The Importance of Tracking Your WPM

The number of words you can type per minute, referred to as your wpm, is a key factor in determining how quickly and efficiently you work. It’s why many employers require a typing test as part of the hiring process and why people who enjoy writing often track their wpm for personal improvement.

When measuring your WPM, there are two components: gross and net. Gross WPM measures the total number of words you type in a minute, without considering your error rate. A word is defined as a group of five keystrokes, including white space, so the phrase “I eat” counts as one word, whereas the word “rhinoceros” would count as two words.

Your net WPM takes into account how many errors you make when typing. Typically, the more mistakes you make, the lower your net WPM will be. This is because the corrections to your typos slow down your typing speed. To calculate your net WPM, you subtract the number of mistakes from the number of words typed in a minute.

A good average typing speed falls within the 40 to 60 WPM range. This demonstrates proficiency for most roles that involve significant typing, such as secretarial or data entry positions. However, roles such as transcription or coding may require higher WPM speeds. Regardless of the industry, a high typing speed provides a competitive advantage when it comes to productivity and efficiency. wpm