Average typing speed
In a 2018 study of 168,960 people and 136 million keystrokes, the average speed was 52 words per minute.
Speed chart
| Speed | Faster than | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 20 WPM | 6% | Learning |
| 30 WPM | 14% | Average office pace |
| 40 WPM | 28% | Average office pace |
| 50 WPM | 47% | Above average |
| 60 WPM | 66% | Fast |
| 70 WPM | 82% | Fast |
| 80 WPM | 92% | Very fast |
| 90 WPM | 97% | Very fast |
| 100 WPM | 99% | Exceptional |
| 120 WPM | 100% | Exceptional |
Percentiles from a normal curve fitted to the study (mean 51.56 WPM, standard deviation 20.2). The study used sentences, so treat them as a guide.
What fast typists do differently
Fast typists overlap key presses (they press the next key before releasing the last one), correct fewer mistakes (about 3.4% of their key presses are Backspace, against 6% on average), and keep an even rhythm. They also tend to use more fingers, though some fast typists use fewer than ten.
Source: Dhakal, Feit, Kristensson and Oulasvirta, “Observations on Typing from 136 Million Keystrokes”, CHI 2018.
Questions
Is 40 WPM good?
It is a little below the average of 52 WPM and enough for most office work. Many government typing tests ask for 20 to 35 WPM.
What is a typical speed for typing jobs?
Many job adverts ask for 40 to 60 WPM with high accuracy; data entry roles often count key depressions per hour instead.