ATS Scoring Factors Explained: What Determines Your Resume Score
Your ATS score isn't determined by a single factor—it's a weighted combination of multiple criteria. Understanding each scoring factor and its typical weight helps you strategically optimize your resume where it matters most. This guide breaks down every factor that contributes to your ATS score.
Keyword Match Score
Keywords are the single most important scoring factor, typically accounting for 40-50% of your total ATS score. The system compares terms from your resume against the job description's required and preferred qualifications.
The keyword match is calculated as a percentage: (matched keywords / total required keywords) × 100. If a job description lists 20 required skills and your resume matches 16, your keyword match score is 80%.
Not all keyword matches are weighted equally. Required qualifications receive the highest per-keyword weight, preferred qualifications receive moderate weight, and 'nice-to-have' terms receive minimal weight. Matching all required keywords is significantly more important than matching nice-to-have terms.
Experience Level Match
Experience level typically accounts for 20-25% of your ATS score. The system calculates your total years of professional experience from the date ranges in your work history and compares it against the job's requirements.
Some ATS platforms also evaluate relevant experience—years spent in roles similar to the position you're applying for. A job requiring '5 years of data engineering experience' will look specifically at your data engineering roles, not your total work history.
Experience scoring can work against you in both directions. Too little experience results in a low score, but significantly more experience than required can also result in a moderate score, as the system may flag you as overqualified.
| Factor | Weight Range | How It's Calculated |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword match | 40-50% | Required keywords matched / Total required keywords |
| Experience level | 20-25% | Candidate years vs. required years |
| Education match | 10-15% | Degree level and field alignment |
| Skills match | 10-15% | Specific skills matched to requirements |
| Certifications | 5-10% | Required/preferred certs present |
| Location | 0-5% | Proximity to job location |
Education and Certification Scores
Education typically accounts for 10-15% of the ATS score. The system checks whether your degree level meets the minimum requirement (e.g., Bachelor's degree), whether your field of study is relevant, and in some cases, your GPA or university ranking.
Certifications can add 5-10% to your score. Required certifications (like PMP for project management or CPA for accounting) are weighted heavily—missing a required certification can be an automatic disqualifier. Preferred certifications add moderate points.
Some ATS systems also recognize continuing education, online courses, and professional development. Including relevant Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, or industry-specific certifications can provide small score boosts.
Additional Scoring Factors
Beyond the core factors, several secondary criteria can influence your score. Location match checks whether you're within the geographic area the employer prefers. If the job is in New York and you list a California address with no indication of willingness to relocate, some systems will deduct points.
Recency of experience matters in some ATS configurations. Skills and technologies listed in your most recent role may receive higher weight than those from jobs 10+ years ago. This reflects the reality that recent experience is usually more relevant.
Application completeness is also a factor. Resumes that are missing standard sections (no skills section, no education section) may receive lower scores simply because the system has less data to match against.
Pro Tips
Prioritize keyword optimization since it accounts for the largest portion (40-50%) of your score
Clearly state your years of experience in your summary: 'Data engineer with 6 years of experience' helps the system calculate your experience level
Include education details with degree level, field of study, and institution name for accurate education scoring
List all relevant certifications with full names, abbreviations, and issuing organizations
Include your city and state on your resume to benefit from location-based scoring
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Focusing on formatting while neglecting keyword optimization, which has the highest scoring weight
Not explicitly stating years of experience, forcing the ATS to calculate from date ranges (which can be inaccurate)
Omitting certifications or listing only abbreviations without full names
Leaving out your location, which prevents the ATS from scoring location match