Average Typing Speed: What Is a Good Words Per Minute (WPM)?

Typing speed is measured in words per minute (WPM), where a "word" is standardised as five characters including spaces. Accuracy is part of the number: most tests subtract your mistakes, so a fast run with many errors scores lower than a steady, clean one. The average adult types around 40 WPM.

Typing speed benchmarks

• Under 25 WPM — beginner, usually hunt-and-peck
• 35–45 WPM — average adult
• 55–65 WPM — good; comfortable touch typing
• 65–80 WPM — professional level (data entry, programming, writing for a living)
• 90–120 WPM — exceptional
• 150+ WPM — competitive typists; the world record sits above 200 WPM on standard text

Average typing speed by context

• Hunt-and-peck (two fingers, looking down): about 27 WPM
• Trained touch typist: 50–70 WPM
• Transcriptionists and court reporters (on standard keyboards): 60–90 WPM
• Children aged 10–12: 15–25 WPM
• Competitive typists: 120–170 WPM sustained

What limits your speed

• Looking at the keyboard — the single biggest cap; it forces your eyes to leave the screen
• No home-row technique — hunt-and-peck plateaus quickly
• The accuracy tax — every corrected error costs far more time than it saved
• Fatigue and posture — speed drops sharply after a few minutes of tension
• Hardware — a cramped or mushy keyboard slows everyone down a little

How to test and improve

Run a timed test that shows both WPM and accuracy, and retest under the same conditions so the numbers are comparable. Our typing speed test reports words per minute with a live accuracy read-out. To get faster: keep your eyes on the text, slow down just enough to stop making mistakes, and use all ten fingers from the home row.

Frequently asked questions

Is 60 WPM good? Yes — it is well above the average of 40 and around the level expected for office and writing jobs.

What is a fast typing speed? 70 WPM and up puts you in roughly the top 10% of typists. Past 100 WPM is rare outside people who type competitively.

What is the average typing speed for a 12-year-old? About 15–25 WPM, rising quickly with touch-typing practice.

How can I type faster? Learn touch typing, never look at the keyboard, and prioritise accuracy — speed follows once errors drop.

Does typing speed actually matter? Past about 60 WPM the productivity gains flatten for most work, but not looking at the keyboard frees attention for thinking, which matters more than raw speed.