Typing speeds employers commonly ask for
| Role | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| Receptionist, general office | 35–45 WPM |
| Administrative assistant | 45–60 WPM |
| Customer support (chat) | 40–60 WPM |
| Data entry clerk | 8,000–12,000 KPH |
| Legal or medical secretary | 60–75 WPM |
| Transcriptionist | 65–80 WPM |
| Court reporter, captioner (stenotype) | 180–225 WPM |
Ranges are typical of job postings and vary by employer. Always check the listing.
How hiring tests are scored
Most assessments report net WPM: gross speed minus a penalty for each uncorrected error, and many set a minimum accuracy, often 90 to 95%. Our results show gross WPM, net WPM and accuracy so you can practice against the same targets. When you are happy with your score, print a typing certificate to attach to your application.
Prepare in a week
- Day 1: take three tests and note your median net WPM.
- Days 2–6: ten minutes a day, aiming for 97% accuracy rather than speed.
- Day 7: retest at the length your employer uses.
How we score your test
Every serious typing test uses the same unit: one "word" equals five keystrokes, spaces included. That keeps a test fair whether the text is full of short words or long ones. Here is exactly what each number on your results means:
- WPM counts only the characters in words you typed correctly (plus the spaces after them), divided by 5, divided by minutes. This is the headline number and the hardest one to inflate.
- Gross WPM counts every character you typed, right or wrong. The gap between gross and WPM shows how much speed your mistakes cost you.
- Net WPM is gross WPM minus uncorrected errors per minute, the formula many employers and older typing tests use.
- Accuracy is the share of keystrokes that were correct, including ones you later fixed with backspace.
- CPM is correct characters per minute, and keystrokes per hour (KPH) is the figure data entry employers ask for.
- Consistency shows how steady your pace was from second to second. Higher is smoother.
- Errors are wrong, missing and extra letters left in words when you pressed space. A space that skips unfinished letters counts as a wrong keystroke.
Fair on phones: curly quotes and dashes inserted by iPhone and Android keyboards count the same as the plain keys, the test ignores where you tap inside the text, and leaving the page stops the clock instead of ruining your score. Swipe typing and word suggestions are allowed but labeled, because whole words arriving at once is not comparable with typing key by key. Pasted text is ignored.
More typing tests
- Data Entry Typing TestData entry typing test with keystrokes per hour (KPH), WPM and accuracy
- Number Typing TestNumber typing test for 10-key and data entry practice
- Typing Test for KidsA friendly typing test for kids with short, simple words
- Medical Typing TestMedical typing test with real clinical vocabulary
- Legal Typing TestLegal typing test with real legal vocabulary for legal secretaries, paralegals and transcriptionists
- Coding Typing Test for ProgrammersTyping test for programmers with real JavaScript, Python and SQL snippets
- Customer Service Typing TestTyping test for customer service and live chat agents
- Mobile Typing Test for PhonesTest your typing speed on your phone or tablet
Frequently asked questions
What typing test do employers use?
Many use third-party assessment platforms with 1 to 5 minute paragraph tests scored in net WPM with an accuracy threshold. This page practices that format.
Is 40 WPM good enough for a job?
40 WPM meets the bar for many general office and receptionist roles. Admin, legal and medical roles often want 50 to 75 WPM.