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Average typing speed: what is normal by experience and job
You will often read that the average typing speed is 40 words per minute. That number is old and was never measured on a clear group. A much larger and more recent study gives a better picture, and it also shows why age and job title predict less than people assume.
What a large study found
In 2018, researchers from Aalto University and the University of Cambridge published an analysis of about 136 million keystrokes from roughly 168,000 volunteers who typed English sentences on ordinary keyboards. The average was about 52 words per minute, with roughly one uncorrected error in every hundred characters. The volunteers were people who chose to take an online test, so they are probably more confident typists than the general population, which helps explain why the figure is above the older 40 WPM claim.
Experience matters more than age
The same research found that the strongest differences came from how people type, not how old they are. Typists who use many fingers and spend less time looking at the keys tended to be faster, and the very fastest people were not simply the youngest. Many websites publish neat tables of speed by age, but these are rarely based on a clear sample, so treat them as loose guidance only.
| Typing habit | Rough working range (WPM) |
|---|---|
| Two-finger typing, looking at the keys | 15 to 30 |
| Regular user, partly touch typing | 30 to 45 |
| Comfortable touch typist | 45 to 65 |
| Fast touch typist | 65 to 90 |
| Very fast, specialised or competitive | 90 and above |
These are working ranges used for planning, not official statistics. Your result changes with the text, the keyboard and how much you copy versus compose.
What jobs ask for compared with the average
Job adverts usually ask for less than the fast end of the range. Government and clerical posts often ask for 25 to 40 WPM, and many private-sector office posts ask for around 40 to 60. A requirement is a minimum, not a target, so most successful applicants are comfortably above it. See pass marks by country for real examples.
Speed is only half the score
A fast result with many errors is worth little. The same study measured an uncorrected error rate of around one percent, and most job tests look for accuracy of at least 95 percent, with 98 or 99 percent for sensitive work. Read net WPM versus gross WPM to see how exams combine the two.
How to compare yourself fairly
- Use the same type of text each time, ideally the style your test uses.
- Record net WPM, not just raw speed, and note your accuracy.
- Take several one-minute and five-minute tests and look at the average, because one run can be lucky or unlucky.
- Compare yourself with the job requirement and with your own last month, not with a number from a table.
How much can you improve?
Most people who practise regularly see steady early gains, followed by slower progress as they approach their natural rhythm. The fastest improvements usually come from fixing technique, not from typing harder: using all fingers, keeping your eyes off the keys and correcting your most frequent mistakes. See how long it takes to reach 40 WPM for a realistic timeline, and use a plan such as the 30-day plan to structure it.
TypingNonStop has exam passages with the pass marks of real government and office jobs, net WPM, weak-word drills, lessons and games.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the average typing speed?
A large 2018 study of about 168,000 volunteers found an average of roughly 52 words per minute. The older figure of 40 WPM is often repeated but comes from less clear data.
Does age change typing speed?
Age is a weak predictor on its own. Typing habits, such as using all fingers and not looking at the keys, and how much you type every day matter more.
Is 40 WPM good enough for a job?
For many government clerk posts, yes, because 25 to 40 WPM is a common requirement. Many private-sector office jobs ask for 40 to 60, so check the advert for your post.