Key Findings
- While dictation tools may appear faster, editing time often reduces their effectiveness, dropping effective output speeds to 70–90 WPM.
- High-stakes professions like court reporting rely on real-time transcription, requiring a level of accuracy that AI dictation struggles to match.
- Dictation tools struggle in quiet settings such as courtrooms or offices, where silence is essential.
- Typists can combine note-taking, formatting, and content creation, while dictation remains a single-task tool, making it inefficient for high-demand, multitasking jobs.
January 8 is World Typing Day, and DesignRush is celebrating it by highlighting the jobs that advanced dictation tools simply cannot replace, emphasizing the enduring value of human skills in a world that's becoming increasingly automated.
Despite the rise of AI dictation tools capable of 120-150 words per minute (WPM), DesignRush’s latest study reveals that there are still key jobs where typing remains irreplaceable.
On top of speed, these roles require human judgment, context awareness, and the ability to adapt on the fly — qualities that technology has yet to fully replicate.
For instance, in industries like legal reporting, transcription, and copywriting, staying ahead of the curve in typing speed and accuracy is still key to long-term success.
| Rank | Job Title | Typing Speed (WPM) | Dictation Speed (WPM) | Average Salary (USD) |
| 1 | Freelance Writer | 80-120 | 120-150 | $74,316 |
| 2 | Paralegal | 100+ | N/A | $55,228 |
| 3 | Copywriter | 80-120 | 120-150 | $58,458 |
| 4 | Court Reporter | 100+ | N/A | $51,242 |
| 5 | Translator | 54-56 | 120 | $47,985 |
| 6 | Virtual Assistant | 60+ | 120-150 | $40,842 |
| 7 | Administrative Assistant | 60+ | 120-150 | $40,052 |
| 8 | Data Entry Clerk | 50-60 | N/A | $40,389 |
| 9 | Medical Transcriptionist | 50-60 | N/A | $34,389 |
| 10 | Transcriptionist | 50-60 | N/A | $34,270 |
By understanding the continued relevance of high-speed and precise typing skills in these roles, businesses can make informed decisions about talent acquisition to help them improve efficiency and maintain a competitive edge in their respective industries.
Businesses need to be careful not to be blinded by the allure of cutting-edge technology, committing funds to developing or purchasing dictation tools when the budget is better invested in human talent.
The 10 Typing Jobs AI Dictation Can’t Replace in 2025
1. Freelance Writer
- Typing Speed: 820 WPM
- Dictation Speed: 120-150 WPM
- Average Salary (USD): $74,316
Writers need to refine their ideas, structure sentences, and edit quickly. Typing allows them to move seamlessly from creation to revision, while dictation tools often require time-consuming corrections that disrupt the flow of the work. With manual typing, the words just come together faster, leaving more room for creativity.
2. Paralegal
- Typing Speed: 100+ WPM
- Dictation Speed: N/A
- Average Salary (USD): $55,228
Paralegals often juggle multiple tasks at once, from drafting legal documents to taking real-time notes during court sessions. Typing helps them keep up with the pace, ensuring they can capture every detail while multitasking efficiently. Dictation tools simply won't work in a courtroom or legal office where silence is preferred, and voice commands can be seen as disruptive.
3. Copywriter
- Typing Speed: 80-120 WPM
- Dictation Speed: 120-150 WPM
- Average Salary (USD): $58,458
Copywriters need to draft, edit, and format content quickly and accurately. While dictation tools can be helpful for brainstorming, they often miss the nuances of tone and structure. Manual typing gives copywriters the control they need to produce creative yet polished content on the fly.
4. Court Reporter
- Typing Speed: 100+ WPM
- Dictation Speed: N/A
- Average Salary (USD): $51,242
Court reporting is all about capturing every word, every moment, in real time. Typing allows court reporters to transcribe everything accurately and at lightning speed, something dictation tools just can’t match. The need for precision in legal settings means that court reporters rely heavily on their typing and shorthand skills.
5. Translator
- Typing Speed: 54-56 WPM
- Dictation Speed: 120 WPM
- Average Salary (USD): $47,985
Translation is about maintaining context, tone, and accuracy. Typing gives translators the flexibility to make quick changes and ensure consistency throughout the text. AI dictation tools struggle with technical terms and accents, making it unreliable in this field.
6. Virtual Assistant
- Typing Speed: 60+ WPM
- Dictation Speed: 120-150 WPM
- Average Salary (USD): $40,842
Virtual assistants handle everything from scheduling appointments to managing emails. While dictation can help with quick notes, it’s the ability to type swiftly and accurately that allows them to stay on top of multiple tasks at once, ensuring everything runs smoothly. These skills are something that advanced tools can't replace.
7. Administrative Assistant
- Typing Speed: 60+ WPM
- Dictation Speed: 120-150 WPM
- Average Salary (USD): $40,052
Administrative assistants are at the heart of office operations, handling everything from data entry to client communication. Typing allows them to get through tasks quickly and with precision. Dictation tools may work for informal note-taking, but when it comes to formal correspondence, manual typing remains the go-to method for getting things done more efficiently.
8. Data Entry Clerk
- Typing Speed: 50-60 WPM
- Dictation Speed: N/A
- Average Salary (USD): $40,389
Accuracy and consistency are key in data entry. Typing is reliable for entering structured data without errors, while dictation tools falter when trying to transcribe numbers or structured formats. The reliability of typing ensures data entry is quick and precise.
9. Medical Transcriptionist
- Typing Speed: 50-60 WPM
- Dictation Speed: N/A
- Average Salary (USD): $34,389
Medical transcription requires absolute accuracy, as errors can have serious consequences — it may even cost a life. This kind of typing requires a level of control and consistency that dictation tools can’t guarantee, especially when dealing with medical jargon, which is essential for patient safety and legal compliance.
10. Transcriptionist
- Typing Speed: 50-60 WPM
- Dictation Speed: N/A
- Average Salary (USD): $34,270
Transcriptionists must convert spoken words into accurate, polished text. Typing allows them to manage complex audio recordings, adjusting pace, format, and structure as needed. Dictation tools often struggle with background noise or unclear speech, making manual typing the more reliable option for this role.
Even if AI continues to reshape the future of many employees, there’s no substitute for the power of skilled typing in certain industries.
As technology evolves, high-speed accuracy, multitasking, and exhibiting proper contextual awareness remain capabilities unique to humans.
DesignRush Methodology
DesignRush evaluated the top 10 typing jobs that dictation tools cannot replace, focusing on their reliance on speed, accuracy, multitasking, and silent productivity.
1. Data Sources
- Typing Speeds (WPM): Data was gathered from the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) standards, industry benchmarks from Typing.com and Ratatype.com, and job descriptions on platforms like Indeed and LinkedIn.
- Dictation Speeds (WPM): Information on average dictation speeds was sourced from industry reviews of tools like Dragon NaturallySpeaking and Google Docs Voice Typing, as well as AI research papers on voice-to-text technology.
- Salary Data: National average salary information was compiled from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Glassdoor, Payscale, and Indeed.
2. Speed and Accuracy Comparison
- Typing speeds averaged:
- 50–60 WPM for general roles (e.g., Data Entry Clerk, Transcriptionist).
- 80–120 WPM for high-performance roles (e.g., Freelance Writer, Copywriter).
- 100+ WPM for specialized roles (e.g., Court Reporter, Paralegal).
- Dictation speeds averaged 120–150 WPM for raw input, but effective speeds were reduced to 70–90 WPM after factoring in correction and editing time.
- Accuracy rates: Typists averaged 98%+ in professional environments, while dictation tools had an accuracy of 85–90%, with errors in technical terms, accents, and punctuation.
3. Ranking Criteria
Jobs were ranked based on:
- Speed Requirements: Higher speeds scored better.
- Salary: Reflecting the market value of the role.
- Task Dependence on Typing: Jobs that demand real-time or multitasking typing outranked those that could integrate dictation.
By understanding these insights, businesses can adjust to changes, using a more effective combination of traditional skills and new technologies to their advantage.
