Is 60 WPM a good typing speed?

Yes. 60 WPM (about 300 keystrokes per minute) is well above the commonly cited adult average of around 40 WPM.

What typing speed do jobs require?

Many office and data-entry jobs ask for roughly 40–60 WPM with high accuracy. Transcription jobs often ask for more.

How does Typing Derby measure typing speed?

Correct keystrokes per minute. Wrong keys don’t count and don’t move your animal. For English and Spanish we also show WPM (keystrokes ÷ 5).

Average Typing Speed by Level and Language

For English, an average adult typist is often quoted at around 40 words per minute (WPM), which is about 200 keystrokes per minute. Office work commonly asks for 40–60 WPM, and fast typists reach 80 WPM or more. But “average” depends a lot on the language you type and how you measure it.

WPM, CPM and keystrokes per minute

WPM (words per minute) counts every 5 keystrokes as one word, so 300 keystrokes per minute ≈ 60 WPM.
CPM / KPM count characters or keystrokes per minute. Korean, Japanese and Chinese are usually measured this way.
Typing Derby counts correct keystrokes per minute for every language, and also shows WPM for English and Spanish.

Typing speed levels (reference)

Level	Korean	English	Japanese	Chinese	Spanish
Beginner	< 150	< 150 (< 30 WPM)	< 120	< 100	< 150 (< 30 WPM)
Average	150–300	150–250 (30–50 WPM)	120–200	100–180	150–250 (30–50 WPM)
Good	300–450	250–350 (50–70 WPM)	200–300	180–260	250–350 (50–70 WPM)
Fast	450–600	350–450 (70–90 WPM)	300–400	260–340	350–450 (70–90 WPM)
Expert	600+	450+ (90+ WPM)	400+	340+	450+ (90+ WPM)
100m finish pace on Typing Derby (1 min)	500	350	300	300	330

keys/min

These are rough reference ranges, not official standards. One Korean syllable takes 2–4 keystrokes, a Japanese kana about 2 romaji keys, and a Chinese character about 3 pinyin letters, which is why the numbers differ by language.

Real results on Typing Derby

We are still collecting results. This table appears once enough people have raced — be one of the first!

Why your speed differs from test to test

Text difficulty: punctuation, capitals and rare words slow everyone down.
Test length: a 1-minute sprint is usually faster than a 3-minute race, where you need stamina.
Accuracy rules: some tests let you skip mistakes; Typing Derby makes you type the correct key.

Want to move up a level? Accuracy first, then a steady rhythm.

👉 Typing practice: learn touch typing

1-minute typing test ▸

FAQ

Is 60 WPM a good typing speed?: Yes. 60 WPM (about 300 keystrokes per minute) is well above the commonly cited adult average of around 40 WPM.
What typing speed do jobs require?: Many office and data-entry jobs ask for roughly 40–60 WPM with high accuracy. Transcription jobs often ask for more.
How does Typing Derby measure typing speed?: Correct keystrokes per minute. Wrong keys don’t count and don’t move your animal. For English and Spanish we also show WPM (keystrokes ÷ 5).