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Three pages of typed text next to a badge reading 750 words at 12 point Times double spaced equals 3 pages

Purdue OWL documents both MLA and APA formatting defaults on which these page-count estimates rest. Purdue OWL: MLA formatting.

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Words Per Page

Reference tables for common font, size, and spacing combinations. Numbers assume 1-inch margins on US Letter or A4.

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Rule of thumb

  • 12pt Times New Roman, double-spaced: 250 words per page.
  • 12pt Times New Roman, single-spaced: 500 words per page.
  • 12pt Arial, double-spaced: 230 to 240 words per page.
  • 11pt Calibri, double-spaced: 260 to 280 words per page.

Common counts

  • 500 words: 2 pages double-spaced, 1 page single-spaced.
  • 750 words: 3 pages double, 1.5 single.
  • 1,000 words: 4 pages double, 2 single.
  • 1,500 words: 6 pages double, 3 single.
  • 2,000 words: 8 pages double, 4 single.
  • 2,500 words: 10 pages double, 5 single.
  • 3,000 words: 12 pages double, 6 single.
  • 5,000 words: 20 pages double, 10 single.
  • 10,000 words: 40 pages double, 20 single.

What moves the number

Margin size and paragraph spacing shift page count by 10 to 15 percent. A 6pt-after paragraph space adds roughly a page per 3,000 words. Setting the font to a wider face (Verdana, Georgia) reduces words per page. Single-space or 1.15 line-height shortens the paper significantly compared to double-space; check the assignment brief.

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Try the counter

Live word count on the homepage. For a PDF, use the PDF page counter.

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Common questions

Why do MLA and APA give different page counts for the same essay?
APA leaves more paragraph space (14pt line height in the current template); MLA runs tighter. Same word count fits about 5 percent more pages in APA.
Do double-spaced paragraphs really pack 250 words?
At 12pt Times, 1-inch margins, US Letter: yes, within 20 words per page. Different font, different margin, different page.
What if my professor sets 1.5 spacing?
Split the difference: 1.5 spacing sits at 350 to 380 words per page in 12pt Times.
Does adding subheadings change the count?
Subheadings reduce words per page by 5 to 10 percent because of the paragraph break above and below.
Do footnotes count in the page total?
Only against the page they sit on. If you inflate footnotes, the body-plus-footnotes page count grows; body-only page count does not.