 out of 100.

This means the majority of job applicants are submitting resumes that automated systems effectively bury. The good news? Most of these issues are fixable with targeted changes.

Top 5 Reasons Resumes Score Poorly

Missing Keywords

67% affected

Resumes lacked keywords present in the job description. The average resume matched only 41% of relevant keywords.

Formatting Issues

43% affected

Tables, columns, headers/footers, and graphics confused ATS parsers and scrambled content.

Non-Standard Headings

38% affected

Creative section names like "My Journey" or "What I Bring" were not recognized by ATS as valid sections.

No Quantified Results

52% affected

Bullet points without metrics (numbers, percentages, dollar amounts) scored lower on experience relevance.

Wrong File Format

19% affected

Submitted as .pages, .rtf, or image-based PDFs that ATS systems could not parse.

File Format Performance

File format matters more than most candidates realize. Here's how each format performed on average:

.docx

71/100 avg

.pdf

65/100 avg

Other

38/100 avg

What Top-Scoring Resumes Have in Common

The 23% of resumes that scored above 80 shared these characteristics:

✓Matched 70%+ of keywords from the job description
✓Used standard section headings (Work Experience, Education, Skills)
✓Included quantified achievements in 80%+ of bullet points
✓Single-column layout with no tables or columns
✓Saved as .docx or simple single-column PDF
✓Contact information in the body, not in headers/footers
✓Tailored summary paragraph for the specific role

Methodology

This study analyzed 10,247 anonymized resume scans performed through the CareerOS ATS Checker tool between January 1 and June 30, 2026. Each resume was scored against the candidate's target job description using our ATS scoring algorithm, which evaluates keyword matching, formatting quality, experience relevance, and education alignment. All personally identifiable information was stripped before analysis. Data was aggregated by industry, file format, and scoring category.

We Analyzed 10,000+ Resumes