What is the average shorthand words per minute?

The average shorthand words per minute count is 225. This is the average that modern shorthand or stenographer classes require to allow students to graduate.

Traditional written shorthand is not as fast as someone using a stenotype keyboard. These keyboards are now the most common method of shorthand and are used in courts and law offices to keep notes of meetings and trials. Most classes that teach shorthand via stenography classes last around 36 months. The average student sees a speed of around 100 words per minute in the first six to eight months. Students who excel at his method of typing and note taking can achieve the average words per minute in as little as 18 months.