What is average essay word count?

Here's some information on average essay word count:

The average essay word count varies significantly depending on the essay type, academic level, and specific assignment guidelines.

  • High School Essays: Typically range from 500 to 800 words.
  • College Application Essays: Often have a strict word limit, commonly around 650 words (but this can vary greatly from school to school).
  • Undergraduate Essays: Usually fall between 1500 and 5000 words, but this depends greatly on the subject and the specific requirements of the assignment.
  • Graduate Level Essays/Papers: Can range from 5,000 to 15,000+ words, particularly for theses and dissertations, with significant variation based on field of study.

It's crucial to always check the specific instructions provided by your instructor for the assignment to determine the expected word count or page length. Exceeding or falling short of the specified range can negatively affect your grade.