Typing Tests for Job Applications
How to Prepare, What to Expect, and How to Pass
Pre-employment screening used by thousands of employers. Candidates who practice consistently outperform those who show up cold. Here's everything you need to know.
If you're applying for an office, admin, data, or remote job, there's a decent chance you'll hit a typing test before you ever get an interview. Employers love them because they take five minutes and give an instant, objective number. You either hit the threshold or you don't. The average adult types around 40 WPM, but most office roles want at least 40-55, and medical transcription can push up to 75 WPM with 98% accuracy. The gap between candidates who breeze through and those who bomb it almost always comes down to whether they practiced. This guide tells you which jobs require a test, what the test actually looks like, how your score gets calculated, and what to do in the days before your application to make sure you hit your number.
Which Jobs Require a Typing Test?
More jobs require a typing test than most people expect. Data entry and admin are the obvious ones, and they've had this requirement for decades. But it's spread. Remote work pushed things along because companies can't watch you at a desk anymore, so your output is your productivity. Government and civil service jobs frequently list 40–50 WPM as a basic clerical requirement. Any role where you're producing written work all day, filling forms, or handling tickets is fair game.
See the full WPM requirements by job role for a more detailed breakdown. The categories below are where you'll most commonly run into a test.
High-volume form and record input. Lots of these roles measure keystrokes per hour (KPH) instead of WPM; the conversion is WPM x 300, so 45 WPM is 13,500 KPH. 10-key numeric roles run a separate test, typically 8,000–10,000 KPH. Speed is the main thing here.
Correspondence, scheduling, document work. The test is almost always prose-based and 95% accuracy is non-negotiable. Showing up at 42 WPM with 94% accuracy will fail you even if the WPM minimum is 40.
Legal secretaries and transcription roles sit at the higher end of the range. The stakes are obvious; a typo in a legal document isn't just embarrassing. Many law firms post 65+ WPM as their minimum.
Entry-level roles typically need 55–65 WPM; more experienced positions push to 70–75+. It's less about raw speed and more about accuracy through unfamiliar terminology. One wrong word in a patient record is a serious problem.
Live chat and ticketing work doesn't require the highest speeds, but you need to hold your pace across a whole shift. A slow response in live chat loses the customer.
Remote-first companies can measure output directly, so many now set higher bars than the equivalent in-office role. Written communication is your entire presence. Thresholds keep creeping up.
What Happens During a Pre-Employment Typing Test?
The format is almost always the same. You get a block of text, usually a short paragraph or two to four sentences, and you retype it exactly within a time limit. The timer starts when you start typing. When it ends, you get a WPM number and an accuracy percentage. That's it.
There are two main formats. Text-based tests give you a passage of prose to copy. Those are standard for admin and support roles and test general typing fluency. Forms-based data entry tests show you a source document alongside a form with separate fields; you're transcribing numbers, names, dates, and codes into the right boxes. These turn up in data entry, insurance processing, and back-office work, and they require you to practice data entry typing specifically because copying prose and filling in structured forms use your attention differently.
Duration is usually 1 to 5 minutes. One-minute tests capture your peak speed, which is why candidates often score higher on them. Three-minute tests are the most common for office roles because they give a more honest average. Five-minute tests are standard for transcription and data entry positions where the real question is whether your accuracy holds up when you get tired.
Platforms vary, but the mechanics don't. Whether you're using SHL, Criteria, TestGorilla, eSkill, or a company's own in-house system, you're typing displayed text in a browser with no autocorrect. That's why practicing in a timed browser-based typing test is the best prep you can do. The keyboard, the no-autocorrect environment, the countdown pressure: get used to all of it before the actual day.
How Employers Score Typing Tests
Knowing how your score gets calculated changes how you approach the test. WPM is simple: total characters typed divided by five (the standard word length), divided by minutes elapsed. But there are two WPM numbers, and only one of them matters.
Raw Speed (Gross WPM)
Every character you typed, counted up, divided by five, divided by time. Errors included. This is your ceiling speed and it's useful to know, but it's not what employers look at.
Net WPM: What Employers Actually Count
Gross WPM minus one point for each uncorrected error. This is the number on your results. This is what decides whether you pass.
The 95% Accuracy Rule
Most employers require 95% accuracy minimum, alongside whatever the WPM requirement is. On some platforms, dropping below it is an automatic disqualification. Your speed doesn't save you.
What Passing a Typing Test Means
You need to hit both numbers at once. Some roles use it as a simple pass/fail gate; others rank candidates by score. Either way, higher gives you more room.
The thing most people miss: if you're making a lot of errors, your net WPM can drop far below your gross WPM, and you can fail the accuracy threshold at the same time. Work on accuracy drills before you chase speed. This is especially true if you're currently sitting around 60–70% accuracy.
How to Prepare for a Job Typing Test
Most candidates skip this part. They figure they type every day, so they'll be fine. They're not fine. Showing up cold to a timed test in a bare browser with no autocorrect is a genuinely different experience from typing emails at your usual pace. Here's how to actually prepare.
Know Your Current Typing Speed Baseline
Before you do anything else, take a free typing speed test and get an honest number. Don't take one test and go with your best guess; run three to five and average them. Your worst score is more useful than your best. The average adult types around 40 WPM, and most office roles need at least that to qualify.
Practice in Real Pre-Employment Test Conditions
Timed. Browser-based. No autocorrect. No backspace habit. If you rely on autocorrect catching your typos, the test will surprise you. It won't fix anything. Practice with a countdown timer running so the pressure feels normal when it counts.
Use Work-Relevant Text, Not Random Generators
Random words are good for warming up but won't prepare you for a prose test. Practice typing office correspondence, formal paragraphs, and policy-style text. If it's a data entry role, use the data entry typing test that mixes numbers, names, codes, and alphanumeric strings. The two types of tests use your attention differently.
Target Typing Accuracy Before Chasing WPM
If your accuracy is below 95%, slow down and fix that first. A 55 WPM result with 97% accuracy beats a 65 WPM result with 88% accuracy on net-WPM scoring. Speed without accuracy will fail you. Work through accuracy drills until 95% is consistent across at least five tests in a row.
Build Typing Consistency Across Multiple Sessions
One good practice run doesn't mean you'll repeat it under pressure. Track your last ten scores. If your best and worst are more than 10–12 WPM apart, you're not consistent enough yet. The employer sees exactly one result.
Match the Specific Format Your Role Uses
Check whether your role uses prose or alphanumeric data entry, then practice that format specifically. Some data entry jobs also measure KPH rather than WPM. And if you're still a hunt-and-peck typist, start on touch typing at least two weeks before your assessment date. You won't learn it overnight, but two weeks of daily practice makes a real difference.
WPM Targets to Aim for Before Your Test
Don't just aim for the minimum. Hitting 40 WPM when the minimum is 40 WPM puts you at the bottom of the pile. For popular remote roles, dozens of applicants hit the threshold. Aim for the "preferred" column and you stand out. Check the full WPM requirements by job role if you want a more detailed breakdown by title.
| Role Type | Minimum WPM | Preferred WPM | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Admin / Office | 40 | 55+ | 95% |
| Data Entry | 45 | 65+ | 97% |
| Customer Support / Live Chat | 35 | 50+ | 95% |
| Legal Secretary / Paralegal | 60 | 75+ | 98% |
| Medical Transcription | 55 | 75+ | 98% |
| Remote Work (General) | 45 | 60+ | 96% |
| Virtual Assistant | 50 | 65+ | 96% |
What to Do If You Fail a Typing Test
Failing a typing test feels worse than it is. Your score reflects where you are today, not where you're stuck. Typing speed responds fast to practice; most people see real gains in two to four weeks. Here's what to do.
Diagnose Speed vs. Accuracy Before You Practice
First, figure out which one actually failed. Run several practice tests and check your numbers. If your gross WPM is close to the threshold but accuracy is tanking your net WPM, that's a different problem than being too slow. Fixing the wrong thing wastes time.
Ask the Employer About Their Retake Policy
Many employers allow retakes. The wait can range from 24 hours to 30 days. Just ask the recruiter directly; they'll usually tell you. And don't re-apply immediately if there's a waiting period. Use the time to actually practice, not just hope the number goes up on its own.
Practice Daily for Two to Four Weeks
Short daily sessions beat occasional long ones every time. Twenty to thirty minutes, five days a week, and you'll see measurable gains within two weeks. Track your scores so you can see the trend. Most people pick up 5–10 WPM in three to four weeks of structured practice with the Type to Promote typing speed game and accuracy drills combined.
Don't Stop Applying to Other Roles
One failed test with one employer doesn't close everything. Keep applying while you build your speed. A role that requires 40 WPM might be open right now while you work toward the 60 WPM a different position needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
The WPM benchmarks on this page are based on published role requirements from job postings, occupational standards referenced in the O*NET OnLine database, and data compiled from HR professionals and recruitment platforms. Typing speed ranges represent the minimum and preferred thresholds most commonly cited for each role category across the United States and United Kingdom. Updated March 2026.
Every session builds the speed and accuracy you need to pass your typing test. Start with a free game or go straight into a structured data entry practice test.