Typing Speed Milestones: From 20 to 100 WPM
What each WPM tier feels like and how to break through the plateaus that stall most learners between 40 and 60 WPM.
Cheetah Typing Team
The Cheetah Typing team writes practical, research-backed guides to help you type faster and more accurately.
Speed is not a single number — it is a series of plateaus. Knowing what each tier feels like helps you push through the stuck ones.
20–40 WPM: the beginner band
You can get thoughts down, but you are still hunting for keys. The win here is committing to touch typing and the home row.
40–60 WPM: the comfort plateau
This is where most people stop. It feels fine, so motivation drops. Breaking through means deliberate speed drills and fixing weak keys rather than comfortable practice.
60–80 WPM: proficient
Typing no longer slows you down. Reaching this tier is mostly about consistency and accuracy under time pressure.
80–100+ WPM: expert
At this level typing is invisible — your hands keep up with your mind. Few reach it, but the path is the same daily practice that got you here.
Put this into practice
Take a free typing test or jump into a lesson to apply what you just read.