We scored 125 real resumes the way an applicant tracking system does, May 2026 to July 2026. 46.4% fell short of the score that clears the bar — and the reasons are not the ones most resume advice obsesses over.
Last updated July 2026. Updated continuously.
Three findings most resume advice gets wrong.
Only 10.9% of resumes fail on ATS formatting and parsing. The failures are in the writing, not the layout.
It is the section resumes fail most. Usually because bullets list duties instead of results.
Just 1.6% of resumes scored excellent. 46.4% fall below the ATS-ready line. A few targeted fixes put you ahead of most.
Pika scores every resume across eight standard sections. This is the share of resumes that pass, get a warning, or fail on each one, ranked by how often they fall short.
Most resumes fall short on projects, certifications & achievements. See your score across all eight sections in about 30 seconds, free.
Where resumes land on the 0 to 100 ATS scale.
Each figure below is a complete, self-contained finding. Quote any of them with attribution and a link to this page.
| Resume section | Pass | Warning | Fail | Avg score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Projects, Certifications & Achievements | 20.7% | 73.9% | 5.4% | 68.1/100 |
| Impact, Grammar & Consistency | 28.3% | 66.3% | 5.4% | 70/100 |
| Work Experience | 28.6% | 64.3% | 6.3% | 72.5/100 |
| Format & ATS Parsing | 49.5% | 39.6% | 10.9% | 72.9/100 |
| Contact & Personal Details | 51.1% | 42.4% | 6.5% | 78.4/100 |
| Skills & Keywords | 61.6% | 35.7% | 2.7% | 78.6/100 |
| Section Structure | 66.3% | 33.7% | 0% | 79.7/100 |
| Education | 76.8% | 23.2% | 0% | 81.9/100 |
In Pika Resume's ongoing study of 125 real resumes, 46.4% score below 70/100, the threshold treated as ATS-ready. Most failures come from weak content such as unquantified bullets, not from formatting.
The average ATS score across 125 real resumes scanned by Pika Resume is 63.6/100, with a median of 72. Scores of 70 and above are considered ATS-ready.
Projects, Certifications & Achievements is the most-failed resume section: 5.4% of resumes fail it outright and another 73.9% receive a warning, based on Pika Resume's scan data.
No. Only 10.9% of resumes fail on formatting and parsing in Pika Resume's data. The dominant problems are content quality issues such as duty-focused bullets with no measurable results.
These figures are computed from 125 resumes submitted to Pika's free ATS checker, May 2026 to July 2026. Each resume is scored from 0 to 100 across eight standard sections (format and ATS parsing, section structure, contact details, work experience, education, skills and keywords, projects and certifications, and impact, grammar and consistency).
A resume scoring 70 or above is treated as ATS-ready. All numbers are aggregate only. No resume content, file, or personal information is included or identifiable in this report. Every statistic shown is drawn from a sample of at least 30 resumes; smaller cuts are withheld until the sample is large enough to be meaningful.
Cite this study
Pika Resume. “The State of Resumes: ATS Data from Real Resume Scans.” July 2026. https://staging.pikaresume.com/state-of-resumes
Journalists and writers are welcome to cite these figures with a link to this page. For the underlying methodology or a specific cut, reach us at support@pikaresume.com.
Run your resume through the same free ATS checker behind this data. Instant score across all eight sections, no signup.
Check my resume freeThe State of Resumes is an ongoing data study by Pika Resume based on real resumes submitted to its free ATS checker. As of July 2026, 125 resumes have been analysed. The average ATS score is 63.6 out of 100, and 46.4% of resumes score below the 70-point ATS-readiness threshold. The resume section that fails ATS checks most often is Projects, Certifications & Achievements, which 5.4% of resumes fail.
All statistics are aggregate and anonymised. Pika Resume offers a free ATS resume checker, AI resume roast, JD tailoring, and expert human resume review. To check your own resume against these benchmarks, use the free ATS checker at pikaresume.com/free-ats-check.