51+ Examination & Assessment Trends and Statistics for Enhancing Your Quality of Hire
Ready to improve your assessment strategies?
These tactics massively affect the quality of hires that your business recruits.
With poor examination and assessment approaches, you may get low quality hires that lead to rehiring expenses as well as lost time and productivity.
Unfortunately, a survey by CareerBuilder revealed that 75% of businesses have made a bad hiring decision. Most of these resulted from poor pre-hiring vetting.
In order to help you avoid recruiting candidates who aren’t the right fit for your organization, I’ve compiled some vital examination & assessment statistics. These will help you perform effective evaluations of a candidate’s practical & soft skillsets.
You’ll also discover how assessment methodologies have evolved, and strategies the most successful organizations use so you can replicate them for your own business.
In this article, we’ll discuss essential examination & assessment trends and statistics for enhancing your quality of hires, lowering turnovers and increasing productivity.
Let’s get started.
1. Examination & assessment services market statistics
The assessment services market is blossoming.
It’s on a path of growth due to increasing focus on quality talent recruitment & elevating education standards, particularly across North America & the Asia Pacific region.
In this section, you’ll learn all about the state of this market, including key players:
1) $8.16 billion was the value of the assessment services market in 2023 and it’s projected to reach $13.37 billion by 2023. It shows an increasing adoption rate of assessment services by businesses. (Source – MMR)
2) 7.3% is the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the assessment services market between 2024 and 2030. The key growth driver is the increased use of these services across different industries including education, public sector, government and manufacturing. (Source – MMR)
3) 8.8% is the CAGR of the examination and assessment services market of the Asia Pacific zone. As a result, it’s the fastest growing regional sector of the market, fueled by the rising number of job seekers and the increasing need for employability tests. (Source – MMR)
4) India holds 30% of the Asia Pacific market, making it the most significant country to watch in the region. It’s a situation driven by the increasing number of competitive certification and examinations, as well as the country’s huge population. (Source – MMR)
5) North America holds a 30% share in the global assessment services market, making it the most dominant region. The US’s increased focus on improving education quality and nurturing talent is the top factor that’s driving its dominance. (Source – CMI)
6) 25% of the revenue from the global assessment services market comes from Europe, making it the second largest region. It’s a trend driven by the continent’s intensified campaigns to improve skill development and education. (Source – CMI)
7) The Asia Pacific region accounts for 20% of the global assessment services market revenue, rounding out the top three regions to watch if you offer these solutions. A growing demand for highly-skilled labor with practical expertise is accelerating growth in this region. (Source – CMI)
8) If we classify the market by delivery mode, 40% of revenue comes from online assessment platforms. This means that they are the most popular, followed by in-person assessment and blended assessments, which feature both in-person and online strategies. (Source – CMI)
9) $10.44 billion was the size of the talent assessment services market in 2024 and it’s growing at a CAGR of 9.67%. So these examination & assessment statistics indicate that this is a profitable niche worth exploring. (Source – RM)
10) In 2023, the global K-12 testing and assessment market generated $12.5 billion, with this figure set to hit $26.9 billion by 2032. This makes it another excellent category that you could also focus on. (Source – Straits Research)
2. Statistics about online examination & assessment tools
What are the benefits of using assessment tools?
For one, these solutions can help you understand learner progress, or even verify that an employee has effectively mastered various important concepts. So in this section, we’ll discuss some examination & assessment statistics about these solutions.
Here’s what you should know about digital assessment tools and their capabilities:
11) 46% of teachers said that digital assessment solutions generate data that helps them to evaluate student progress. They can track various metrics related to a student’s speed, progress and learning styles, thereby enabling you to address unique student needs. (Source – Statista)
12) 44% of educators reported that assessment tools helped them achieve the learning goals they set for their students. With these solutions, you can get feedback to personalize learning to accommodate different student abilities, therefore improving learning outcomes. (Source – Statista)
13) 40% of teachers, on the other hand, credited these solutions for improving how they assess student’s mastery of standards. They achieve this by uncovering weaknesses and empowering learners to prioritize areas for improvement. (Source – Statista)
14) 34% of educators said digital assessment tools greatly streamline their workflow. They offer an efficient and more cost-effective way to carry out assessments, which is why I highly recommend them for your school or business. (Source – Statista)
15) 31% of K12 teachers reported their digital assessment solutions are highly recommended by other staff at their school. It shows that there’s positive sentiment about the impact these tools have on learning. (Source – Statista)
16) 77% of managers and employees said the assessment process was easier with a performance management solution. So these tools can improve experiences for both the assessor and assessee, offering significant benefits for both parties. (Source – PerformYard)
17) $8.33 billion was the value of the global online exam management system market in 2024, and it’s projected to increase to $13.44 billion. So these examination & assessment statistics indicate that these solutions are becoming popular, probably because they increase assessor efficiency and also improve online exam security. (Source – BRC)
18) 12.7% is the compound annual growth rate of the online exam management software market between 2024 and 2028. Pedagogical shifts and the increased demand for credentialing and training are some of the key growth drivers of this market. (Source – BRC)
19) 8.51% is the CAGR of the large enterprises segment, which holds the lion’s share of the online exam software market according to organization type. It’s to be expected given that such types of businesses tend to have more complex workflows and employees. (Source – VMR)
20) 9.91% is the annual growth rate of the remote/online assessment software segment. It boasts the largest market share as well as the fastest growth rate compared to other software categories, namely on screen marking and question paper management solutions. (Source – VMR)
21) 40% of businesses rated scalability across international geographies as the most vital feature of an exam management platform. From the examination & assessment statistics I reviewed, other highly sought after capabilities include automated test creation, online proctoring & performance reporting. (Source – Mercer)
3. Examination & assessment trends statistics
Assessment methodologies are always evolving.
So if you’d like to keep your tactics fresh and effective, it’s important to catch up with the latest examination & assessment statistics about the prevailing trends of the day.
In this section, I’ve rounded up crucial insights to help you stay ahead of the curve:
22) 52% of companies use performance assessment solutions for their business. With these software, you can centralize assessment and performance tracking, alleviating reliance on manual processes that can be cumbersome & time-intensive. (Source – PerformYard)
23) 70% of enterprises who use performance assessment software said that their assessment processes are effective, compared to 50% for those who don’t. These statistics prove that digital assessment solutions make a big difference. (Source – PerformYard)
24) 88.38% of businesses have a formal performance assessment framework in place. I recommend creating one as well, which can help you evaluate employee abilities on a periodic basis to ensure they have the right skills for the future. (Source – PerformYard)
25) 66% of job seekers are more likely to attend a virtual assessment interview compared to an in-person one. These examination & assessment statistics shed light on why virtual assessments are a growing trend for many businesses. (Source – TopScore)
26) 31% of organizations worldwide use ad-hoc assessment methods, making them the most common strategy. An ad-hoc approach involves a one-off assessment approach, which is typically managed by a third-party service provider. (Source – Statista)
27) 16% of companies rely on an exclusive pre-hire assessment strategy, which takes place before the candidate signs the offer letter. It typically involves filling out forms to help you assess strengths, weaknesses and qualifications for a particular position. (Source – Statista)
28) Only 8% of companies used a post-hire only assessment strategy. This approach involves evaluating how your new hire fits in, right from the onboarding stage and across the entire employee lifecycle. (Source – Statista)
29) 16% of businesses rely on a hybrid assessment strategy that involves both post-hire and pre-hire assessments. I recommend following in these footsteps to ensure that an employee is worth the value they promise even after you hire them. (Source – Statista)
30) 89% of employees said that the gamification of assessment tasks makes them more motivated to complete them. It’s partly for this reason why we’re seeing a rise in the popularity of gamified exams and assessments. (Source – TalentLMS)
31) By the end of 2025, at least 7 in 10 companies will be using AI in their candidate assessment review processes. With artificial intelligence, you can examine thousands of candidates and their resumes more efficiently and accurately. (Source – Resume Builder)
32) 50% of online assessment systems support mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. It shows the growing popularity of mobile-centric assessment strategies, which can help you improve accessibility and equity of your exams. (Source – Springer)
4. Challenges of examination & assessment statistics
What challenges hamper effective assessments?
One of the biggest issues include lack of internet access by leaners and also highly manual processes that can slow down your productivity and efficiency.
In this section, you’ll discover some crucial examination & assessment statistics that dive into these and other challenges to help streamline your testing processes:
33) 55% of companies that rely on paper forms and spreadsheets said their assessment process isn’t easy or efficient. Such mediums attract a lot of manual data entry and increase the risk of human error, which is why they aren’t great examination tracking strategies. (Source – PerformYard)
34) 72% of businesses said their performance assessment processes need serious improvements. So most companies are missing the mark in this regard, and I recommend using digital assessment technologies to improve this part of your workflow. (Source – PerformYard)
35) 41% of organizations still rely on manual processes for performance assessment, despite the emergence of more effective solutions. So it’s no wonder many of them are struggling with their assessment processes. (Source – PerformYard)
36) Employees are 57% less likely to view their assessment processes as effective compared to HR leaders. These examination & assessment statistics essentially tell us that there’s a dire disconnect in the workplace. (Source – Betterworks)
37) 36% of companies struggle to collect data from performance reviews while 34% of them have difficulties getting staff to fill out reviews. This data essentially reveals that these are the two of the most problematic areas for business, particularly when it comes to assessment management. (Source – PerformYard)
38) Only 4% of businesses said that AI assessment and hiring tools never produce bias. So this is another significant challenge to watch out for, especially if you intend to use AI-driven talent examination and assessment solutions. (Source – Resume Builder)
39) 47% of companies believe that AI tools mostly introduce age bias in the assessment process, while 44% report socioeconomic bias. This makes them the two most common types of biases, followed by gender and racial or ethnic bias. (Source – Resume Builder)
40) 44.7% of candidates admitted to cheating in online examinations. If you’d like to mitigate such incidents, I suggest leveraging tactics like question-answer randomization, video/audio proctoring and limiting access to the assessment portal during the test. (Source – Springer)
41) 75% of students lack adequate access to the internet at home. It’s a challenge that hinders remote learning as well as virtual assessments, which is why you should consider a hybrid strategy that also incorporates offline strategies. (Source – EdWeek)
42) 52.6% of learners cited technical issues as the biggest challenge with their online assessment strategies. These problems centered around internet connectivity issues and computer challenges like hardware failure, freezing and other glitches. (Source – Taylor & Francis)
5. Statistics about virtual assessments
So what is a virtual assessment center?
A virtual assessment center is a digital space where you evaluate candidates digitally through various tools and platforms rather than using in-person sessions.
In this section, I’ve gathered some important examination & assessment statistics about how candidates feel about these centers, and other important insights to know about:
43) 37% of job candidates want the freedom to be able to choose whether to have a virtual or in-person assessment. So it’s important that your assessment strategy makes room for both preferences. (Source – TopScore)
44) 62% of employment seekers want the opportunity to ask assessors about virtual assessment processes. By educating candidates on what to expect and how it all works, you can lower interview no-shows and also create a positive image of your brand. (Source – TopScore)
45) 6 in 10 candidates would choose a virtual assessment over an in-person interview. The key reason behind this is that virtual assessments are more convenient since they aren’t limited by location or mobility issues. (Source – TopScore)
46) 72% of job seekers said that their decision to accept an offer letter depends on their virtual assessment center experience. So if you’d like to improve job offer acceptance rates, this is one area you need to focus on. (Source – TopScore)
47) 43% of college students prefer on-site exams rather than virtual or online assessments. This may have something to do with internet access issues, and the technology glitches that sometimes crop up with online exams. (Source – Statista)
48) 1 in 4 professionals said that online assessments offer more effective cheating prevention and proctoring compared to conventional exam formats. Such solutions provide real-time monitoring and data analytics that can help you spot exam malpractice. (Source – Mercer)
49) 46% of businesses are considering a hybrid model of conducting assessments, which involves the traditional pen-and-paper format coupled with virtual solutions. It’s a move fueled by the need to maintain a familiar approach, while still enjoying the benefits of online exams. (Source – Mercer)
50) 75% of assessors said that online examination modes enable them to improve efficiency when it comes to test coordination, scheduling and administration. These tools can efficiently allocate tests to save you time and improve exam integrity. (Source – Mercer)
51) 60% of students have great confidence in electronic exams. So while this makes for some positive examination & assessment statistics, it shows that there’s still some way to go to improve learner trust in virtual assessments. (Source – ResearchGate)
52) 76% of educators believe electronic assessment programs can be successful with the right foundation. This starts by improving both assessee and assessor awareness, and making an excellent exam & assessment management system the cornerstone of your strategy. (Source – ResearchGate)
Conclusion
Traditional assessment methods are highly inefficient.
This is because they often have many manual processes that are time-consuming.
So if you rely on traditional and outdated examination and assessment strategies, you’ll increase your time to hire, and possibly miss out on great candidates.
A survey by KarmaCheck determined that 71% of businesses lose key candidates due to inefficient processes. These encompass slow screening and evaluation strategies as well as interview scheduling issues and poor communication.
While effective assessment strategies are just one part of the remedy, they make a huge difference in decomplicating your hiring processes. This is where the examination & assessment statistics and trends we’ve reviewed come into play.
For instance, you can leverage ad-hoc methodologies or even a combination of hybrid examination tactics to accelerate the evaluation process.
The data we examined also proves that having a great exam & assessment management platform can help you boost hiring speed & efficiency to recruit top talents.