Guide

Average Typing Speed

The average person types about 40 words per minute. Office professionals typically reach 50 to 75, and competitive typists exceed 100. Typing tests count five characters as one word, so a test word is not the same as a dictionary word.

Updated

Short answer: Average typing speed is about 40 WPM. 60 to 80 WPM is good for professional work, and above 100 WPM is exceptional.
Average Typing Speed: Typing speed benchmarks by level, and how WPM and accuracy are measured. (WordCounter.pk cover graphic)
Average Typing Speed on WordCounter.pk: The average person types about 40 words per minute. Office professionals typically reach 50 to 75, and competitive typists exceed 100. Typing tests count five…

Typing speed benchmarks

LevelWPMTypical user
Beginner10–25Hunt-and-peck typists
Average35–45Most computer users
Good50–65Office workers
Professional65–75Transcriptionists, administrative staff
Fast80–100Frequent writers and coders
Expert100+Competitive typists

How WPM is measured

A word in a typing test is five characters, including spaces and punctuation. Gross WPM is characters typed divided by five, divided by the minutes. Net WPM subtracts uncorrected errors, and accuracy is the share of characters typed correctly. Use the WPM Calculator with your own numbers or take the Typing Speed Test to measure yourself.

What this guide covers: Typing speed benchmarks; How WPM is measured; What typing speed means for writers
What this guide covers — 4 parts at a glance.
Typing speed benchmarks: Average Typing Speed: reference table with columns Level, WPM, Typical user
Typing speed benchmarks: Average Typing Speed — the numbers and rules used by this guide.

What typing speed means for writers

Writing is limited by thinking, not typing. At 40 WPM, a 1,000-word draft takes about 25 minutes of pure typing; at 80 WPM about 12 minutes. In practice drafting is slower than copying because of pauses to think. Faster typing helps transcription and note-taking more than it helps composition. Compare with how long it takes to read (Average Reading Speed) and say (Average Speaking Speed) the same words.

Map showing how Average Typing Speed connects to Writing Guides, Average Reading Speed, Average Speaking Speed, Typing Speed Test and more on WordCounter.pk
Where Average Typing Speed sits in the WordCounter.pk topic map, and the pages most closely related to it.

How to improve

  • Learn touch typing; do not look at the keyboard.
  • Practise accuracy first; speed follows.
  • Use short daily sessions of 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Type real text, not just drills.
  • Keep good posture and hand position to avoid strain.
Quick answer card: What is a good typing speed? 50 to 65 WPM for office work.
What is a good typing speed? 50 to 65 WPM for office work.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good typing speed?

50 to 65 WPM for office work.

What is the world record?

Competitive typists exceed 200 WPM for short bursts on specialised tests.

Does accuracy matter?

Yes; net WPM subtracts errors.