Fact · Typing and writing speed
79.99words per minute
In the Vanderbilt study, standard (touch) typists averaged 79.99 words per minute.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“Overall, standard typists were faster (79.99 vs. 65.63 WPM), and more accurate (around 94% vs. 83% accuracy), compared to nonstandard typists.”
Ready, Set, Type! Touch Typists Are Faster, But Not By Much, Gordon D. Logan et al., Association for Psychological Science, summary of Logan, Ulrich and Lindsey (2016) in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 2016, Summary paragraph.
Open the original- What it measures
- Tasks in the laboratory with the keyboard covered or visible, as reported by the researchers.
- What it does not show
- Press summary of a 48-person study. Other press coverage gives different averages, so the journal article is the reference.