Is 140 WPM Good?
140 WPM
Elite. Faster than about 99.9% of typists.
140 WPM is exceptional, faster than about 99.9% of typists. Only competitive typists and a handful of professionals sustain speeds like this.
Think you can beat 140 WPM?
What 140 WPM looks like in real life
| Characters per minute | 700 |
| Keystrokes per hour | 42,000 |
| A 150 word email | 1.1 minutes |
| A one page letter (500 words) | 3.6 minutes |
| A 2,000 word essay | 14.3 minutes |
| A 50,000 word novel draft | 5 h 57 min |
Pure typing time at a steady pace, not counting thinking and editing.
Jobs where 140 WPM is enough
- ✅ General office, receptionist (often 35+ WPM)
- ✅ Customer service and live chat (often 40+ WPM)
- ✅ Administrative assistant (often 45+ WPM)
- ✅ Executive assistant (often 50+ WPM)
- ✅ Legal and medical secretary (often 60+ WPM)
- ✅ Transcriptionist (often 65+ WPM)
- ✅ Fast-turnaround transcription and captioning (keyboard) (often 80+ WPM)
How 140 WPM compares
| Speed | Level | Faster than |
|---|---|---|
| 0–24 WPM | Beginner | 0–10% |
| 25–39 WPM | Developing | 12–47% |
| 40–54 WPM | Average | 50–77% |
| 55–69 WPM | Above average | 79–91% |
| 70–89 WPM | Fast | 92–98% |
| 90–109 WPM | Very fast | 98–99.4% |
| 110–129 WPM | Expert | 99.4–99.8% |
| 130+ WPM | Elite | 99.8–99.9% |
Percentiles are estimates based on published averages for adult typists (about 40 WPM on a keyboard). See the research.
How to stay this fast
At this level, gains come from rhythm and reading ahead. Keep your eyes two or three words ahead and practice difficult letter pairs. Read the full guide on how to type faster.
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Frequently asked questions
Is 140 WPM good?
140 WPM is exceptional, faster than about 99.9% of typists. Only competitive typists and a handful of professionals sustain speeds like this.
How many characters per minute is 140 WPM?
140 WPM is 700 characters per minute, because one word is counted as five characters.
How many keystrokes per hour is 140 WPM?
About 42,000 keystrokes per hour, before counting backspaces and corrections.
How long does it take to type 1,000 words at 140 WPM?
About 7.1 minutes of continuous typing.