US Typing Tests for Jobs and Government Exams
By Abhishek · Reviewed by The Ai-TypingTest Editorial Team · Last reviewed
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40 WPM · 5 min · Copy
Take this test →Every United States test on this site
| Test | Speed | Duration | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Typing Test | 40 WPM | 5 minutes | Copy typing from a passage |
| Civil Service Typing Test | Typically 35–45 WPM; 40 WPM is common | Usually 5 minutes | Copy typing; some add a keyboarding or data-entry section |
| California Typing Test | 40 WPM minimum | 5 minutes | Proctored copy test (in person or virtual) |
| 911 Dispatcher Typing Test | Typically 35–45 net WPM (agency-set) | Often 1–5 minutes | Copy typing and/or listening to audio while typing |
| CritiCall Typing Test | Agency-set; typically 35–45 WPM for keyboarding | Each module is short; the full battery takes longer | Computer-based: keyboarding, data entry, listening, multitasking |
| 10-Key Typing Test | Typically 8,000–12,000+ KPH (≈ 27–40 WPM) | Often 2–5 minutes | Numbers (sometimes decimals and operators) typed on the keypad, Enter after each |
| Data Entry Test | Typically 40–45 WPM, or 8,000–10,000+ KPH | Usually 3–5 minutes | Form entry from a source document (alphanumeric) |
| Transcription Typing Test | Typically 65–80+ WPM | 5–10 minutes of audio, or a short file | Audio transcription (verbatim or clean verbatim) |
| Medical Transcription Typing Test | Typically 45–60 WPM (admin); higher for transcriptionists | 1–5 minutes, or a dictation file | Copy typing of clinical text, or dictation |
| Legal Typing Test | Typically 50–70 WPM | Usually 3–5 minutes, or a dictation file | Copy typing of legal text; audio dictation for secretaries |
| Prove It Typing Test | Agency-set; commonly 35–50 net WPM | Short timed tests, often 1–5 minutes | Onscreen copy typing |
| Criteria Typing Test | Employer-set cut-off on adjusted WPM | 1 minute of typing (2 minutes including instructions) | Copy typing from a passage |
| TestGorilla Typing Test | Employer-set | Short; the 10-key test is 2 minutes | Onscreen copy typing; numeric keypad entry |
| Indeed Typing Test | Employer-set; 35–50 WPM is typical for office roles | Typically 1–3 minutes | Onscreen copy typing |
| Live Chat Typing Test | Typically 50–70 WPM | Usually 1–5 minutes (employer-set) | Copy typing of chat-style replies; sometimes a written role-play |
| Virtual Assistant Typing Test | Typically 45–60 WPM | Usually 1–5 minutes (employer-set) | Copy typing of emails and notes; sometimes data entry |
| Receptionist Typing Test | Typically 35–45 WPM | Usually 1–5 minutes (employer-set) | Copy typing; sometimes data entry of appointments |
| Admin Assistant Typing Test | Typically 40–60 WPM | Usually 1–5 minutes (employer-set) | Copy typing; often plus Word, Excel or data entry |
| Paralegal Typing Test | Typically 45–60 WPM | Usually 1–5 minutes (employer-set) | Copy typing of legal text |
| Keyboarding Test for Students | School-set goals; commonly ~15–25 WPM (grades 3–5) to 30–40 WPM (middle school) | 1–3 minutes | Copy typing |
United States typing requirements by job
Sort or filter the table to find your role. “Official / published” rows link to the source; “Typical range” rows reflect common job-posting language and must be checked against the posting.
| Duration | Errors | Basis | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal clerk / office automation (USAJOBS) | 40 WPM | 5 min | ≤ 3 | Copy | Official / published |
| Federal secretary (OA), GS-0318 | 40 WPM | 5 min | ≤ 3 | Copy | Official / published |
| California state Office Assistant (Typing)Certificate valid 4 years | 40 WPM | 5 min, proctored | Net WPM | Copy | Official / published |
| State / county clerk-typist | 35–45 WPM | Usually 5 min | Net WPM | Copy | Typical range |
| 911 dispatcher / call-takerOften with CritiCall | 35–45 WPM | 1–5 min | Accuracy floor | Copy + audio | Typical range |
| 10-key / numeric data entry | 8,000–12,000 KPH | 2–5 min | Net KPH | 10-key | Typical range |
| Data entry clerk | 40–45 WPM | 3–5 min | Field accuracy | Copy + data entry | Typical range |
| Administrative assistant | 40–60 WPM | 3–5 min | ~95% accuracy | Copy | Typical range |
| Executive assistant | 55–65 WPM | 3–5 min | ~95% accuracy | Copy | Typical range |
| Receptionist | 35–45 WPM | 1–5 min | Net WPM | Copy | Typical range |
| Live chat / remote support agent | 50–70 WPM | 1–3 min | ~95% accuracy | Copy | Typical range |
| Virtual assistant | 45–60 WPM | 1–5 min | High accuracy | Copy | Typical range |
| General transcriptionist | 65–80 WPM | Audio file | 98%+ accuracy | Audio | Typical range |
| Healthcare admin / medical office | 45–60 WPM | 1–5 min | 90%+ accuracy | Copy | Typical range |
| Legal assistant / secretary | 50–70 WPM | 3–5 min | 95–98% accuracy | Copy + audio | Typical range |
| Paralegal | 45–60 WPM | 3–5 min | High accuracy | Copy | Typical range |
| Court reporter (stenotype, NCRA RPR)Stenotype, not QWERTY | 180–225 WPM | 3 × 5 min | 95% accuracy | Audio | Official / published |
| Staffing agency office placement (Prove It-style) | 35–50 WPM | 1–5 min | Net WPM | Copy | Typical range |
Government typing tests
Federal: USAJOBS announcements that require a “qualified typist” use one standard — 40 WPM on a five-minute sample with three or fewer errors. Practise with the federal typing test.
State, county and city: each civil service system sets its own rule, usually a five-minute test at 35–45 net WPM. California is the strictest about evidence: CalHR only accepts certificates from proctored five-minute tests at 40+ WPM, issued in the last four years. See the civil service and California pages.
Public-safety typing tests
911 dispatchers and call-takers are tested on typing while listening, usually inside a battery such as CritiCall. Expect 35–45 WPM plus data-entry accuracy on addresses, phone numbers and plates. Practise with the 911 dispatcher test and the CritiCall-style practice.
Data entry and 10-key
US employers test numeric data entry in keystrokes per hour (KPH) on the numeric keypad. Around 10,000–12,000 KPH is job-ready for most roles. The 10-key test and form-entry data test score the same way.
Pre-employment platforms
Staffing agencies and employers send typing tests through platforms such as Prove It, Criteria and TestGorilla. Formats differ — Criteria uses one minute and subtracts errors from WPM — so practise the one you were sent. See pre-employment typing tests.
American keyboards and spelling
US tests use the ANSI keyboard (a wide, one-row Enter key, @ on Shift+2, " on Shift+') and American spelling — color, organize, center. Practising on British text costs errors on a US test. All US pages on this site use American passages with dollar amounts and US dates.
Unproctored practice vs. proctored tests
Results here are practice scores. Employers that require proof — California state jobs, many federal and civil-service posts — want a proctored test or their own assessment. Our certificate is clearly labeled unproctored.
Want passages in local spelling? The United States typing test has American spelling and examples.
Where your speed stands
Around 40 WPM is a common adult average; 60–70 WPM is comfortably above it, and 80+ is professional range. Use the table to see which roles a given speed opens up — then check the posting.
| Net WPM | Typically enough for |
|---|---|
| 25–35 | Emergency call handling (with accuracy on details), some reception roles |
| 35–45 | Clerk-typist, government clerical standards (e.g. 40 WPM), most reception and support roles |
| 45–60 | Admin and executive support, live chat, medical and legal admin |
| 60–80 | Medical and legal secretaries, transcription, high-volume chat |
| 80+ | Professional transcription and captioning (on QWERTY) |
Not sure where you are? Take the 5-minute test — most employer tests are three to five minutes — or see what percentile your WPM is.
How typing tests are scored
Almost every employer test reports net words per minute: correctly typed characters ÷ 5 ÷ minutes. Some subtract errors from gross speed instead (Criteria-style adjusted WPM), some cap the number of errors (the US federal standard allows 3 in 5 minutes), and some allow more errors at higher speeds (the Canadian 5-minute table). Numeric tests use keystrokes per hour, where 1 WPM = 300 KPH. Accuracy is the share of keystrokes that were right first time; most employers that state one want 95% or better. The full formulas are on our methodology page.
A practice score here is unproctored. It tells you whether you are ready; it is not proof an employer has to accept. Where a job needs proof, it will either test you itself or name the kind of certificate it accepts.
Frequently asked questions
Federal qualified-typist jobs need 40 WPM over 5 minutes with 3 or fewer errors. State and local jobs typically need 35–45 net WPM; California needs a proctored 40 WPM certificate.
No. Each employer or agency sets its own test and standard.
40–50 WPM with 95%+ accuracy meets most postings; executive assistants and transcription need more.
Some do informally, but government employers usually require proctored tests or their own assessment.
In keystrokes per hour (KPH). 10,000–12,000 KPH is job-ready for most data entry.
Court reporting — NCRA's RPR requires 180–225 WPM on a stenotype machine. On a normal keyboard, transcription roles at 65–80+ WPM are the toughest.
Sources
- Clerk (Office Automation), GS-0303 — 40 WPM, five-minute sample — USAJOBS (checked October 18, 2026)
- Secretary (Office Automation), GS-0318 — qualified typist requirement — USAJOBS (checked October 18, 2026)
- Typing certification — CalHR requirements — CalCareers (CalHR) (checked October 18, 2026)
- Typing tests — format and scores (WPM, errors, adjusted WPM) — Criteria Corp help centre (checked October 18, 2026)
- 10-key typing (decimals and operators) test — TestGorilla (checked October 18, 2026)
- Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) — skills test speeds — National Court Reporters Association (checked October 18, 2026)