What is an average typing speed in WPM?

A typing speed of 40 words per minute is considered average in 2014 according to Learn 2 Type, while Wikipedia says that the average was 33 words per minute in 1998. These averages are based on typical computer users, as professionals usually have higher average speeds.

Professional typists often type much faster than typical computer users, with speeds between 50 and 80 words per minute being common. The fastest typist in the world is professional writer Barbara Blackburn, whose record was 212 words per minute in 2005. Famous physicist Stephen Hawking types using a modified switch that records eye blinks and reaches speeds of 15 words per minute typing without the use of his hands.