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Average Reading Speed by Grade and Age
Typical reading speeds for Grades 1 to 6 and for adults, with the spread around each average so you can see what is normal.
Reading speed norms by grade
By the spring of each year, a typical student (50th percentile) reads aloud at about 60 words correct per minute in Grade 1, 100 in Grade 2, 112 in Grade 3, 133 in Grade 4 and 146 in Grades 5 and 6. Adults read aloud at about 183 words per minute and silently at about 238.
The table below shows the spread in spring scores, so you can see what counts as the typical range rather than one single number.
| Grade | Typical age | 25th percentile | 50th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 to 7 | 34 | 60 | 91 |
| 2 | 7 to 8 | 72 | 100 | 124 |
| 3 | 8 to 9 | 91 | 112 | 139 |
| 4 | 9 to 10 | 105 | 133 | 160 |
| 5 | 10 to 11 | 119 | 146 | 169 |
| 6 | 11 to 12 | 122 | 146 | 173 |
Spring oral reading fluency in words correct per minute. Source: Hasbrouck and Tindal (2017), via Reading Rockets. Ages are typical for US grades. For fall and winter scores, see how to calculate WCPM.
Adult reading speed
| Type of reading | Average words per minute |
|---|---|
| Silent reading, fiction | 260 |
| Silent reading, nonfiction | 238 |
| Reading aloud | 183 |
Source: Brysbaert, How many words do we read per minute? (2019), a review of 190 studies.
What the numbers show
- The biggest jumps come early. The typical reader gains about 40 words per minute between the spring of Grade 1 and the spring of Grade 2.
- Growth slows in the middle grades. The Grade 5 and Grade 6 spring medians are the same, at 146.
- The range is wide. In Grade 4, the middle half of readers spans 105 to 160 words per minute. A child at 110 is within the typical range, not behind it.
How to measure a child's reading speed
- Choose an unseen passage at the child's grade level.
- Have the child read aloud for one minute while you mark errors.
- Subtract errors from words read to get words correct per minute.
- Compare the score with the table for the right grade and time of year.
The WCPM calculator does the arithmetic and shows the gap to a benchmark you enter. For timing how long a specific text will take, use the reading time calculator.
Speed is not the goal
Fluency norms are a screening tool. They help you spot a child who may need support. They are not a target to chase with a stopwatch. A child pushed to read faster often reads with less expression and understands less. Aim for reading that is accurate, smooth and expressive, and the speed tends to follow.
Frequently asked questions
How many words per minute should a second grader read?
In the Hasbrouck and Tindal 2017 norms, the 50th percentile for Grade 2 is 50 words correct per minute in the fall, 84 in the winter and 100 in the spring, reading aloud.
What is a good reading speed for a 10-year-old?
A 10-year-old is usually in Grade 4 or 5. The spring 50th percentile is 133 words correct per minute for Grade 4 and 146 for Grade 5, reading aloud.
What is the average adult reading speed?
A 2019 review by Marc Brysbaert found adults read nonfiction silently at about 238 words per minute, fiction at about 260, and aloud at about 183.
Why does reading speed level off around Grade 6?
Once decoding is automatic, oral reading speed grows more slowly. Spoken reading also has a natural ceiling. From the middle grades, growth shows up more in silent reading, vocabulary and comprehension.
Is faster reading always better?
No. Speed only helps when understanding keeps up. A steady reader who understands the text is doing better than a fast reader who misses the meaning.
More guides
- How to Calculate WCPM Step-by-step scoring for a timed fluency read, with error rules and grade-level norms.
- Running Record Accuracy Levels What independent, instructional and frustration levels mean, plus an error-rate conversion chart.
- Self-Correction Ratio Explained How to work out the SC ratio, what a good ratio looks like, and prompts that build self-monitoring.
- Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Explained Where the formula comes from, how to calculate it by hand, and what it cannot tell you.