What is WPM (Words Per Minute) and How is it Calculated?

If you've ever taken a typing test, you've seen the acronym WPM. It stands for "Words Per Minute," and it's the standard measurement of typing speed. But what does it actually mean, and how is it calculated? The definition is a bit more standardized than you might think.

What Counts as a "Word"?

The first point of confusion for many is the definition of a "word." If you type "I" and then you type "establishment," have you typed two words? In English, yes. But for the purpose of a standardized typing test, that's not a fair comparison.

In the context of WPM calculation, a "word" is defined as **five keystrokes**, including spaces and punctuation.

This standardization is crucial. It ensures that your WPM score is comparable to others, regardless of the complexity or length of the words in the test passage. The phrase "I love cats" (12 keystrokes) and "cats love me" (12 keystrokes) would result in the same character count and therefore the same WPM, even though the word lengths are different.

The WPM Calculation Formula

The formula for calculating WPM is straightforward. There are two main types:

• Gross WPM: This measures your raw typing speed without accounting for errors.

  (Total Keystrokes / 5) / Time in Minutes = Gross WPM

  For example, if you typed 400 characters in 1 minute, your Gross WPM would be (400 / 5) / 1 = 80 WPM.

• Net WPM (or Corrected WPM): This is the more accurate and commonly used metric. It subtracts any errors you made, giving a true reflection of your usable typing speed.

  ((Total Keystrokes / 5) - Uncorrected Errors) / Time in Minutes = Net WPM

  Most modern typing tests, like our Typing Master, calculate this by counting the number of correctly typed characters rather than subtracting errors, which achieves the same result. The formula looks like this:

  (Correctly Typed Characters / 5) / Time in Minutes = Net WPM

Why Accuracy Matters Just as Much as Speed

Your Net WPM score highlights the critical relationship between speed and accuracy. Typing very fast but making many mistakes will result in a low Net WPM, because the time it takes to go back and fix those errors negates the initial speed. A person who types slightly slower but more accurately will often have a higher and more effective WPM.

This is why most typing tutors display both your WPM and your accuracy percentage. Aiming for an accuracy of 95% or higher is a great goal. As your accuracy becomes second nature, your speed will increase naturally.

What's a Good WPM Score?

• ~40 WPM: The average typing speed.
• 60-70 WPM: A good speed for most office and administrative jobs.
• 80-100+ WPM: Considered a very fast, professional-level typing speed, common for transcriptionists, journalists, and programmers.

Conclusion

WPM is more than just a number; it's a standardized measure of a crucial modern skill. By understanding that it's based on five-keystroke "words" and that it values accuracy as much as speed, you can better interpret your test results and focus your practice on what really matters: becoming a more efficient and accurate typist.