What Is a Good Typing Speed? WPM Levels Explained

A good typing speed is 50-60 words per minute (WPM) with at least 95% accuracy. That's faster than roughly three-quarters of typists and enough for nearly every office job. But "good" depends on what you need it for, so here's how to judge your own speed.

Typing speed levels

WPM	Level	Faster than about	What it means
Under 25	Beginner	under 15%	Usually still looking at the keys
25-35	Below average	15-35%	Fine for occasional use
35-45	Average	35-60%	Typical adult speed
45-60	Good	60-89%	Meets most job requirements
60-80	Fast	89-98%	Professional speed
80-100	Very fast	98-99.8%	Transcription and competitive level
100+	Elite	top 0.2%	Rare, usually years of practice

The percentiles are approximate and based on widely published typing test distributions. For a personal comparison, enter your score in the typing speed comparison tool.

Good typing speed by situation

For everyday use, 40 WPM is plenty. You can write an email as fast as you can think of it.

For students, 30-40 WPM is a good target in high school. Faster typing makes a real difference in timed online exams and essay writing.

For office jobs, many postings ask for 40-50 WPM. Admin assistant and data entry roles often want 50-60 WPM.

For transcription, 65-80 WPM is a common starting requirement, with 98% accuracy.

For programmers, raw speed matters less than you'd think, because most time goes into thinking. 50-70 WPM with good accuracy on symbols is comfortable.

Accuracy is part of "good"

A score of 70 WPM at 88% accuracy isn't really a good speed: someone will have to fix one character in every eight. Most employers expect 95% or higher. See accuracy vs speed for the maths.

What's good for your age?

Children speed up quickly as their hands grow and they practice. These are typical speeds with good accuracy:

Age	Good speed
7-9	10-15 WPM
10-12	20-25 WPM
13-15	30-35 WPM
16-18	40+ WPM
Adult	50+ WPM

Among adults, age has much less effect than practice and technique. For averages rather than targets, see average typing speed.

Is your speed good? Find out

Take a one minute test. Your result shows your WPM, your accuracy, and what percentage of typists you're faster than:

60s left

0 wpm

100% acc

follow the were eye start him same ask work thought want most her after when an most with also try know what have work right off take out small very home what ask new kind thought go home an some two when an went much we like it boy still go light why after into does keep below must own point plant by that still take world been last such one does father say earth my think from after some small are said as spell answer no my into every know she three very some they she with into does three from are had if change make thought keep learn the there a eye could ask still at make still off change who this or use may know world your food study came put which over year up like plant start will could as that picture think me or animal

Click here or press any key to focus

Press Tab to restart. The timer starts with your first keystroke.

How to get from average to good

If you're at 35-45 WPM, three changes make the biggest difference:

Stop looking at the keyboard. See how to type without looking.
Practice your weak keys with adaptive practice.
Follow a plan. The 30 to 60 WPM plan takes six weeks.

Want a specific target? The 50 WPM test and 60 WPM test show a live pace bar so you can see how close you are.

Typing speed levels

WPM	Level	Faster than about	What it means
Under 25	Beginner	under 15%	Usually still looking at the keys
25-35	Below average	15-35%	Fine for occasional use
35-45	Average	35-60%	Typical adult speed
45-60	Good	60-89%	Meets most job requirements
60-80	Fast	89-98%	Professional speed
80-100	Very fast	98-99.8%	Transcription and competitive level
100+	Elite	top 0.2%	Rare, usually years of practice

The percentiles are approximate and based on widely published typing test distributions. For a personal comparison, enter your score in the typing speed comparison tool.

Good typing speed by situation

For everyday use, 40 WPM is plenty. You can write an email as fast as you can think of it.

For students, 30-40 WPM is a good target in high school. Faster typing makes a real difference in timed online exams and essay writing.

For office jobs, many postings ask for 40-50 WPM. Admin assistant and data entry roles often want 50-60 WPM.

For transcription, 65-80 WPM is a common starting requirement, with 98% accuracy.

For programmers, raw speed matters less than you'd think, because most time goes into thinking. 50-70 WPM with good accuracy on symbols is comfortable.

Accuracy is part of "good"

A score of 70 WPM at 88% accuracy isn't really a good speed: someone will have to fix one character in every eight. Most employers expect 95% or higher. See accuracy vs speed for the maths.

What's good for your age?

Children speed up quickly as their hands grow and they practice. These are typical speeds with good accuracy:

Age	Good speed
7-9	10-15 WPM
10-12	20-25 WPM
13-15	30-35 WPM
16-18	40+ WPM
Adult	50+ WPM

Among adults, age has much less effect than practice and technique. For averages rather than targets, see average typing speed.

Is your speed good? Find out

Take a one minute test. Your result shows your WPM, your accuracy, and what percentage of typists you're faster than:

60s left

0 wpm

100% acc

Click here or press any key to focus

Press Tab to restart. The timer starts with your first keystroke.

How to get from average to good

If you're at 35-45 WPM, three changes make the biggest difference:

Stop looking at the keyboard. See how to type without looking.
Practice your weak keys with adaptive practice.
Follow a plan. The 30 to 60 WPM plan takes six weeks.

Want a specific target? The 50 WPM test and 60 WPM test show a live pace bar so you can see how close you are.