How much does résumé writing cost in the US?
Published October 10, 2026
Applying in Canada? Read the Canadian version of this guide.
Short answer: Professional résumé writing in the US commonly costs between $200 and $1,000, depending on career level and what is bundled. Entry-level résumés run around $200, mid-career around $200 to $400, and executive résumés $350 to $700. A focused edit like ours costs $29 because it concentrates on the résumé itself.
What résumé services cost in the US
Prices rise with career level and with what is bundled around the résumé. These figures come from TopResume’s published guide to résumé writing costs, a US résumé writing service, in US dollars:
| Career level | Typical price (USD) | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | Around $200 | New to the job market or under 5 years of experience |
| Professional | $200 to $400 | Roughly 10 to 15 years of experience |
| Executive | $350 to $700 | Senior management and C-suite roles |
Across all services, TopResume puts the overall range at $200 to $1,000. Cover letters and LinkedIn profiles are usually priced as add-ons on top.
Why some services cost more
Higher-priced services typically include an intake call or questionnaire, a writer working with you over several rounds, and extra documents such as a cover letter or LinkedIn profile. That is worth it for some people, such as senior executives changing industries. Many job seekers mainly need a résumé that clearly shows what they have done.
What you get for under $50
A focused edit concentrates on the document itself:
- Every bullet rewritten to show results instead of duties
- A clear summary and a skills section matched to your target role
- Clean, ATS-friendly formatting with standard headings
- US spelling and résumé conventions
- Spelling, grammar, and consistency checks
At Think Ahead Careers, a résumé edit costs $29 CAD, a cover letter costs $19 CAD per job, and the package with both costs $45 CAD. Each comes back in 24 hours with one free revision round. No résumé yet? We create one from your details for the same $29.
How to choose
Ask yourself three questions:
- Do you already have a résumé? If yes, an edit gets you most of the value. If you are starting from nothing, a résumé built from your details or a full writing service fits better.
- What level are you applying at? Entry-level and mid-career résumés rarely need an executive-priced service.
- How many versions will you need? If you are applying to different kinds of roles, a strong base résumé plus a tailored cover letter for each posting is more useful than one expensive, fixed version.
Related guides
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