Average Typing Speed: How Do You Compare?

The figure most often quoted for the average adult is around 40 words per minute. In reality the spread is wide: people who type all day for work are often in the 60s or 70s, while people who rarely use a computer may be below 25.

Why scores vary so much

• Technique: touch typists are almost always faster than people who look at the keyboard.
• Practice: daily typing builds speed over years, which is why office workers and programmers tend to score higher.
• Test length: short tests produce higher numbers than long ones.
• Text: random common words are easier than real prose with capitals and punctuation.
• Keyboard: an unfamiliar keyboard can cost several WPM.

Measuring your own average

Take five one-minute tests in a row and average the results, discarding the first if it was a warm-up. Repeat this on a different day. That figure is a much better estimate of your real speed than a single personal best.