What's a Good Typing Speed? (Your Boss Thinks It's 120 WPM)

You’ve probably heard a colleague brag about their lightning-fast fingers dancing across the keyboard. Or maybe you've felt a moment of panic during a job interview when asked about your typing skills. So, what's a good typing speed, really? While your boss might jokingly expect a superhuman 120 words per minute (WPM), the reality is more nuanced. For most people, the average typing speed hovers around 40 WPM, but in a professional setting, the expectations are often higher.

In a world where digital communication is the backbone of nearly every industry, your typing speed is more than just a vanity metric–it's a direct measure of your productivity. A faster, more accurate typist can answer emails, draft reports, and communicate with team members more efficiently, saving valuable time every single day. This guide will break down everything you need to know about typing speeds, from average benchmarks to actionable tips for improvement.

What Is a Good Typing Speed?

A "good" typing speed is relative, but we can establish clear benchmarks. Typing speed is typically measured in Words Per Minute (WPM). Here’s a general breakdown of different skill levels:

• Below Average: Around 35 WPM or less. This is the speed of a casual typist who might hunt-and-peck for keys.

• Average Speed: Approximately 40 WPM. This is where most people land without formal training.

• Above Average / Productive: Between 50 and 70 WPM. Hitting this range is a great goal for most office professionals. It demonstrates efficiency and competence.

• Fast / Professional Typist: 80 to 95 WPM. This is required for roles like transcriptionists, paralegals, and executive assistants where typing is a core job function.

• Competitive Speed: 120 WPM and above. This is the territory of professional typists and competitive gamers. It’s exceptionally rare and not a realistic standard for most jobs.

It’s also critical to discuss accuracy. A high WPM is meaningless if your text is riddled with errors. Most experts agree that an accuracy rate of 95% or higher is essential. Sacrificing accuracy for speed is counterproductive, as the time spent correcting typos negates any gains from typing faster.

Average Typing Speed Benchmarks

So, how do you stack up? The average typing speed varies significantly based on factors like age, training, and profession. Understanding these benchmarks can help you set realistic goals.

By Age Group

As digital natives, younger generations tend to grow up with keyboards, leading to naturally faster typing.

By Profession

For some jobs, a certain WPM isn't just a bonus–it's a requirement. Here's a look at the average WPM typing speed expected in various fields:

• Administrative Assistants: 60 WPM or higher. These roles involve heavy email correspondence, scheduling, and document creation.

• Customer Service Representatives: 50-70 WPM. Especially in live chat roles, agents must type quickly and accurately to handle multiple conversations.

• Data Entry Clerks: 70-80 WPM. Speed and accuracy are the cornerstones of this job.

• Transcriptionists: 80-95 WPM. These professionals must type at the speed of speech, requiring exceptional WPM and accuracy.

• Journalists & Writers: 65-75 WPM. The ability to get thoughts down quickly is crucial for meeting deadlines.

• Programmers & Developers: 50-60 WPM. While speed is helpful, accuracy and logical thinking are more important. Coding involves more than just typing continuous prose.

Knowing how many words per minute is good for your specific career path allows you to identify areas for professional development.

Why Typing Speed Matters in the Workplace

In a professional environment, time is money. Improving your typing speed can have a tangible impact on your daily output and overall career.

1. Increased Productivity: The most obvious benefit. Imagine you type at 40 WPM and your colleague types at 80 WPM. For every hour you spend typing, your colleague finishes the same task in 30 minutes. Over a year, that adds up to weeks of saved time.

2. Improved Focus: When you can type without thinking about where your fingers are, you can concentrate fully on the content of what you're writing. This is known as reaching "automaticity," and it allows for a better flow of ideas and higher-quality work.

3. Enhanced Professional Image: Fast, accurate typing signals competence and efficiency. It shows you are comfortable with the primary tools of the modern office. It's a soft skill that makes a hard impact.

4. Reduced Strain: Proper touch-typing technique, which is the foundation of high-speed typing, is also more ergonomic. It reduces the risk of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) by distributing the effort across all ten fingers and minimizing unnecessary hand movements.

How to Improve Your Typing Speed

The good news is that typing is a skill, and like any skill, it can be improved with practice. If you're looking to go from average to awesome, here are some proven strategies.

• Learn Touch Typing: Stop the "hunt and peck" method. Touch typing is the technique of typing without looking at the keyboard, using muscle memory to find the keys. Your fingers should rest on the "home row" (ASDF for the left hand, JKL; for the right). This is the single most effective way to become a faster typist.

• Focus on Accuracy First: Resist the urge to mash the keys as fast as you can. Slow down and focus on hitting the correct keys. Speed will naturally follow as your muscle memory develops. An accuracy rate below 95% is a red flag that you need to slow down.

• Practice Consistently: Dedicate 15-30 minutes each day to focused typing practice. Short, regular sessions are more effective than one long, infrequent session. Consistency is key to building and maintaining muscle memory.

• Maintain Good Posture: Sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor. Your wrists should be in a neutral position, not bent up or down. Proper ergonomics prevent fatigue and injury, allowing you to practice for longer.

• Don't Look at Your Hands: This is the golden rule of touch typing. It will feel slow and frustrating at first, but forcing yourself to rely on muscle memory is the only way to break the habit of looking at the keyboard. You can even purchase a keyboard with blank keys if you need extra motivation.

Tools and Resources for Faster Typing

There are countless online resources designed to help you measure and improve your WPM. What is a fast typing speed for you today might just be a warm-up in a few months with the right tools.

• Typing Tests: Websites like Typing.com, 10FastFingers, and LiveChat's Typing Test offer free and quick ways to measure your current WPM and accuracy. Use these to benchmark your progress.

• Training Programs: Platforms like TypingClub and TypingPal offer structured lessons that teach you touch typing from the ground up, starting with the home row and gradually introducing new keys.

• Gamified Practice: Tools like Nitro Type and ZType turn typing practice into a fun, competitive game. This can be a great way to stay motivated.

• Ergonomic Keyboards: If you spend all day typing, consider investing in an ergonomic keyboard. These are designed to promote a more natural hand and wrist posture, which can increase comfort and typing endurance. Split keyboards and contoured designs are popular options.

Typing Speed At a Glance

Here’s a quick summary of what different typing speeds mean and who they’re for.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the average typing speed?

The average typing speed for most people is around 40 words per minute (WPM). However, this can vary widely depending on age, experience, and profession.

How can I improve my typing speed quickly?

Focus on learning touch typing (using all ten fingers without looking at the keys) and prioritize accuracy over speed. Practice consistently for 15-30 minutes every day using online typing trainers, and your speed will naturally increase.

Is 50 WPM a good typing speed?

Yes, 50 WPM is considered an above-average and productive typing speed. It’s a solid benchmark for many office and administrative roles.

How many words per minute is good for a job?

It depends on the job. For general office work, 50-60 WPM is good. For positions like data entry or transcription, employers may look for 70-95 WPM or even higher.

What's a good WPM for a student?

A good WPM for a high school or college student is between 40 and 50 WPM. This speed is sufficient for efficiently writing essays, taking notes, and completing assignments.

About the Author

Nathan Trousdell is the Founder & CEO of Navero, an AI-powered hiring platform rethinking how companies find talent and how candidates grow their careers. He has led product, engineering, and AI/ML teams across global startups and scale-ups, co-founding Fraudio (a payments fraud detection company that raised $10M) and helping scale Payvision through to its $400M acquisition by ING.

Nathan writes on the future of work, hiring fairness, and how AI must improve - not replace- human decision-making in hiring. He combines nearly two decades of experience in finance, technology, and entrepreneurship with a passion for empowering both teams and talent, ensuring hiring is fairer, faster, and more human.