Typing Speed Requirements by Job

Most job listings that mention typing speed are asking for something the average person already has. A few ask for considerably more. The thresholds below are based on commonly advertised requirements in job postings.

For context: a 2018 study of 168,000 typists by researchers at Aalto University found the average typing speed is 52 words per minute (WPM).

General office and administrative work: 40 to 60 WPM

The most commonly listed threshold for office roles is 40 WPM, with many listings specifying 50 to 60 WPM for positions that involve significant document production. At the average typing speed of 52 WPM, most people meet this requirement without preparation.

Accuracy matters as much as speed here. A typist at 60 WPM with 95% accuracy is more useful than one at 70 WPM who produces output that needs heavy correction.

Data entry: 45 to 80 WPM

Data entry roles vary considerably. Basic data entry (entering structured information into forms or spreadsheets) typically requires 45 to 60 WPM. High-volume positions where speed directly determines output often list 70 to 80 WPM. Some specialised roles require numeric keypad proficiency separately from prose typing speed.

Customer service and support: 35 to 55 WPM

Live chat support roles typically require 40 to 55 WPM, since agents are composing responses in real time while reading customer messages. Phone-based customer service has lower thresholds, since typing is secondary to the conversation, but note-taking speed still matters.

Legal secretary and paralegal: 70 to 80 WPM

Legal work involves high document volume and precise formatting. Legal secretary positions commonly list 70 to 80 WPM as a minimum, with some firms requiring 90 WPM for dictation-heavy roles. Accuracy requirements are strict; errors in legal documents carry real consequences.

Transcription: 75 to 100 WPM

General transcription roles typically require 75 WPM minimum, with medical and legal transcription listing 80 to 100 WPM. The work involves listening to audio and producing accurate text in real time; the faster the source material, the faster you need to type to keep up without pausing repeatedly.

Medical transcription carries additional demands: specialised vocabulary, precise formatting, and turnaround time requirements. Many positions also test accuracy separately from raw speed.

Software development: no standard requirement

Typing speed is rarely listed as a requirement for programming roles, and for good reason: most of the time spent writing software is spent thinking, not typing. Code is also shorter and more structured than prose; a productive day of programming might produce a few hundred lines.

Faster typists do spend less time on mechanical tasks (translating thought into code, writing documentation, composing technical emails) and that compounds over time. 60 WPM is generally enough for comfortable software work; above that, the gains are marginal.

Getting there

Research by Pinet et al. (2022) found that total accumulated typing exposure, not drilling, is the strongest predictor of speed. Longer sessions on natural text beat short runs on synthetic word lists, because volume is what moves the number.

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References