Average Typing Speed
The average adult types about 40 words per minute on a computer keyboard and about 36 WPM on a phone. Here is where those numbers come from and how they break down.
What the large studies found
Keyboards. In 2018 researchers from Aalto University and the University of Cambridge published an analysis of 136 million keystrokes from about 168,000 volunteers. The average speed was about 52 WPM, with an average error rate of around 2%. The fastest participants exceeded 120 WPM. Because people who volunteer for an online typing study are likely to type more than most, the general population average is generally thought to be lower, which is why figures of 38 to 41 WPM are widely quoted.
Phones. A follow-up study in 2019 with more than 37,000 smartphone users measured an average of about 36 WPM. Two-thumb typists were faster than one-finger typists, and people who used autocorrect were faster on average than those who did not.
What the studies found fast typists do differently. The fastest typists made fewer errors and pressed keys in overlapping "rollover" sequences, starting the next key before releasing the last one. Using all ten fingers mattered less than you might think: some fast typists used fewer fingers very consistently.
Typical speeds by group
| Group | Typical speed |
|---|---|
| Hunt-and-peck typists | 15–30 WPM |
| Average adult | 35–45 WPM |
| Students, grades 6–8 | 25–35 WPM |
| Office professionals | 50–75 WPM |
| Transcriptionists | 65–90 WPM |
| Competitive typists | 130–200+ WPM |
Typical ranges, rounded. Speeds vary a lot within every group.
How do you compare?
Take a one minute typing test, then look up your score in the WPM chart to see your estimated percentile.
Sources
- Dhakal, Feit, Kristensson and Oulasvirta, "Observations on Typing from 136 Million Keystrokes", CHI 2018.
- Palin, Feit, Kim, Kristensson and Oulasvirta, "How do People Type on Mobile Devices? Observations from a Study with 37,000 Volunteers", MobileHCI 2019.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average typing speed?
Commonly cited figures for adults are 38 to 41 WPM. A large 2018 study of about 168,000 volunteers found an average of 52 WPM on physical keyboards, but volunteers for an online typing study tend to type more than average.
What is the average typing speed on a phone?
About 36 WPM, according to a 2019 study of more than 37,000 smartphone users.
What is the average typing speed for a teenager?
Most high school students type somewhere between 30 and 45 WPM, and frequent computer users are often faster.