You have a 1,500-word essay due at nine o’clock. Early in the morning is when it is due. If you type 50 words per minute (WPM) you could be done in just half an hour. That’s not so bad because you’d still have time for a restful night’s sleep.
Instead, what if you type with just your two pointer fingers at a rate of 10 WPM? You would need TWO AND A HALF hours to complete the same report. That’s an extra two hours of your life that you’ve just lost!
I’ll therefore share some statistical information about the typical words per minute speed in this post.
What is An Average Typing Speed?
The average typing speed is roughly 40 WPM, though this can change dramatically depending on how you type. For those who type with just two fingers—the “hunt and peck” method—you have to look for each key as you type. The speed at which you can type up words is, regrettably, limited regardless of how quickly you move. For those using this method, the average speed is just 27 WPM.
Instead, by using all 10 fingers when typing, you can teach your fingers to press the correct keys without looking down. Additionally, you can type much more quickly by traveling shorter distances across the keyboard.
And it shows. The average touch typist using all 10 fingers types over 50 WPM, roughly twice as fast as you can go with just two fingers. Note that this is merely an average. The majority can type MUCH faster using this method.
Sean Wrona, one of the fastest typists alive today types as fast as 256 WPM. Over the course of 50 minutes, he can even maintain a pace of 174 words per minute.
What is a Good Typing Speed?
Now for a crucial query: what constitutes a good typing speed and what WPM should we aim for? We can say that the speed is good because it is above average. That’s not good if you’re a student, as the average student typing speed is about 34.44 words per minute (WPM). Over 35 WPM is considered to be a good typing speed.
However, a WPM speed of over 60 is required if you want to be a good programmer or typist. On average, we can say that a good speed is between 50 and 60 WPM. According to a Microsoft Corporation survey, many HR managers demand that their staff members have a typing speed of at least 50 words per minute. Therefore, you should aim for at least 50 WPM when getting ready for a job.
A 14-year-old girl achieves 83 WPM speed, according to our survey. That implies that students don’t necessarily need to type at a rate of 35 to 50 WPM. There is no upper limit, so keep practicing to sharpen your typing.
Which Speed Target Should You Set?
Depending on your age and your objectives, you should choose the appropriate speed. And when it comes to learning, speed isn’t everything. Accuracy development should be prioritized equally. To assist you in choosing the appropriate training objectives, refer to the following table.
When to Start Learning?
Young people with better typing abilities may achieve better academic results in school or college and receive better job offers after they graduate. 65% of people who learn how to touch type faster are under the age of 24. After the age of 25, the main reason for learning to touch type or improving touch typing abilities is to advance in one’s current position.
Motivation
Every person under the age of 18 needs to improve their touch-typing abilities, but everyone can use some practice. One of the most important skills on your resume is the average typing speed. Increase your practice time to improve your Ratatype outcomes.
How Fast Must I Type to Get a Job?
The majority of jobs do not expressly call for a certain typing speed, but this is because the most fundamental typing abilities are assumed. Thus, you should aim for a typing speed of at least 40 WPM to keep up a standard level of efficiency at work.
The standards are higher for some professions. To land a job as a personal or executive assistant, you might be required to type at least 60 words per minute. Word processors generally must be able to type in a range of 55 to 90 words per minute.
There usually isn’t a set typing speed requirement for other jobs that involve computers a lot, like programmers and journalists. However, you can bet that if you take too long to type, it will hurt your productivity. Find out more about typing jobs, in our blog article on typing as a skill in the workforce.
Find out where your typing skills stand by taking one of our typing tests. Every time you pass a test, you have access to a professional certificate that you can show to professors or prospective employers.
Before taking it, make sure to log in so you can monitor your progress. This will record your speed as well as the keys you frequently miss.
How Can I Type Faster?
It just takes practice, like most other skills. Your fingers develop muscle memory with each lesson you successfully complete. You can train your fingers to remember it on their own by repeatedly using all 10 fingers in the appropriate positions to press the keys.
You can learn where each key is without even looking down at the keyboard if you practice for just 15 minutes a day after the first few weeks. But keep in mind that learning in the proper manner is the key.
You’ll only be wasting your time if you don’t learn the proper positions. Long-term, you might even slow yourself down.
Conclusion: Improve Your Technique and Speed
Teachers and coaches will probably advise you to practice and learn more effective techniques if you want to improve your skill in almost any endeavor. Not an exception is typing. Using the aforementioned advice, you can practice typing.