How much does AI resume screening cost?
AI resume screening typically costs about $1,200. Half of the 66 priced job posts we tracked fall between $200 and $4,100, and one in ten reaches $11,100 or more.
Band: 25th to 75th percentile of fixed budgets and hourly estimates. Line: median.
Key facts
- Typical cost: $1,200, with the middle half of posts between $200 and $4,100.
- That is 52% below the $2,500 median across all AI builds we track.
- Work expected to take under a month has a median of $330, against $20,650 for over six months.
- Fixed-price median $300; hourly estimate median $4,150.
- Hourly rates mostly run from $17 to $38 an hour.
- Most requested skills: Python, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
What the build includes
AI resume screening parses CVs and ranks or summarises candidates against a role, helping recruiters handle high application volumes while people make the final decision.
A typical scope
- Resume parsing into structured data
- Matching against job requirements
- Summaries and rankings for recruiters
- Connection to the applicant tracking system
- Records of how candidates were assessed
What drives the cost
Work expected to take under a month has a median of $330, against $20,650 for over six months. Part of that gap is built in, because hourly estimates are calculated from expected length. Fixed-price posts state a median of $300, while hourly posts work out at $4,150 on our estimate: 14 times as much. One likely reason is that fixed budgets tend to cover a small first step, while hourly posts describe sustained work.
| Expected length | Median cost | Priced posts |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 month | $330 | 18 |
| 1 to 3 months | $1,500 | 37 |
| 3 to 6 months | Too few posts | 4 |
| Over 6 months | $20,650 | 7 |
Posts asking for expert-level talent have a median of $1,250, 1.1 times the $1,100 for intermediate talent. 43% of posts ask for experts.
| Seniority requested | Median cost | Priced posts |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | Too few posts | 3 |
| Intermediate | $1,100 | 34 |
| Expert | $1,250 | 29 |
What moves the price most
- Applicant tracking system access
- Volume and languages of CVs
- Bias testing and audit requirements
Cost by industry
| Industry | Median cost | Middle half | Priced posts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiting and HR | $1,200 | $200–$4,150 | 61 |
Skills and hourly rates
The skills named most often in these posts are Python (45%), Artificial Intelligence (40%), Machine Learning (28%) and JavaScript (19%). Read this as the working stack for this kind of build, and as a checklist when assessing who should do it.
Hourly posts for this work typically offer $17 to $38 an hour, the middle half of posted rates. The median top of the range is $35 an hour across 23 hourly posts. These are rates in the open freelance market: agencies and in-house teams usually cost more.
Who is buying
43% of posts ask for expert-level talent. Buyers are most often based in the United States, India and the United Kingdom, with 30% in the United States. Among posts that state a company size, 93% come from companies of up to 10 people. A typical post draws about 10 applicants.
What to check before you commit
- Check hiring laws on automated decisions, such as New York City's bias audit rule
- Test for bias before going live
- Keep a person responsible for every rejection
Where the demand is
The countries with the most buyers for this build. Each page shows how that market compares.
Frequently asked questions
How much does AI resume screening cost?
AI resume screening typically costs about $1,200. Half of the 66 priced job posts we tracked fall between $200 and $4,100, and one in ten reaches $11,100 or more. That is 52% below the $2,500 median across all AI builds we track.
How long does AI resume screening take?
32% of posts expect the work done in under a month, 55% in one to three months and 13% over a longer stretch. Work expected to take under a month has a median of $330, against $20,650 for over six months.
Why do estimates vary so much?
Fixed-price posts state a median of $300, while hourly posts work out at $4,150 on our estimate: 14 times as much. One likely reason is that fixed budgets tend to cover a small first step, while hourly posts describe sustained work. Scope matters most: applicant tracking system access and volume and languages of CVs move the price the most.
What hourly rate should I expect?
Most hourly posts offer $17 to $38 an hour, with a median top rate of $35. Agencies and in-house specialists usually charge more than the open freelance market.
What skills does this work need?
Posts most often ask for Python, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and JavaScript.
Do I need an expert?
Posts asking for expert-level talent have a median of $1,250, 1.1 times the $1,100 for intermediate talent. 43% of posts ask for experts.
Where do these numbers come from?
From 66 public job posts published between December 2025 and November 2026: 43 fixed budgets as stated and 23 hourly posts we costed from their rate, expected length and assumed hours. They are what buyers offered, not signed contract prices.
About this data
These figures come from 66 public job posts published between December 2025 and November 2026: 43 fixed budgets as stated, and 23 hourly posts costed from their rate, expected length and assumed hours. They show what buyers offered, not signed contract prices, and hourly figures assume the work runs its full length. Read the method
Cite this page. The AI Build Index. "Resume screening: what it costs." Published by VIZIO AI. Updated 2026-11-04. https://aibuildindex.com/cost/resume-screening
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