Data Entry Keyers earn a median of $41,340 per year ($19.88/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 25.5% through 2035, with about 7,700 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 43-9021
- Office and Administrative Support
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Data Entry Keyer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $41,340a year, or $19.88/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $31KTop 10% $59K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -25.5%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−25.5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −25.5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 7,700131,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025131.8K
- Projected 203598.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 131.8K Projected 2035 98.2K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school58.7%
- Some college30.2%
- Associate's11.1%
Highest education held by data entry keyers Segment Value High school 58.7% Some college 30.2% Associate's 11.1%
Also advertised as: Data Capture Specialist, Data Entry Clerk, Data Entry Machine Operator, Data Entry Operator, Data Entry Specialist, Data Transcriber.
Pay
How much do Data Entry Keyers make?
Every data entry keyer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$41,340
Middle half earn $35,760 to $48,410
- 10th
- $31,200
- 25th
- $35,760
- 75th
- $48,410
- 90th
- $58,790
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $31,200 |
| 25th | $35,760 |
| Median | $41,340 |
| 75th | $48,410 |
| 90th | $58,790 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $41,340
- Median hourly wage
- $19.88/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $43,310
- People employed
- 127,080
Versus all US occupations
At $41,340, Data Entry Keyers earn 19% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $9,640 a year.
Versus office and administrative support occupations
Inside the Office and Administrative Support group, where the middle occupation pays $49,230, this is 16% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $58,790 or more while the bottom 10% earn $31,200, a gap of 1.9×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 8% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
District of Columbia posts the highest raw median ($55,170), but once local prices are taken into account North Dakota leads at $54,295 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Data Entry Keyers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $55,170 | $50,200 | 200 |
| 2New Mexico | $49,810 | $54,017 | 300 |
| 3North Dakota | $48,300 | $54,295 | 110 |
| 4Maine | $48,190 | $49,655 | 140 |
| 5Hawaii | $47,630 | $43,319 | 210 |
| 6Massachusetts | $47,560 | $44,971 | 1,590 |
| 7Washington | $47,480 | $44,368 | 1,360 |
| 8Utah | $47,180 | $47,722 | 2,140 |
| 9California | $47,010 | $42,458 | 14,520 |
| 10Wyoming | $45,870 | $49,487 | 140 |
Job outlook
Is Data Entry Keyer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -25.5% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Data Entry Keyers | −25.5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Data Entry Keyers to change -25.5% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 33,600 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 7,700 openings are projected each year, 5.8% of the 131,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Data Entry Keyer
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as data entry keyers.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)58.7%
- Some College Courses30.2%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree11.1%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 58.7% |
| Some College Courses | 30.2% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 11.1% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Data Entry Keyer do?
Operate data entry device, such as keyboard or photo composing perforator. Duties may include verifying data and preparing materials for printing.
Day-to-day tasks
- Locate and correct data entry errors, or report them to supervisors.
- Store completed documents in appropriate locations.
- Compare data with source documents, or re-enter data in verification format to detect errors.
- Select materials needed to complete work assignments.
- Compile, sort, and verify the accuracy of data before it is entered.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension3.6
- Active Listening3.4
- Monitoring3.3
- Writing3.0
- Speaking2.9
- Critical Thinking2.9
- Active Learning2.8
- Learning Strategies2.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.6 |
| Active Listening | 3.4 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Writing | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 2.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.9 |
| Active Learning | 2.8 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Time Management3.0
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
- Coordination2.8
- Service Orientation2.8
- Social Perceptiveness2.6
- Instructing2.6
- Judgment and Decision Making2.6
- Management of Personnel Resources2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.9 |
| Coordination | 2.8 |
| Service Orientation | 2.8 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.6 |
| Instructing | 2.6 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.6 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software
- Customer relationship management CRM software
- Document management software
- Medical software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Data Entry Keyer?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Data Entry Keyer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 7 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
- Conventional7.0
- Realistic3.0
- Investigative2.3
- Enterprising1.7
- Social1.2
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Data Entry Keyer
O*NET related occupations
- Office and Administrative Support
- Office and Administrative Support
- Office and Administrative Support
- Office and Administrative Support
Mail Clerk and Mail Machine Operator, Except Postal Service
$39,280median a year
Most earn $31K to $55K
−7.2%High school - Office and Administrative Support
- Office and Administrative Support
Postal Service Mail Sorter, Processor, and Processing Machine Operator
$58,470median a year
Most earn $46K to $75K
−5.3%No formal credential
More office and administrative support careers
Median annual pay, with data entry keyers highlighted
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant$76,590
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant$55,570
- Public Safety Telecommunicator$53,040
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk$50,670
- Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$50,610
- Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Teller$43,030
- Data Entry Keyer$41,340
- Receptionist and Information Clerk$38,010
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant | $76,590 |
| Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant | $55,570 |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator | $53,040 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk | $50,670 |
| Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | $50,610 |
| Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,540 |
| Teller | $43,030 |
| Data Entry Keyer | $41,340 |
| Receptionist and Information Clerk | $38,010 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Data Entry Keyer appears on
Questions
Data Entry Keyer: frequently asked questions
How much do Data Entry Keyers make?
Data Entry Keyers earn a median of $41,340 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 19% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $19.88/hr. The middle half earn between $35,760 and $48,410. The top 10% earn $58,790 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Data Entry Keyer?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Data Entry Keyers. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 58.7% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Data Entry Keyer a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 25.5% over 2025–2035, a loss of 33,600 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 7,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Data Entry Keyer do?
Operate data entry device, such as keyboard or photo composing perforator. A core O*NET task: locate and correct data entry errors, or report them to supervisors. Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software.
Which states pay Data Entry Keyers the most?
The highest state medians for Data Entry Keyers are District of Columbia ($55,170), New Mexico ($49,810), North Dakota ($48,300) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, North Dakota moves to the top at $54,295.
What personality type suits a Data Entry Keyer?
O*NET scores Data Entry Keyers highest on the Conventional and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.