Medical coders assign codes to diagnoses and procedures. They type alphanumeric codes and short notes, so number-row accuracy matters.
| Level | Speed |
|---|---|
| Typical minimum | 35 WPM |
| Competitive | 50+ WPM |
| Target accuracy | 95% or higher |
What you will type
Alphanumeric codes, short descriptions and patient identifiers.
Tips
- Practice the numbers test for alphanumeric codes.
- Accuracy is everything, wrong codes affect billing and records.
- Learn to type codes without looking at the keyboard.
An orange pace caret moves at 35 WPM so you can see whether you are on track. Change it in Settings.
At 50 WPM you also meet typical requirements for
Data Entry, Programmers, Virtual Assistants, Customer Service, Call Center Agents, Administrative Assistants.
What 35 WPM and 50 WPM look like at work
How long everyday writing tasks take at the minimum speed employers ask for compared with a competitive speed:
| Task | Words | At 35 WPM | At 50 WPM |
|---|---|---|---|
| A short email | 120 | 3 minutes 26 seconds | 2 minutes 24 seconds |
| A cover letter | 350 | 10 minutes | 7 minutes |
| A one-page memo | 500 | 14 minutes | 10 minutes |
| A 1,000-word article | 1,000 | 28 minutes | 20 minutes |
| A 5-page school essay (double-spaced) | 1,250 | 35 minutes | 25 minutes |
| A 2,000-word report | 2,000 | 57 minutes | 40 minutes |
| A 10-page paper (double-spaced) | 2,500 | 1 hour 11 minutes | 50 minutes |
| A 50,000-word novel draft | 50,000 | 23 hours 48 minutes | 16 hours 40 minutes |
How employers test typing speed
- Format. Most pre-employment tests last 1 to 5 minutes and use paragraphs of business text rather than random words.
- Scoring. Employers usually look at net WPM and accuracy together. Many expect 95% accuracy or better, and some deduct for every uncorrected error.
- Where it happens. Often online through a staffing agency or assessment platform, sometimes in person on an unfamiliar keyboard.
- Proof. Some employers accept a certificate from a self-administered test. Ours carries a signed verification link; see verify a certificate.
How to put typing speed on your resume
Add it under Skills with the test type, for example: "Typing: 50 WPM, 98% accuracy (5-minute test)". Only list a speed you can reproduce on the employer's own test. Read typing speed on your resume.
A plan to reach 50 WPM
| Week | Daily routine (15 minutes) | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 min common words, 5 min weak keys, one 1-minute test | 96%+ accuracy every test |
| 2 | 5 min letter pairs, 5 min punctuation, one 3-minute test | 38 WPM average |
| 3 | Pace caret set 5 WPM above your average, two 1-minute tests | Keep up with the pace caret |
| 4 | One 5-minute test, weak keys, sentences drill | 43 WPM average, consistency above 75% |
Where 35 WPM ranks
35 WPM is faster than 21% of typists, and 50 WPM is faster than 47%. See all bands below.
| Grade | Speed | Faster than | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 0 to 29 WPM | 0.5% of typists | Usually looking at the keys or typing with two to four fingers. Touch typing lessons give the biggest gains here. |
| Below average | 30 to 44 WPM | 14% of typists | Comfortable for messages and short emails. A few weeks of daily practice usually moves people into the average band. |
| Average | 45 to 59 WPM | 37% of typists | The speed of a typical computer user. Meets most office requirements, including the 40 WPM federal clerk-typist standard. |
| Above average | 60 to 74 WPM | 66% of typists | Faster than about two thirds of typists. Meets typical requirements for data entry, chat support and most administrative roles. |
| Fast | 75 to 89 WPM | 88% of typists | Faster than about 9 in 10 typists. Competitive for transcription, legal and executive assistant roles. |
| Expert | 90 to 119 WPM | 97% of typists | Fewer than 3 in 100 typists reach this band. Speed is no longer the limit for any common job. |
| Elite | 120+ WPM | more than 99.9% of typists | Competition-level typing. Very few people ever sustain this speed on varied text. |
Every way to practice on Typeri
| Mode | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Time | Random common words for 15 seconds to 10 minutes, or any custom length | Benchmarks and stamina |
| Words | A fixed number of words, 10 to 200 or custom | Quick, repeatable checks |
| Quote | Real sentences in short, medium or long passages | Everyday writing speed |
| Zen | Type anything you like with no target text; Shift + Enter to finish | Warm-ups and free writing |
| Custom | Paste any text: a speech, an article or job vocabulary | Practicing exactly what you type at work |
| Code | Real code in 17 programming languages with auto-indent | Programmers |
| 10-key | Numeric keypad drills scored in keystrokes per hour | Data entry and accounting |
Add punctuation or numbers to time and words tests, switch between 12 languages, and open the settings to change text size, show an on-screen keyboard, add a pace caret or stop on errors.
More questions
How many words is a typing test for medical coders? At the average speed of 52 WPM you will type about 52 words. At 40 WPM about 40 words, and at 80 WPM about 80 words.
How accurate is the typing test for medical coders? It counts only correctly typed characters and uses the standard five-characters-per-word formula, the same method employers and typing schools use. For a reliable number, take the test three times and average the results.
Why is my score lower than on other sites? Many sites report raw speed or round up. Typeri reports net speed, so uncorrected mistakes do not count. Text difficulty also matters: punctuation, capitals and numbers all slow everyone down.
Does the test work on a phone? Yes. Tap the text to open your keyboard. Phone typing is usually slower than a physical keyboard, so compare phone results with other phone results.
How often should I test? Once or twice a day is plenty. Spend the rest of your practice time on drills for your weakest keys and letter pairs, which is where improvement comes from.
Related
Frequently asked questions
What typing speed do medical coders need?
Employers commonly look for at least 35 WPM, and 50+ WPM makes you a strong candidate. Accuracy of 95% or higher matters just as much.
Can I get a certificate for medical coders job applications?
Yes. After a test of one minute or longer, click Certificate to download one with a verification ID that employers can check on our verification page.