Typing Speed Calculator
Gross and net words per minute from a timed passage, with accuracy and characters per minute.
Results
What this tool does
Net speed is the figure that matters, because a fast typist who has to go back and fix everything is not fast. The usual penalty is one word deducted per uncorrected error. Around 40 wpm is average for an adult, 65 to 75 is a confident office pace, and above 100 is professional transcription territory.
Formula
PPM gross = (characters ÷ 5) ÷ minutes ; net = gross − errors ÷ minutes
Variables
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit |
|---|---|---|
ch | Characters | — |
mn | Minutes | min |
er | Uncorrected errors | — |
NW | Net words per minute | wpm |
GW | Gross words per minute | wpm |
AC | Accuracy | % |
CP | Characters per minute | cpm |
HR | Words | — |
Worked example
- Characters1450
- Minutes5 min
- Uncorrected errors12
- Net words per minute55.60 wpm
- Gross words per minute58.00 wpm
- Accuracy99.172 %
- Characters per minute290.0 cpm
- Words3336
Limitations
- The result is an estimate based only on the values you type. Real situations often include factors this calculator does not know about.
- For work that must comply with a standard or be signed off, check the result against the applicable code and have it reviewed by a qualified engineer.
Frequently asked questions
Why is a word counted as five characters?
Because words vary in length and typing tests need a fixed unit to be comparable. The convention, in use since mechanical typewriter tests, is that one word equals five keystrokes including the space. It means a passage of short words and one of long words score the same for the same physical effort, which is what the test is measuring.