Average Typing Speed by Age: What to Expect

Typing Speed Expectations by Age

Typing speed develops with age, practice, and motor skill development. Here's what to expect at each age.

Children (Ages 6-10)

What to focus on:

• Letter recognition
• Basic home row position
• Having fun with typing
• Short practice sessions (5-10 minutes)

Try our typing test for kids with simple words and large text.

Tweens (Ages 11-13)

What to focus on:

• Proper touch typing technique
• All keyboard rows
• Building speed without sacrificing accuracy
• Regular practice (15-20 minutes daily)

Teenagers (Ages 14-17)

What to focus on:

• Speed improvement
• Accuracy above 95%
• Typing for school essays and assignments
• Special characters and numbers

Young Adults (Ages 18-25)

What to focus on:

• Professional-level speed for work
• Specialized typing (code, data entry)
• Maintaining skills through use

Adults (Ages 26-50)

Many adults never learned proper typing. It's not too late! With practice, adults can reach 60+ WPM.

Older Adults (Ages 50+)

What to focus on:

• Comfort over speed
• Ergonomic setup
• Larger text size for readability
• Gentle, consistent practice

Factors That Affect Speed

Experience: More practice = faster typing Method: Touch typists are faster than hunt-and-peck Purpose: Daily computer users type faster Motivation: Students and professionals practice more Motor skills: Develop through childhood

Age Is Not a Barrier

Studies show that dedicated practice improves typing speed at any age. A 50-year-old who practices regularly can type faster than a teenager who doesn't.

Test Your Speed

See where you stand with our free typing test. Track your progress over time.