Is 60 WPM Good? A Speed-by-Speed Breakdown
Is 60 WPM good? Learn how 60 WPM compares to average typing speeds, what jobs it qualifies you for, and how speeds from 40 to 100 WPM rank across industries.
Typing Benchmarks
Is 60 WPM Good? A Speed-by-Speed Breakdown
Yes, 60 WPM is an above-average typing speed for most adults. The average adult types about 40 words per minute (WPM), which places a 60 WPM typist roughly 50 percent faster than the average adult. In structured testing environments, 60 WPM falls squarely into the Above average skill band (51-70 WPM).
A speed of 60 WPM translates to 300 characters per minute (CPM) or about 18,000 keystrokes per hour (KPH). At this rate, you can write emails, take live meeting notes, and finish customer tickets without falling behind.
This guide breaks down every common benchmark speed from 40 WPM to 100 WPM, explains what each tier handles in the real world, examines how accuracy shifts your true output, and outlines clear steps to reach the next speed band.
Speed Comparison
Typing Speed Benchmarks at a Glance
Typing speeds group into five distinct performance tiers based on gross words per minute and error control. The table below outlines how each common benchmark number aligns with official skill bands, output rates, and typical task suitability.
| Speed | Skill Level | Output Rate | Everyday Capability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 WPM | Average | 200 CPM / 12,000 KPH | General emails, casual web browsing, school essays |
| 50 WPM | Average | 250 CPM / 15,000 KPH | Standard office work, customer support, team chat |
| 60 WPM | Above average | 300 CPM / 18,000 KPH | Administrative tasks, live note taking, data entry |
| 70 WPM | Above average | 350 CPM / 21,000 KPH | Heavy data entry, documentation writing, copywriting |
| 80 WPM | Fast | 400 CPM / 24,000 KPH | Medical transcription, legal secretarial work, dispatch |
| 100 WPM | Professional | 500 CPM / 30,000 KPH | High-volume transcription, live closed captioning |
One standard typing word equals five characters, spaces and punctuation marks included.
Speed Verdicts
Speed-by-Speed Breakdown: Is 40, 50, 60, or 70 WPM Good?
Evaluating whether your number is good depends on the demands of your daily work and your keyboard technique. A hunt-and-peck typist reaching 40 WPM has hit a natural ceiling, while a touch typist using all ten fingers at 50 WPM has a strong foundation for rapid gains. Here is the verdict for each major milestone.
Is 40 WPM Good?
Yes, 40 WPM is a perfectly normal speed matching the average adult keyboard user. It sits within the Average band (31-50 WPM). Typists at 40 WPM handle daily emails, social communication, and basic school assignments with ease. However, fast-paced transcription or administrative roles often set their minimum entry bar above this mark. You can measure your current baseline on a 1 minute typing test.
Is 50 WPM Good?
Yes, 50 WPM is a solid, functional typing speed that meets the general workplace requirements of most corporations. It approaches the 52 WPM average measured across 168,000 participants in a 2018 Aalto University study. At 50 WPM, you outpace the general population and can comfortably handle customer service, general office tasks, and collaborative team messaging.
How Good Is 60 WPM?
A score of 60 WPM is an Above average typing speed that clears the qualification threshold for nearly all general office positions. Typing at 60 WPM means you produce 300 words in 5 minutes. You can take live meeting minutes in real time without missing major points, provided you keep your error rate low.
Is 70 WPM Good?
Yes, 70 WPM is a very fast typing speed situated at the top of the Above average band (51-70 WPM). Typists at 70 WPM produce 350 CPM and qualify for specialized documentation, junior transcription, and heavy administrative roles. Reaching 70 WPM requires consistent touch typing without looking down at the keyboard.
Is 80 to 100 WPM Good?
Scores from 80 to 100 WPM represent Fast to Professional typing skills. At 80 WPM (Fast band), you easily qualify for legal transcription, medical documentation, and emergency dispatch roles. At 91+ WPM (Professional band), your speed matches professional stenotype-adjacent fields, though official court reporting requires specialized 225 WPM steno machines.
Workplace Fit
What Tasks Is 60 WPM Fast Enough to Handle?
A speed of 60 WPM provides sufficient throughput for almost every desk-based profession. Here is how that rate applies across four common workplace scenarios.
Email and Chat Support
Draft client replies and team messages quickly. At 60 WPM, message production matches conversational reading speeds, keeping ticket queues short.
Office Administration
Take live meeting notes, compose reports, and draft formal letters. Most corporate administrative assistant openings ask for 45 to 60 WPM.
General Data Entry
Transcribe numeric logs and customer records at roughly 18,000 KPH. You meet standard requirements on a data entry typing test easily.
Content and Copywriting
Transfer thoughts directly into draft documents without keyboard drag. 60 WPM lets writers keep focus on idea flow rather than finger placement.
Career Requirements
Which Jobs Qualify for a 60 WPM Typist?
Employers frequently use typing assessments during hiring rounds to verify productivity. While job WPM ranges serve as typical hiring guidelines rather than rigid legal mandates, a reliable 60 WPM opens up a wide array of career opportunities.
Administrative assistants and executive secretaries typically face benchmarks between 45 and 60 WPM. A candidate typing at 60 WPM meets or exceeds the top tier of these applicant pools. Customer support specialists face targets between 40 and 60 WPM, making 60 WPM ideal for handling multiple live chat threads simultaneously.
General data entry jobs require between 50 and 80 WPM on standard text, or 8,000 to 12,000 KPH when using a dedicated numeric keypad. A 60 WPM typist meets the text requirements for standard data clerk roles. Specialized fields like legal transcription (65-80 WPM), medical transcription (65-80 WPM), and emergency dispatching (80-95 WPM) sit just above this threshold, providing clear targets for further practice. You can review full requirements in our guide on jobs that require typing skills.
Accuracy Impact
How Accuracy Changes Whether 60 WPM Is Actually Good
Raw speed means very little if high error rates force constant backspacing. Net words per minute measures true productivity by deducting uncorrected mistakes from your gross score. Here is how 60 gross WPM performs at two very different accuracy levels.
60 WPM at 98% Accuracy (Strong)
- Generates 54 Net WPM if errors are left uncorrected.
- Produces clean documents that require almost no proofreading corrections.
- Clears strict corporate typing tests that mandate 95% accuracy minimums.
- Maintains high typing rhythm and low muscle strain across long sessions.
- Qualifies for administrative, support, and documentation roles.
60 WPM at 88% Accuracy (Weak)
- Drops to 24 Net WPM after deducting uncorrected errors.
- Wastes valuable minutes fixing misspelled words and missed punctuation.
- Fails standard job assessments that disqualify scores below 90% accuracy.
- Interrupts typing flow with frequent stop-and-start correction cycles.
- Risks submitting costly data entry errors on live production systems.
Real Benchmarks
How 60 WPM Compares to Everyday Typing Benchmarks
Understanding where 60 WPM ranks across different device types and professional groups gives helpful context to your personal score.
WPM
Skill Progression
5 Steps to Advance from 60 WPM to the Fast Band (71-90 WPM)
Moving from the Above average tier (51-70 WPM) into the Fast tier (71-90 WPM) requires refining motor habits, reducing finger travel distance, and eliminating pauses between words. Follow these 5 structured steps.
- 1
Anchor your fingers strictly on the home row
Place your left fingers on A S D F and your right fingers on J K L ;. Feel for the small tactile bumps on the F and J keys before typing to verify position without looking.
- 2
Prioritize 98% accuracy over raw speed
Slow down your stroke rate slightly until your error rate drops below 2 percent. Speed builds naturally on top of clean muscle memory, while sloppy speed creates persistent bad habits.
- 3
Read one to two words ahead of your fingers
Look ahead at upcoming words rather than focusing on the letter you are striking. Reading ahead eliminates the tiny hesitations that happen between separate words.
- 4
Practice with punctuation and capital letters enabled
Standard punctuation and uppercase shifts lower WPM by 5 to 15 percent for most typists. Practice on a paragraph typing test to build fluid pinky control for the Shift key.
- 5
Establish a consistent 15-minute daily drill
Short daily sessions outperform long, irregular sessions. Most dedicated learners move from 50-60 WPM to 70-80 WPM within 6 to 12 months of daily practice.
Pre-Test Routine
Checklist for Taking an Official 60 WPM Typing Test
Before sitting for an employment test or certification evaluation, verify your testing environment and physical setup with this practical checklist.
- Position your screen 50-70 cm (20-28 in) away at eye level to prevent neck strain.
- Keep your elbows bent at roughly a 90-degree angle with wrists floating flat above the desk.
- Complete a 2-minute warmup on an easy word list to loosen finger joints before scoring.
- Take 3 tests of the same duration and calculate the average score to confirm your true speed.
- Select an official 3 minute typing test or 5 minute typing test to simulate real employment screenings.
- Verify your target job requires standard QWERTY text rather than 10-key numeric entry.
- Consult a real doctor if you experience persistent wrist or forearm pain.
The Key Takeaway on 60 WPM
A typing speed of 60 WPM with 95 percent accuracy puts you well ahead of the average adult and satisfies the hiring standards for almost all non-specialized office careers. Focus on steady rhythm, keep your eyes on the text, and let speed develop through clean repetition.
Check Your Typing Speed in 60 Seconds
Find out where your keyboard skills rank against average adult benchmarks. Take our free typing test to measure your net WPM, accuracy, and skill level badge today.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 60 WPM a good typing speed for an office job?
Yes, 60 WPM is an excellent typing speed for general office jobs. Most administrative, clerk, and support positions set their hiring requirements between 40 and 60 WPM. A speed of 60 WPM ensures you complete documents, internal memos, and customer communications quickly without falling behind on daily workloads.
How does 60 WPM compare to average typing speeds?
A typing speed of 60 WPM places you in the Above average skill tier (51-70 WPM). The average adult types around 40 WPM, and the average participant in large online studies types 52 WPM. Typing at 60 WPM means you type faster than the average adult.
How long does it take to reach 60 WPM from scratch?
Most learners reach 50-60 WPM after 2 to 3 months of steady daily practice. Beginners usually start around 10 to 25 WPM. Practicing touch typing for 15 minutes each day builds the muscle memory needed to reach 60 WPM without looking down at the keyboard.
Can you get a data entry job with 60 WPM?
Yes, 60 WPM qualifies you for standard text data entry roles. General data entry positions typically require between 50 and 80 WPM. If the job involves heavy numeric processing, employers may evaluate you on a numeric keypad, where typical standards range from 8,000 to 12,000 keystrokes per hour.
Why does my typing speed drop when punctuation is added?
Typing speed drops by roughly 5 to 15 percent when punctuation and capital letters are added. Reaching for punctuation marks and holding the Shift key requires finger movement away from the home row, which temporarily slows keystroke cadence compared to lowercase words.
Is 60 WPM fast enough for transcription work?
A speed of 60 WPM is sufficient for entry-level transcription, but medical and legal transcription typically seek speeds of 65 to 80 WPM. Live court reporting requires 225 WPM on a specialized stenotype machine rather than a standard QWERTY computer keyboard.
How is WPM calculated on online typing tests?
One standard typing word equals five characters, spaces and punctuation included. Gross WPM equals all typed characters divided by 5, divided by the test time in minutes. Net WPM subtracts uncorrected errors per minute from gross WPM to measure accurate output.