A cover letter should be 250 to 400 words on a single page. That is not a preference. It is the length that survives contact with actual hiring behavior: recruiters skim, ATS systems truncate long blocks of text, and every sentence beyond 400 words dilutes the three strongest sentences at the top. The ideal target is around 300 words, 3 to 4 paragraphs, between half and three-quarters of a page. This guide explains where each number comes from, what to cut if you are over, and what to add if you are under.
The Short Answer, in One Table
| Metric | Target range | Ideal |
|---|---|---|
| Word count | 250 to 400 words | 300 words |
| Page count | Half to three-quarters of a page | Single page, always |
| Paragraph count | 3 to 5 paragraphs | 4 paragraphs |
| Read time | 60 to 90 seconds | 75 seconds |
| Font size | 10.5 to 12 pt | 11 pt |
These numbers are not arbitrary. They come from the intersection of three things: hiring manager reading time, single-page formatting with standard fonts, and the rhetorical structure a cover letter needs to do its job.
Why 300 Words Is the Target
Resume Genius's 2025 hiring manager survey found that the average cover letter read time is between 60 and 90 seconds. At a normal professional reading pace of about 250 to 280 words per minute, that window caps at roughly 420 words before the reader simply stops. Anything above 400 words is left on the page, unread. That is where the 400-word upper bound comes from.
The 250-word floor comes from the opposite problem: a cover letter too short to do its job. A cover letter has three rhetorical tasks: hook the reader, prove the fit with a specific example, and close with a concrete next step. In 200 words you can do the first and third, but there is no room for real proof, which is the single most predictive element of a cover letter that earns a reply. ResumeLab's 2024 analysis of 200 cover letters found that the ones that generated interviews averaged 292 words, while the ones that were ignored averaged 174 words or 487 words (the too-short and too-long extremes).
The 4-Paragraph Structure That Hits 300 Words Naturally
If you write to a 4-paragraph structure, the word count takes care of itself. Each paragraph has a specific job and a rough word budget.
Paragraph 1: The hook (50 to 70 words)
Open with the specific role and a single sentence that makes the reader want to keep reading. Usually a relevant accomplishment, a shared value with the company, or a specific reason you applied. Never open with "I am writing to apply for..."
Paragraph 2: The proof (100 to 140 words)
The longest paragraph. One or two specific stories that demonstrate the most important skill in the job description, each with a measurable outcome. This is the paragraph that gets you the interview.
Paragraph 3: The fit (60 to 90 words)
Why this company specifically. Reference something concrete: a product, a recent announcement, a company value you actually share. Avoid generic statements about the company's "mission" that could apply to any employer.
Paragraph 4: The close (30 to 50 words)
Thank the reader, propose a specific next step (a call to discuss a specific topic), and sign off. Under 50 words, always.
Add those budgets and the math works: 240 to 350 words for the body, plus 20 to 40 words for the salutation and sign-off. The natural landing zone is right around 300 words on a single page with 11-point font and 1-inch margins.
What to Cut if You Are Over 400 Words
If your draft is over 400 words, the cuts are almost always in the same places. Here are the 5 highest-ROI cuts in order.
- The "I am writing to apply for" opening sentence. Every reader knows what the letter is for. Delete it and lead with paragraph 1 of the structure above.
- Any sentence that restates your resume. The cover letter should add information, not summarize. If a sentence could appear word-for-word in your resume bullet points, cut it.
- Generic company flattery. "I have long admired your innovative approach to..." is filler. Either replace it with a specific recent event or cut it.
- Explanations of career gaps, pivots, or weaknesses. The cover letter is not the place to address objections. If you need to explain a gap, do it in the first 2 sentences or in the interview. Long explanations hurt more than they help.
- Multiple closing paragraphs. A cover letter needs one close, not two. Delete the second "Thank you for your consideration" and keep only the sentence with the specific next step.
What to Add if You Are Under 250 Words
A letter under 250 words is almost always missing the proof paragraph. Here is what to add and where.
- One specific story with a number. Example: "In my current role, I rebuilt the onboarding flow at Ramp, which cut 30-day churn from 22% to 14.5% in a single quarter." One sentence, one outcome, one number.
- A second dimension of fit. If paragraph 2 is about your hard skill match, paragraph 3 can add the soft skill or culture match.
- A specific reference to the company. A product launch, a recent blog post, a mission statement that actually matches your own values, or a change in leadership. This proves you did not just paste the same letter into 40 applications.
Formatting Choices That Affect Apparent Length
Even at the right word count, a cover letter can look too long or too short because of formatting. These are the settings that most reliably produce a half-to-three-quarters-page letter at 300 words.
| Setting | Recommended value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Font size | 11 pt | Readable without looking stretched. 10.5 pt also fine. |
| Font family | Calibri, Arial, Garamond, Times New Roman, or Helvetica | Standard fonts pass ATS. Avoid decorative fonts. |
| Line spacing | 1.0 or 1.15 | Single spacing keeps the letter to one page. |
| Paragraph spacing | 8 pt after | Creates visible paragraph breaks without doubling the length. |
| Margins | 1.0 inch all sides (0.75 inch minimum) | Smaller margins look cramped to readers. |
Industry and Role Variations
The 300-word target applies to 90% of cover letters. A few cases run slightly longer or shorter.
Runs slightly longer (up to 450)
- Federal and government roles (KSA-style narrative)
- Academic and research positions (statement of research fit)
- Executive and C-suite searches
- Creative and portfolio-based roles with storytelling
Runs shorter (200 to 250)
- Quick-apply and Easy Apply text-box fields
- Hourly and retail applications
- Early-career roles with a thin track record
- Email body cover letters (no attachment)
5 Length Mistakes That Kill Cover Letters
1. Writing a full page because you think longer is better
A full-page cover letter in 11 pt is 450 to 500 words. The reader will stop around the 400-word mark and your close will never be read.
2. Writing 4 sentences to feel "humble"
A 100-word cover letter signals low effort. It gives the reader no proof and no reason to interview you. If you do not have anything specific to say, do not attach a letter.
3. Shrinking the font to squeeze more words onto one page
Anything below 10 pt is a red flag to recruiters and a pain to read. Cut words instead.
4. Using 8-pt paragraph breaks to stretch it
Wide paragraph spacing at low word counts looks like filler. Keep line spacing tight and let the letter be three-quarters of a page if that is where the content lands.
5. Including a second page
A two-page cover letter almost never earns a reply outside of federal and academic contexts. The reader will not turn the page.
Next Steps
Open your current cover letter draft and run a word count. If you are over 400, use the cut list above. If you are under 250, add a proof paragraph with a specific story and a number. Then read the letter out loud, from the top, with a stopwatch. If it takes more than 90 seconds, cut more. For the structural rules on each paragraph, see our guides on cover letter format, how to end a cover letter, and how to address a cover letter without a name. For whether you should attach one at all, see do you need a cover letter in 2026.
And before you hit submit, paste your resume and the job description into our free ATS resume checker to confirm your keyword match score is above 70%. A perfectly sized cover letter cannot save a resume that does not clear the ATS.
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