Average Typing Speed
Understanding what's normal, good, and exceptional in typing speed
Most adults type between 35-45 words per minute
Above average and suitable for most office jobs
Professional level for secretaries and transcriptionists
Typing Speed Benchmarks
Speed Categories
By Age Group
Students (13-18 years)
- • Average: 30-35 WPM
- • Good: 40-50 WPM
- • Excellent: 60+ WPM
Adults (18-65 years)
- • Average: 35-45 WPM
- • Good: 50-65 WPM
- • Excellent: 70+ WPM
Professional Requirements
Data Entry Clerk
Minimum 40-50 WPM with high accuracy (95%+)
Administrative Assistant
50-65 WPM for general office work
Secretary/Executive Assistant
65-80 WPM with excellent accuracy
Transcriptionist
80-100+ WPM with 98%+ accuracy
Court Reporter
225+ WPM (using stenotype machines, per NCRA certification)
Factors Affecting Typing Speed
- Touch Typing vs Hunt-and-Peck: Touch typists average 50-80 WPM vs 20-30 WPM for hunt-and-peck
- Text Complexity: Simple text vs technical content can vary by 10-20 WPM
- Accuracy Focus: Prioritizing accuracy may reduce speed initially but improves overall efficiency
- Keyboard Quality: Mechanical keyboards can improve speed and comfort
- Practice Consistency: Regular practice maintains and improves speed over time
Speed vs Accuracy
Accuracy matters more than raw speed, because every mistake costs the time to notice it and the time to fix it. A typist at 50 WPM and 98% accuracy finishes ahead of one at 80 WPM and 85%.
Minimum Accuracy Standards:
- • General use: 92%+
- • Office work: 95%+
- • Professional: 98%+
Net Words Per Minute:
Many tests calculate "net WPM" which accounts for errors: Net WPM = (Total Characters / 5 - Errors) / Time in Minutes
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