ATS Research
ATS Resume Statistics and Filtering Benchmarks
ATS usage is near-universal for large employers, and keyword filtering drives which resumes get seen. These benchmarks summarize how companies filter resumes and why keyword alignment matters.
Last updated: January 2026
ATS usage and filtering stats
Key metrics from Jobscan and Harvard Business School show how often ATS tools are used and which filters matter most.
| Metric | Benchmark | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fortune 500 companies using ATS (2025) | 97.8% | Jobscan ATS Usage Report |
| Workday share of Fortune 500 ATS usage (2025) | 39% | Jobscan ATS Usage Report |
| SuccessFactors share of Fortune 500 ATS usage (2025) | 13.2% | Jobscan ATS Usage Report |
| Greenhouse share across analyzed companies | 19.3% | Jobscan ATS Usage Report |
| Recruiters using ATS keyword filters | 99.7% | Jobscan Recruiter Survey |
| Recruiters filtering by skills | 76.4% | Jobscan Recruiter Survey |
| Recruiters filtering by education | 59.7% | Jobscan Recruiter Survey |
| Employers using RMS to filter middle-skill candidates | 94% | HBS Hidden Workers Report |
| Employers filtering by employment gaps over 6 months | 48% | HBS Hidden Workers Report |
| Employers saying over half of high-skill candidates are filtered out | 80% | HBS Hidden Workers Report |
ATS adoption is nearly universal
- Jobscan detects ATS use at 97.8% of Fortune 500 companies.
- Workday leads Fortune 500 ATS usage at 39%.
- Greenhouse and Lever lead ATS adoption outside the Fortune 500.
Keyword filters shape who gets seen
- 99.7% of recruiters use keyword filters in ATS searches.
- Skills (76.4%) and education (59.7%) are the top filters.
- Job title and certifications remain critical keyword signals.
Filtering eliminates large shares of candidates
- HBS reports more than 90% of employers use RMS filters.
- 48% filter out resumes with gaps over six months.
- 80% of leaders estimate over half of high-skill candidates are filtered out.
What this means for your resume
- Mirror the exact job title and priority skills in your summary and experience.
- Keep formatting clean so ATS parsers can read dates and roles.
- Explain or minimize gaps with clear context when possible.
Frequently asked questions
Sources and methodology
The statistics above are sourced from Jobscan research and the Harvard Business School Hidden Workers report. Refer to the original reports for full methodology.
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