Average typing speed: what is normal?
6 min read
A commonly quoted figure for the average typing speed is around 40 words per minute (WPM), and large studies of everyday typists land in the same region. But "average" hides a wide spread: a beginner and a full-time transcriber can both be normal for their situation. This guide gives typical ranges, explains what moves them, and shows how to compare your own result without fooling yourself.
The short answer
Most adults type somewhere between 35 and 60 WPM on a standard test. A widely cited 2018 study from Aalto University, which measured about 168,000 volunteers on a web-based test, reported an average of roughly 52 WPM. Typists in that study also made and corrected errors constantly, which is a useful reminder that raw speed is only half the picture.
Treat any single number as a rough centre of gravity, not a target. People who type daily for work sit above it, people who mostly use a phone sit below it, and a first-time touch-typing learner can start well under 20 WPM.
Typical WPM by experience level
These bands describe net WPM, meaning correct characters only (see how WPM is calculated for the exact formula). They are typical ranges, not official standards.
| Level | Typical net WPM | What it usually looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | Under 25 | Looking at the keys, one or two fingers, frequent hunting for letters. |
| Casual | 25-40 | Comfortable with common words, still glancing at the keyboard. |
| Average adult | 40-60 | Mostly touch typing, some awkward keys, steady for emails and documents. |
| Fast | 60-80 | Reliable touch typing with good rhythm; errors are the main limiter. |
| Very fast | 80-100 | Heavy daily typing, strong accuracy habits, minimal pauses. |
| Elite | 100+ | Years of deliberate practice; a small share of typists. |
What speed do different jobs expect?
Employers rarely publish a single required number, and requirements vary by company and country. The pattern below reflects what job listings and typing assessments commonly ask for. Always check the specific posting.
| Role | Common expectation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| General office / admin | 40-50 WPM | Email, documents and chat; accuracy and consistency matter more than peak speed. |
| Data entry | 50-70 WPM with high accuracy | Volume work where each error costs a correction pass. |
| Customer support (chat) | 40-60 WPM | Typing while reading and thinking, so sustained rhythm beats bursts. |
| Transcription / captioning | 70+ WPM, often much higher | Typing has to keep up with speech. Specialist stenography machines work on a different, chorded system. |
| Software development | No fixed requirement | Thinking time dominates; fluent typing mainly reduces friction and strain. |
Does age change typing speed?
Age matters less than practice. Large datasets tend to show speed rising through the teens and twenties as people accumulate keyboard hours, with a modest decline in later decades, but the spread within any age group is far bigger than the difference between groups. A 55-year-old who types all day will usually out-type a 20-year-old who mostly uses a phone.
Children learning to type are best judged against their own progress. A steady climb with good accuracy is a better sign than any age-based benchmark.
How to compare your own result fairly
- Use net WPM, not raw. Fast but sloppy typing is not fast in practice.
- Look at accuracy next to speed. 70 WPM at 90% accuracy is usually slower in real work than 62 WPM at 99%.
- Take several tests. One result is noisy; the average of five is meaningful.
- Compare like with like. Random common words, quotes and code all score differently, and a 30-second sprint inflates results compared with five minutes.
- Check consistency. Two people with the same WPM can type very differently; steadier typists tend to improve faster.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good typing speed?
For most office work 50 to 60 WPM with 97% or better accuracy is more than enough. Above 80 WPM is fast; above 100 WPM is exceptional.
What is the average typing speed for an adult?
Roughly 40 to 52 WPM, depending on the study and the test. A large 2018 web-based study of about 168,000 typists reported an average of around 52 WPM.
Is 40 WPM slow?
No. 40 WPM is a perfectly usable speed for everyday work and is close to the commonly quoted average. It is a sensible first goal for beginners.
How long does it take to reach 60 WPM?
It varies a lot. Many people who switch from hunt-and-peck to proper touch typing and practise 15 to 20 minutes a day see clear gains within a few weeks, and reach 50 to 60 WPM within a few months. Individual results differ.
If you are around 40 to 60 WPM you are in the normal range for working adults. The most useful goal is a personal one: raise your net WPM while holding accuracy near 97% or higher, and watch the trend over weeks rather than any single test.