How this calculator works
Typing speed is quoted two ways. Words per minute counts five characters as one word, so a minute of typing at 50 WPM is about 250 keystrokes. Keystrokes per hour scales that to an hour, and data entry employers often use it because their work is measured in records typed rather than words read. The five character convention matters: if a test counts actual keystrokes rather than characters, the same arithmetic still applies because every keystroke is one character.
Formula
keystrokes per minute = words per minute x 5. Keystrokes per hour = words per minute x 5 x 60 = words per minute x 300. From a counted run, keystrokes per minute = keystrokes / minutes, and words per minute = keystrokes per minute / 5.
Worked example
At 50 WPM, the rate is 250 keystrokes per minute and 15,000 per hour. A run of 450 keystrokes in 1.5 minutes is 300 keystrokes per minute, 18,000 per hour and 60 WPM.
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Frequently asked questions
What keystrokes per hour is a good data entry speed?
Many employers ask for 8,000 to 10,000 keystrokes per hour, which is roughly 27 to 33 WPM. Higher paying roles often look for 12,000 or more, about 40 WPM.
Do errors count against keystrokes per hour?
No. The raw rate counts every keystroke. Accuracy is usually measured separately as a percentage, and a fast but inaccurate typist will be scored down on that figure.
Why multiply by five rather than by the real average word length?
Five characters per word is the standard convention so that rates are comparable between passages. Real prose averages closer to six characters including the space, so the conversion is a convention rather than a precise character count.