Cover letter length
How Long Should a Cover Letter Be?
A cover letter should be 250 to 400 words long: three to five short paragraphs that fit on one page. Half a page to a full page is the usual range. If the job posting gives a word or character limit, follow it instead.
By the AI Cover Letter Maker team · Updated
- Words
- 0
- Paragraphs
- 0
- Characters
- 0
Paste a letter to see how long it is. Aim for 250 to 400 words.
Cover Letter Length at a Glance
| Words | 250 to 400 |
|---|---|
| Paragraphs | 3 to 5 |
| Pages | One, never more (academic letters aside) |
| Sentences per paragraph | 2 to 4 |
| Cover letter in an email body | 150 to 250 words |
| Internship or first job | 250 to 350 words |
How Long Each Part of a Cover Letter Should Be
A 300-word letter splits roughly like this. The middle does the work; the opening and closing stay short.
- Opening: 40 to 70 words
- Two or three sentences: the job you're applying for, and the one reason you're a strong fit. Skip the life story.
- Body: 150 to 250 words
- One or two paragraphs, each built around one requirement from the posting and a specific example from your experience that meets it.
- Closing: 30 to 60 words
- Two or three sentences: why you want this job at this company, and a line asking for an interview. Then sign off.
When a Cover Letter Should Be Shorter or Longer
Go shorter
- When the letter is the body of an email: 150 to 250 words, since the reader sees it on a screen before your attachments.
- When an online form limits the box to a set number of characters: stay inside it, even if that means 150 words.
- For hourly and entry-level jobs, where managers want a quick read of your experience and availability.
Go a little longer
- For senior roles, where the posting asks you to address several requirements: stay on one page, up to about 450 words.
- For academic jobs, where a cover letter is often expected to run one to two pages and describe research and teaching.
- When the posting asks you to answer specific questions in your letter.
How to Shorten a Cover Letter That's Too Long
- Keep your two strongest examples, the ones that match the posting best, and cut the rest.
- Delete anything your resume already lists without adding to it, like a run of job titles and dates.
- Cut the opening down to the job title and your best reason. "I am writing to apply for" can go.
- Turn long sentences into two short ones, then remove words like "very", "really" and "in order to".
- Read it aloud. Any sentence you'd skip when speaking can usually go.
Write a Cover Letter at the Right Length
Paste your resume and the job description, and the AI cover letter generator writes a letter of 250 to 400 words in four or five paragraphs, built from your own experience.
Cover Letter Length FAQ
How many words should a cover letter be?
Between 250 and 400 words. That's enough for an opening, one or two paragraphs of real examples and a closing, and short enough to read in about a minute.
Can a cover letter be two pages?
Almost never. Outside academic and some research jobs, keep it to one page. If yours runs over, cut it to your two strongest examples.
Is a 200-word cover letter too short?
For an email or an hourly job, 200 words can be enough. For most other applications, add one specific example from your experience to bring it to at least 250.
How many paragraphs should a cover letter have?
Three to five: an opening, one or two body paragraphs with examples, and a closing. Each paragraph should be two to four sentences.
Does the length of a cover letter matter?
Yes. A letter that's too short looks generic, and one that's too long may not get read to the end. Aim for a letter that answers the posting in under a minute of reading.