What Is the Average Typing Speed? (2025 Data)

What Is the Average Typing Speed?

The average typing speed for adults is 40 words per minute (WPM). However, this varies significantly based on age, profession, and experience.

Average Typing Speed by Group

What's Considered Fast Typing?

• Below 30 WPM: Slow, hunt-and-peck typing
• 30-40 WPM: Average for casual typists
• 40-60 WPM: Good, above average
• 60-80 WPM: Fast, professional level
• 80-100 WPM: Very fast, expert level
• 100+ WPM: Exceptional, top 1%

How Is Typing Speed Measured?

Typing speed is measured in Words Per Minute (WPM). A "word" is standardized as 5 characters (including spaces). This means:

• "Hello" = 1 word (5 characters)
• "Hi" = 0.4 words (2 characters)
• "Programming" = 2.2 words (11 characters)

Accuracy Matters Too

Speed without accuracy is meaningless. A professional typist aims for:

• 95% accuracy or higher at their comfortable speed
• 98% accuracy or higher for important documents
• 99%+ accuracy for data entry positions

How to Improve Your Speed

• Learn touch typing: Keep your eyes on the screen, not the keyboard
• Practice regularly: 15-30 minutes daily is more effective than occasional long sessions
• Focus on accuracy first: Speed comes naturally with practice
• Use proper finger placement: Home row position (ASDF JKL;)
• Take typing tests: Track your progress with our free typing test

Test Your Typing Speed

Ready to see where you stand? Take our free 1-minute typing test to measure your WPM and accuracy.