Average typing speed: compare WPM fairly

Calculate your own average WPM

Add the WPM scores from comparable tests and divide by the number of tests. For example, scores of 50, 55 and 60 WPM have a mean of 55 WPM: (50 + 55 + 60) ÷ 3. These are worked examples, not Caret user statistics.

The median is the middle score after sorting. For 50, 55 and 90 WPM, the median is 55 WPM while the mean is 65 WPM. An unusually fast run changes the mean more than the median. Record accuracy too, so you can tell whether a higher speed came with more errors.

Keep the comparison consistent

• Use the same language, test mode and duration.
• Keep punctuation, numbers and difficulty settings unchanged.
• Compare fresh text rather than repeatedly memorized text.
• Compare several sessions instead of only your highest result.

If you combine tests of different lengths, the mean of their WPM scores weights every test equally. A combined character rate instead divides all counted characters by five and by total elapsed minutes. Those answer different questions; label the method you use.

Why leaderboards do not establish a population average

Caret's all-time speed boards rank personal bests for specific test settings. Its speed histogram is built from those ranked records, not every completed test or a representative sample of all typists. It cannot establish the average typing speed of the general population.

Use the Caret leaderboards to explore ranked performances. Use your own result history to track practice. Caret does not publish a population-wide average WPM here; such a claim would need a documented sample, collection period, filtering rules and calculation method.