Where do you rank? A complete breakdown of typing speed levels.
Take a typing test on Typemasters, convert your CPM to WPM (divide by 5), then find your level below. Remember: these are guidelines, not rules. Your typing speed matters less than your improvement trajectory.
Complete breakdown from beginner to elite.
| Level | WPM | Percentile | Description | Who Types This Fast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very Slow | Below 20 | Bottom 10% | Hunt and peck. Needs fundamental technique work. | Non-typists, children learning |
| Slow | 20-35 | 10th-30th | Basic typing but not efficient. Benefits greatly from practice. | Casual typists, older adults |
| Below Average | 35-45 | 30th-50th | Adequate for casual use. Can improve significantly with 2-4 weeks of practice. | Average office workers |
| Average | 45-55 | 50th-65th | Good for most tasks. Competitive speed for general office work. | Regular typists, office workers |
| Above Average | 55-65 | 65th-80th | Fast. Professional-level speed for most roles. | Experienced office workers, writers |
| Good | 65-75 | 80th-90th | Very good. Suitable for data entry, transcription, and admin roles. | Professional typists, data entry |
| Fast | 75-85 | 90th-95th | Fast. Top 10% of typists. Excellent for typing-intensive jobs. | Transcriptionists, fast office workers |
| Very Fast | 85-100 | 95th-99th | Very fast. Expert typist. Top 5% globally. | Expert typists, competitive typists |
| Elite | 100-120 | 99th-99.9th | Elite speed. Requires years of deliberate practice. | Professional transcriptionists, competitive champions |
| World Class | 120+ | Top 0.1% | World-class speed. Only a handful of people type this fast. | World record holders, top competitive typists |
What speed do you actually need for different tasks?
Minimum: 30 WPM
Comfortable: 40-50 WPM
What you can do: Email, social media, casual chat, basic document writing. At this speed, typing doesn't significantly slow down your thought process for simple tasks.
Minimum: 40 WPM
Comfortable: 55-65 WPM
What you can do: Reports, emails, spreadsheets, presentations. At this speed, you can keep up with most office demands without typing becoming a bottleneck.
Minimum: 55 WPM
Comfortable: 70-80 WPM
What you can do: Data entry, transcription, administrative work, content writing. This speed qualifies you for most typing-intensive positions.
Minimum: 45 WPM
Comfortable: 60-75 WPM
What you can do: Write at the speed of thought. Enter flow state easily. Produce 2,000+ words per hour. This speed removes typing as a barrier to creative expression.
Actionable steps to move up the chart.
Take a 3-minute timed session on Typemasters. Record your CPM. Convert to WPM (divide by 5). This is your baseline. Check the chart above to see your current level.
Follow the 30-day improvement plan. Focus on accuracy first (95%+), then push speed. Track progress on the Skills page. Most people improve by 10-25 WPM in 30 days.
Check which keys you mistype most on the Skills page. Practice those specific keys and word combinations. Weak keys are the most common bottleneck between current and target speed.
Take a new typing test every month to track improvement. Seeing measurable progress is the best motivator. Celebrate each level you advance — every WPM improvement matters.
50-60 WPM is good for general use. 65-75 WPM is very good and competitive for professional roles. 80+ WPM is excellent. The average person types at 40 WPM, so anything above that puts you ahead of most people.
75-85 WPM is fast (top 10%). 85-100 WPM is very fast (top 5%). 100+ WPM is elite (top 1%). For most professional purposes, 65+ WPM is considered fast and qualifies you for typing-intensive roles.
Take a timed typing test. Typemasters measures CPM during sessions — divide by 5 to get WPM. Other options: 10FastFingers, TypingTest.com, Keybr. Take the test 3 times and average the results for the most accurate measurement.
Take a test, find your level, and start improving today.
Measure Your Speed