Definitive word count guide for every type of essay. High school, college, graduate, and professional essays with exact word counts and page lengths.
Updated March 2026
| Essay Type | Word Count | Pages (Double Spaced) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| High School Essay | 300-1,000 | 1-4 pages | Varies by assignment |
| College Application Essay (Common App) | 250-650 | 1-2 pages | Strict 650 word max |
| College Supplemental Essay | 100-400 | 0.5-1.5 pages | School-specific |
| Scholarship Essay | 250-1,000 | 1-4 pages | Follows prompt length |
| Undergraduate Paper | 1,500-5,000 | 6-20 pages | Course dependent |
| Graduate Seminar Paper | 3,000-6,000 | 12-24 pages | |
| Research Paper | 4,000-10,000 | 16-40 pages | Varies by field |
| Master Thesis | 15,000-50,000 | 60-200 pages | Field dependent |
| PhD Dissertation | 50,000-100,000 | 200-400 pages | Field dependent |
| Personal Statement (Grad School) | 500-1,000 | 2-4 pages | Usually 1-2 pages |
| Statement of Purpose | 500-1,000 | 2-4 pages | |
| Argumentative Essay | 1,000-3,000 | 4-12 pages | |
| Persuasive Essay | 500-2,000 | 2-8 pages | |
| Expository Essay | 500-1,500 | 2-6 pages | |
| Narrative Essay | 500-2,500 | 2-10 pages | |
| Descriptive Essay | 500-1,500 | 2-6 pages | |
| Compare and Contrast Essay | 1,000-2,500 | 4-10 pages | |
| Cause and Effect Essay | 1,000-2,000 | 4-8 pages | |
| Literary Analysis | 1,000-3,000 | 4-12 pages | |
| Book Report | 500-1,500 | 2-6 pages | |
| Lab Report | 1,000-3,000 | 4-12 pages | Includes data tables |
| Case Study | 1,500-5,000 | 6-20 pages | |
| GRE Essay (Issue) | 400-600 | 1.5-2 pages | 30 minutes |
| GRE Essay (Argument) | 350-500 | 1-2 pages | 30 minutes |
| IELTS Writing Task 1 | 150+ words | 0.5 page | 20 minutes |
| IELTS Writing Task 2 | 250+ words | 1 page | 40 minutes |
| TOEFL Essay | 300-400 | 1-1.5 pages | 30 minutes |
| Format | Words Per Page | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Single spaced, 12pt Times New Roman | 500 | 1 page |
| Double spaced, 12pt Times New Roman | 250 | 1 page |
| Single spaced, 12pt Arial | 450 | 1 page |
| Double spaced, 12pt Arial | 225 | 1 page |
| Single spaced, 11pt Calibri | 475 | 1 page |
| Double spaced, 11pt Calibri | 238 | 1 page |
| Handwritten (average) | 175-200 | 1 page |
A 5-page double-spaced essay is approximately 1,250 words (at 250 words per page). Single-spaced, it would be about 2,500 words.
The Common App essay has a strict 650-word maximum. Most supplemental essays are 100-400 words. Some schools accept up to 1,000 words.
A PhD dissertation typically ranges from 50,000-100,000 words (200-400 pages). Master theses are shorter at 15,000-50,000 words. This varies significantly by field and institution.
In standard formatting (12pt Times New Roman, double spaced, 1-inch margins), there are approximately 250 words per page.