What is a good typing speed? WPM targets by goal
A good typing speed is the one your goal needs. For most adults, 40–55 WPM is average and 55–75 WPM is skilled. Whether that's good enough depends on what you type and whether a job or exam sets a minimum.
"What is a good typing speed?" is one of the most common typing questions, and the usual answer, "40 WPM is average", doesn't tell you much. To see how your number compares with other people by age, profession or country, use the typing speed chart. This guide answers a different question: what speed you should aim for.
Good for what? Targets by goal
| Goal | Speed that counts as good | Practise with |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday computer use | 40–55 WPM, the average adult range | 1-minute test |
| Office and knowledge work | 55–75 WPM, the skilled range | 5-minute test |
| Data entry job | Hiring floors of 35–45 WPM at 95%+ accuracy | Data entry test |
| Customer support or BPO | 35–55 WPM, depending on the tier | Customer support test |
| Transcription | At least 60 WPM at 98%+ accuracy | Transcriptionist test |
| SSC CHSL or SSC CGL DEST (English) | 35 WPM | SSC CHSL simulator |
| RRB NTPC, CPCT or UPSSSC Junior Assistant (English) | 30 WPM | All exam simulators |
Government exams count errors and backspace use in their own ways, so 35 WPM on a casual test isn't automatically a pass. Each exam simulator scores you with that exam's rules.
Three questions that decide it
Is typing the slowest part of your work? If your fingers can't keep up with your thinking, you're slow for your context, whatever the average is. A writer at 40 WPM is held back. Someone who sends a few emails a day at 40 WPM is fine.
Is there a floor you have to clear? A job listing or an exam with a minimum turns "good" into a number. The table above lists the common ones. If you're below the floor, that's the gap to close first, and accuracy usually matters as much as speed.
Are you faster than you were a month ago? The most useful comparison is with yourself. A 1-minute test today and another in 30 days tell you whether your practice is working.
The realistic improvement curve
Most people who practise deliberately improve faster than they expect:
- From 30 → 50 WPM: 4–8 weeks of daily 15-minute practice
- From 50 → 70 WPM: 6–10 weeks
- From 70 → 90 WPM: 3–6 months
- Past 90 WPM: gains slow down; expect months per 10 WPM
The 10-step guide to typing faster covers how to practise. If you've stalled in the 80s, read breaking the 100 WPM wall.
To see where you stand right now, the 1-minute test takes 60 seconds and gives you a number. Take it again in a month, and you'll have the benchmark that matters most: your own.