Average typing speed
Most adults type around 40 words per minute. Here is how that splits by age and by the work people do.
By age
Under 1215 to 25 wpm
13 to 1725 to 40 wpm
18 to 2540 to 55 wpm
26 to 4040 to 60 wpm
Over 4035 to 50 wpm
Ranges are typical, not limits. Practice moves people out of their band quickly.
By job
Casual computer use35 to 45 wpm
Office and admin50 to 65 wpm
Developer55 to 75 wpm
Transcription and data entry70 to 90 wpm
Competitive typists120 wpm and up
What counts as fast
Anything above 60 words per minute at high accuracy is genuinely fast for daily work. Past 90 the limit stops being your fingers and becomes how quickly you decide what to write.
Why your score moves around
Keyboard, tiredness, word difficulty and whether you correct mistakes all shift the number by ten words per minute or more. Compare yourself to your own median over a week, not to a single run.
Keep reading
- Free typing test, one minuteTest your speed in 60 seconds.
- How to type fasterWhat actually raises your speed.
- Typing games that build speedWhy games beat drills.