Exact conversion
Typing speed converter
Job listings ask for keystrokes per hour, typing tests report words per minute, and transcription work quotes characters per minute. They are the same measurement in different units.
60 words per minute, 300 characters per minute, 18,000 keystrokes per hour.
- WPM
- 60
- CPM
- 300
- KPH
- 18,000
words per minute
characters per minute
keystrokes per hour
Conversions are exact because a word is defined as 5 characters: CPM = WPM × 5, and KPH = WPM × 300.
The formulas
Text-entry measurement standardises a word as 5 characters or keystrokes in English. Once word length is fixed, every conversion is exact arithmetic rather than an estimate:
- CPM = WPM × 5
- KPH = WPM × 300
- WPM = CPM ÷ 5
- WPM = KPH ÷ 300
Common speeds in all three units
| WPM | CPM | KPH | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 200 | 12,000 | The band a 1999 study described as fast. |
| 50 | 250 | 15,000 | Above the documented transcription average. |
| 60 | 300 | 18,000 | Comfortably inside the professional range of 43 to 80 WPM. |
| 70 | 350 | 21,000 | Mid professional range. |
| 80 | 400 | 24,000 | Top of the general professional range. |
| 100 | 500 | 30,000 | Matches roles that specify 80 to 95 WPM. |
| 120 | 600 | 36,000 | Above most published job requirements. |
Context notes summarise published ranges explained on the average typing speed page.
Frequently asked questions
- How do you convert WPM to CPM?
- Multiply words per minute by 5. Typing measurement defines a word as five characters, so 60 WPM is exactly 300 CPM. The conversion is not an approximation.
- How do you convert WPM to KPH?
- Multiply words per minute by 300, which is 5 characters per word times 60 minutes per hour. A 60 WPM typist produces 18,000 keystrokes per hour.
- Why is a word five characters?
- Real words vary in length, so text-entry measurement standardises a word as five characters or keystrokes in English. Fixing the word length is what makes two scores on different texts comparable.
- Should I convert gross or net WPM?
- Convert whichever figure the requirement asks for, and say which one you used. Gross speed counts every keystroke including mistakes; net speed counts only correctly typed characters. Net is the meaningful number for a job requirement.
- Do data entry jobs use WPM or KPH?
- Numeric and alphanumeric data entry roles normally state keystrokes per hour, commonly 8,000 to 10,000 KPH. Those correspond to roughly 27 and 33 WPM respectively.
Need a number to convert?
Take a timed test and the result card shows both net and gross WPM, so you know exactly which figure you are converting.