What Is a Good WPM?
The average typing speed is about 40 words per minute. A good typing speed is at least 60, and excellent is over 80. Speaking runs near 150, and silent reading near 238.
Free 1-minute WPM typing test
Type the words below. Press space after each word. The clock starts on your first key. No sign-up.
Fast fingers. Now check how fast you talk. Paste a script in the calculator below, or rehearse it on the free teleprompter.
Speaking and reading WPM calculator
Spoken and read rates use your word count divided by the minutes. A typing test counts a word as 5 characters, including spaces, so 300 characters in one minute is 60.
Typing, speaking, and reading speeds
A good number depends on the job. Keyboard typing, conversation, silent reading, and a court reporter’s machine are different speeds. The court-reporter row is stenotype, not a keyboard.
| Kind | Pace | Words per minute | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typing | Average | about 40 | Typing.com |
| Typing | Good | at least 60 | Typing.com |
| Typing | Excellent (advanced) | over 80 | Typing.com |
| Speaking | Average conversation | about 150 | National Center for Voice and Speech, via Baruch College |
| Speaking | Script Timer clocks | 120, 150, and 180 | Script Timer words to minutes calculator |
| Reading | Silent, nonfiction, average | 238 | Brysbaert, 2019 |
| Reading | Silent, most adults | 175 to 300 | Brysbaert, 2019 |
| Reading | Aloud, average | 183 | Brysbaert, 2019 |
| Court reporter | RPR testimony, stenotype | 225 | National Court Reporters Association |
| News anchor | Nine American TV newsreaders | about 207 | Speech Prosody, 2006 |
| Podcaster | Conversation pace | about 150 | National Center for Voice and Speech, via Baruch College |
Is your WPM good?
Is 60 wpm good?
Yes for typing. It is above the average of about 40, and Typing.com says some assistant jobs ask for at least 60. For speaking, 60 is slow. Conversation sits near 150.
Is 75 wpm good?
Yes for typing. It is above the 60 some jobs ask for, and just under the 80 Typing.com calls advanced. For speaking, 75 is still slower than this site’s slow clock of 120.
Is 100 wpm good?
Yes for typing, and it is past the advanced line of 80. Typing.com lists word-processor work at 55 to 90, so 100 is faster than that range. For speaking, 100 is slower than conversation. For silent reading, 100 is well under the 238 average.
Timing a script? The words to minutes calculator uses 120, 150, and 180.
WPM FAQ
What does WPM mean?
WPM means words per minute. In a typing test, one word is counted as 5 characters, spaces included. For speaking and reading, it is the plain number of words divided by the minutes.
What is the average typing speed?
About 40 words per minute. Typing.com puts good at 60 and advanced at over 80. Take the 1-minute test at the top of this page to see where you land.
How is my WPM calculated in this test?
Only words you type correctly count. Each correct word adds its letters plus one space. The total is divided by 5 to get words, then by the minutes the test ran.
What is a good speaking speed in words per minute?
About 150 words per minute is natural conversation. Go slower, around 120 to 130, for serious or detailed content, and up to 170 for energetic promos.
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