What Is an ATS Score? (And How to Get Above 75)

Quick answer: An ATS score is a percentage (0–100) that estimates how closely your resume matches a specific job description, based on keywords, relevant experience, and whether software can read your formatting. A score of 75 or above means your resume covers most of what the job asks for. You can check yours in under a minute with our free ATS Score Checker.

Introduction

Most mid-size and large employers — including the IT services companies, banks, and hospital chains that hire thousands of freshers every year — receive far more applications than recruiters can read. They use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to collect, organise, and search those resumes. If your resume doesn't contain the skills and job titles a recruiter searches for, it can sit unseen in the system even when you're qualified.

That's why so many job seekers ask, "What is an ATS score, and how do I get above 75?" This guide explains what the score measures, what a good score looks like in your industry, and the exact changes that move it up.

What Is an ATS?

An Applicant Tracking System is software that helps employers manage hiring: it stores applications, parses resumes into structured fields (name, skills, experience, education), and lets recruiters search and filter candidates. Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle Taleo, Greenhouse, Lever, and Zoho Recruit are common examples.

How ATS Works

• Parsing: The ATS reads your resume and converts it into data. If your layout uses tables, columns, text boxes, or images, parts of your resume can be read in the wrong order or skipped entirely.
• Keyword search and filtering: Recruiters search the database for skills, tools, and job titles (for example, "Java", "Spring Boot", "KYC", "patient care"). If a job asks for "project management" and that phrase isn't on your resume, you won't appear in that search.
• Screening questions and ranking: Many systems add knockout questions (location, notice period, required degree) and some rank or "match" candidates against the job description. Higher-matching profiles are more likely to be opened first.

To make sure your resume parses cleanly, start with a simple, single-column layout. You can build one with our free Resume Builder.

Understanding ATS Scores

An "ATS score" is a match score: it tells you how well your resume aligns with one specific job description. The same resume can score 85 for one role and 55 for another, which is why the score should always be checked against the job you're applying to — not in isolation.

It's worth knowing that most employers' systems don't show candidates a single universal number. ATS score checkers (like ours) simulate how an ATS parses and searches your resume, so you can fix gaps before a recruiter ever looks.

Factors Influencing ATS Scores

1. Keywords: Hard skills, tools, certifications, and job titles from the job description. These carry the most weight.
2. Relevance: How closely your past roles, projects, and internships match the responsibilities of the new role.
3. Format and readability: Whether the resume can be parsed correctly — standard headings, no images or tables holding key information, and a readable file type (PDF or DOCX).

A score of 75 or above is a strong target. Below that, there's usually a gap in either the keywords you've used or how your resume is structured.

ATS Score Calculator: Check Your Score in 3 Steps

The fastest way to know where you stand is to run your resume through an ATS score calculator. Our free ATS Score Checker compares your resume against any job description and shows exactly what to fix.

1. Upload your resume (PDF or DOCX).
2. Paste the full job description of the role you're targeting — include the responsibilities and requirements sections, not just the title.
3. Review your score and breakdown: keyword alignment, formatting, and readability, plus the specific keywords the job asks for that are missing from your resume.

How to Read Your Score

• Below 50: Major mismatch. Either the role is a stretch, or your resume isn't using the job's language at all. Rewrite your summary and skills section first.
• 50–74: Partial match. You likely have the experience but are describing it differently. Add missing keywords where they're true for you and fix any formatting warnings.
• 75–89: Strong match. Your resume is well aligned — focus on quantifying results so it also impresses the human reviewer.
• 90+: Excellent. Double-check it still reads naturally; a resume that just repeats keywords can put recruiters off.

Check your ATS score now — it's free →

ATS Score by Industry: IT, Finance, and Healthcare

What counts as a "good" score and which keywords matter most depends on your industry. The targets below are the ranges we recommend aiming for when using our checker — they reflect how keyword-heavy each field's job descriptions typically are.

IT and Software

Recommended target: 80+

IT job descriptions are packed with specific technologies, so recruiters search very precisely. A resume that says "web development" won't match a search for "React" or "Node.js".

• Keywords that matter: programming languages, frameworks, databases, cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), tools (Git, Docker, Jira), and methodologies (Agile, Scrum, CI/CD).
• Common mistake: Listing skills only in a skills section. Mention them in your project and experience bullets too, with what you built.
• Fresher tip: Your academic and personal projects count. Write each one like a job entry: tech stack, what you built, and a measurable outcome.

Finance and Banking

Recommended target: 75+

Finance roles mix technical skills with compliance and domain terms. Certifications and exact role titles are frequently used as filters.

• Keywords that matter: financial analysis, financial modelling, reconciliation, Tally, Excel (VLOOKUP, pivot tables), GST, KYC/AML, credit analysis, and certifications like CA, CFA, NCFM, or NISM.
• Common mistake: Writing "handled accounts" instead of naming the actual tasks — accounts payable, bank reconciliation, month-end closing.
• Fresher tip: Include internships, articleship, or coursework in financial reporting, and list certifications with the year completed.

Healthcare

Recommended target: 70–75+

Healthcare hiring relies heavily on licences, registrations, and clinical skills. A slightly lower overall score can still work if your required credentials are clearly stated — but missing a required licence often means rejection regardless of score.

• Keywords that matter: registrations and degrees (e.g., state nursing council registration, B.Sc Nursing, MBBS, B.Pharm), BLS/ACLS, patient care, EMR/EHR, infection control, and specific departments (ICU, OT, OPD).
• Common mistake: Leaving the registration number or licence status off the resume. Put it near the top.
• Fresher tip: List clinical rotations and internships with the department and hospital name, plus the procedures you assisted with.

Why Is the ATS Score Important?

• Getting found: Recruiters search the ATS by keyword. A higher match score means your resume uses the terms they're searching for, so you show up in more of those searches.
• Getting ranked: Systems that rank applicants by match push stronger matches to the top of the list, where recruiters start reading.
• Clean data: A resume that parses correctly fills the recruiter's view with your real experience instead of jumbled text — which matters for that first human impression.

How to Calculate Your ATS Score

Different systems weigh things differently, but you can estimate your score in three ways:

1. Manual review: Highlight every skill, tool, and qualification in the job description, then check how many appear on your resume. (Matched ÷ total × 100 gives you a rough keyword score.)
2. ATS score checker: Use an online ATS checker to automatically find missing keywords and formatting issues — much faster and more thorough than a manual review.
3. Expert feedback: Ask a mentor, senior in your field, or placement cell to review your resume against a real job post.

Strategies to Improve Your ATS Score

Keyword Optimization

• Use the job description's exact wording: If it says "stakeholder management", use that phrase rather than only "worked with clients".
• Include both forms of key terms: Write the full term and abbreviation at least once, e.g., "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)" or "Customer Relationship Management (CRM)".
• Add industry terms honestly: Only include skills you actually have. Recruiters and interviewers will test them.

Formatting and Layout

• Use standard fonts: Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman at 10–12 pt.
• Keep it simple: Single column. No tables, text boxes, icons, or skill-rating bars holding important information.
• Use standard headings: "Summary", "Experience", "Education", "Skills", "Projects", "Certifications".
• Keep contact details in the body, not in the document header or footer, where some parsers miss them.

Example: Raising an ATS Score from 65 to 82

This is an illustrative example showing how the strategies above work together.

Imagine a project coordinator applying for a project manager role. Her first check against the job description scores 65. The breakdown shows she's missing "agile project management", "cross-functional teams", and "risk management", and her two-column template is causing parsing warnings.

Changes Made

• Moved to a single-column template so every section parses correctly.
• Rewrote three bullets to use the job's language where it was true — e.g., "Coordinated a cross-functional team of 8 across design, development, and QA using agile sprints".
• Added a measurable result to each role ("delivered 4 projects on schedule, reducing delays by 20%").

Re-checking in the ATS Resume Checker brings her score to 82 — without adding a single skill she didn't have.

Common Misconceptions About ATS Scores

1. "Only keywords matter": Keywords get you found, but a human still reads your resume. Keyword-stuffed resumes usually fail at that stage.
2. "All ATS systems are the same": Workday, Taleo, Greenhouse, and others parse and rank differently. A clean, simple format is the safest way to work well across all of them.
3. "A high score guarantees an interview": It improves your chances of being seen. Your experience, achievements, and fit for the role still decide the interview.
4. "One great resume works everywhere": Your score is tied to each job description. Tailoring is what keeps it above 75.

Actionable Tips to Achieve Above 75

• Tailor each application: Update your summary and skills section with keywords from each job description.
• Keep it simple: One column, standard headings, no graphics.
• Check before you apply: Run every version through our ATS Resume Checker and fix the missing keywords it flags.
• Quantify results: "Increased sales by 30%" or "reduced report preparation time from 2 days to 4 hours" adds weight for both the ATS and the recruiter.
• Update regularly: Add new skills, tools, certifications, and projects as soon as you complete them.

Related Guides

• ATS-Friendly Resume Format: Templates and Rules That Pass Every System
• Resume Keywords by Job Role: How to Find and Use Them
• How to Write a Resume as a Fresher (With Examples)

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

• An ATS score measures how well your resume matches one specific job description.
• Aim for 75+ overall — 80+ for IT roles, where job descriptions are especially keyword-dense.
• Keywords, relevant experience, and clean formatting are the three levers that move your score.
• Check, fix, and re-check before every application.

Start with our free Resume Builder for an ATS-friendly layout, then test it against your target job with the ATS Score Checker.

FAQs

What is a good ATS score?

A score of 75 or above is considered strong and means your resume matches most of the job's requirements. For IT and software roles, aim for 80+ because job descriptions are more keyword-specific.

How can I check my ATS score for free?

Upload your resume and paste the job description into Pickresumefy's free ATS Score Checker. You'll get a score along with the missing keywords and formatting issues to fix.

Why is my ATS score low even though I'm qualified?

Usually because your resume describes your experience in different words than the job description, or because a complex layout (columns, tables, graphics) stops the ATS from reading it correctly. Mirroring the job's wording and switching to a single-column format typically fixes both.

Is a PDF or Word resume better for ATS?

Most modern ATS read both text-based PDFs and DOCX files well. Use whatever format the job portal requests. Avoid scanned or image-based PDFs, which cannot be read as text.

Can I use the same resume for every job application?

You can keep one base resume, but tailor your summary, skills, and top bullets for each application. Because your ATS score depends on the job description, tailoring is the most reliable way to stay above 75.

Do all companies use ATS?

Not all, but most large and mid-size companies do, including major IT services firms, banks, and hospital chains. Small businesses and startups are more likely to review resumes manually or by email.

Does keyword stuffing improve my ATS score?

It may raise a checker's number, but it hurts you with recruiters, and some systems flag repetitive text. Use each important keyword naturally, in context, where it's true for you.

Last updated: October 2026.