Yes, 120 words per minute (WPM) is considered extremely fast and expert-level for typing, far above the average of around 40 WPM, placing you in the top tier for productivity and competitive speed. While some professionals and gamers can exceed this, it's a highly advanced skill that demonstrates exceptional speed and accuracy.
It is essential in public speaking, presentations, and communication because it affects how well an audience understands and retains the information presented. There are three variations in speech rate: slow pace (around 100-120 WPM), normal pace (around 130-160 WPM), and fast pace (around 170-200 WPM).
A good reading speed by age is about 60-120 WPM for ages 6 to 9, 120-180 for ages 9 to 12, and 170-200 WPM for ages 12 to 14.
Grade-Level Reading Rate Benchmarks
End of 2nd–3rd Grade (L–M–N): 90–120 WPM. End of 3rd Grade (N–O–P): 100–140 WPM. End of 4th Grade (Q–R–S): 120–160 WPM. End of 5th Grade (T–U–V): 140–180 WPM.
The average reading speed typically ranges between 250 and 300 words per minute (WPM). Many experts agree that those who read fewer than 200 words per minute are considered slow readers.
Throughout the upper primary years, fluency should typically reach around 100-120 wcpm and higher again in secondary school. Skilled adult readers read at approximately 180 wcpm, depending on the text (higher for fiction and lower for non-fiction, on average).
While training dropout rates are very high—in some cases only 10% or even fewer graduate—stenotype students are usually able to reach speeds of 100–120 wpm within six months, which is faster than most alphanumeric typists.
Less than 5% of typists can type 100 WPM on average.
Reading Speed: John F. Kennedy could read 1,200 words a minute. In 1954-1955 he attended meetings at the Foundation for Better Reading in Baltimore.
Pace of speech refers to how many words you speak per minute (wpm). A typical conversational pace ranges from 120 to 150 wpm. However, public speaking often benefits from a slightly slower rate—around 100 to 120 wpm—allowing your audience time to process ideas, take notes, or react emotionally.
Think of it like a traffic light system for your conversations. The 3 seconds of listening is your red light - full stop, complete attention. The 2 seconds of processing is your yellow light - prepare and organize your thoughts. The 1 second to respond is your green light - go ahead with confidence!
It's calculated in words per minute (WPM). A good typing speed in the workplace is around 40 to 60 WPM. Roles involving more typing, such as data entry or transcription, usually require employees to have a higher average speed – around 60 to 90 WPM.
There's quite a range between slow, average, and fast typing speeds. A slow typing speed is below 20 WPM. An average typing speed is around 40 WPM, 80 WPM is considered excellent, and 120 WPM is quite advanced.
To put this in perspective, remember that 40 WPM is the average typing speed for most people. At 300 WPM, Rocket is well over seven times as fast. Faster, even, than most courtroom stenographers, who use specialized keyboards and phonetic shorthand to achieve speeds of around 225 WPM.
Seniors aged 65 and above type at an average speed of just 25–30 words per minute (wpm). In comparison, young adults between 18 and 30 years old type at an average speed of 60–80 wpm.
If typing skills are important enough to a role that an employer requires you to pass a typing test, chances are they're looking for an average WPM of at least 60. Above 70 WPM is considered advanced, and only 1% of typists score above 100 WPM.
In summary, typing at elite speeds of up to 200 WPM is achievable with the right approach. Take inspiration from these insights and recommendations, and remember that consistent practice, focus on accuracy, and gradual skill refinement will lead you to success.
Below 20 WPM: This is considered a very slow typing speed. It may indicate a need for significant improvement. 20-40 WPM: This range is below the average typing speed but still functional for most basic tasks. 40-60 WPM: Falling into this range demonstrates proficiency in typing.
Children have poor text reading fluency if they read many words of a passage incorrectly, if they read text slowly and with obvious effort, or if they read in a stilted or robotic way.
It means that you can have conversations at an advanced level and have a firm understanding of the language, though you may have some misunderstandings or occasional mistakes. 5 - Primary fluency / bilingual proficiency. Level five means you are entirely fluent in a language.
The normal reading rate (from slow to very fast) is 100 – 400 words per minute. Speed reading means reading faster than this normal range without losing comprehension. Speed readers read as much as 400 – 700 words per minute, with some speedsters reaching 1,000 words per minute.