How Long Should a Cover Letter Be? Word Counter + Length Check
How long a cover letter should be: 250 to 400 words, one page, three or four paragraphs. Paste yours into the free checker for a word count and generic phrases.
By Onward ScoutPublished 2 min read
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Cover letter length checker
Paste your cover letter. See the word, paragraph and character count against the usual one-page range, plus the phrases that make letters sound generic.
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A cover letter should be 250 to 400 words: one page, three or four short paragraphs. Paste yours into the checker above to see the word, paragraph and character count against that range, plus the phrases that make letters read as generic.
How long should a cover letter be?
In short
About 250 to 400 words, one page, in three or four paragraphs: an opening that names the role and why you want it, one or two paragraphs of proof, and a short close. Shorter for emails; longer only for academic positions.
The one-page rule is close to universal in career guidance. Young Harris College's career office states that a cover letter should always be only one page long with 3-4 paragraphs plus a header, greeting and closing signature[Young Harris College career guide]. The word range is our translation of that page into a number you can check.
Why does length matter so much?
In short
Because reviewers skim. A long letter hides your best evidence, and a very short one usually leaves out either the proof or the reason for this company. The right length is the shortest letter that does both.
Reviewers move fast on everything. Ladders' eye-tracking study measured an average of 7.4 seconds for a recruiter's first skim of a résumé[HR Dive on Ladders, 2018], and letters get read the same way: first lines, then the most visible numbers. Paragraphs of three to five sentences keep each point findable.
How many paragraphs should a cover letter have?
In short
Three or four. Paragraph one: the role and why this company. Paragraphs two and three: one result each, matched to what the job needs. Final paragraph: a clear next step and thanks. Separate them with blank lines so they read as distinct points.
| Paragraph | Words | Job |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | 40–70 | Role, company, one reason |
| Proof 1 | 90–140 | Your strongest result, with numbers |
| Proof 2 | 90–140 | A second result matched to another need |
| Close | 30–50 | Next step and thanks |
That adds up to 250–400 words; in a three-paragraph letter, put both results in one proof paragraph of 180–280 words.
The first and last paragraphs are the hardest to keep short; our opening line builder and closing paragraph builder write both to length.
What should you cut if your letter is too long?
In short
Cut anything already on your résumé without new context, adjectives about yourself, the sentence that says you are writing to apply, and any second example that proves the same thing as the first. Keep numbers and the company-specific reason.
The checker flags the usual suspects: "To whom it may concern", "I am writing to apply", "great fit" and overused adjectives like "passionate". Readers still notice letters when they are good: in a 2022 Resume Genius survey, 45% of hiring managers said they read the cover letter before the résumé[Resume Genius survey, 2022]. If you are starting from scratch, use the free cover letter generator, then trim with this checker.
Frequently asked questions
Can a cover letter be two pages?
Almost never for business roles. Academic positions are the main exception, where letters often run longer because they summarize research and teaching.
How long should a cover letter be in an email?
Shorter: one paragraph of 100 to 150 words in the body, with the full letter attached if the employer asked for one.
Is 200 words too short for a cover letter?
It can work for an email or an internal application, but for a standard application it usually leaves out either the proof or the reason for the company.
Do portals limit cover letter length?
Some do, by characters rather than words. If a text box has a limit, the checker's character count shows how much room you have.
Letters that fit the application, every time
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