$Who Earns What

How much does a data entry clerk make?

US Data Entry Keyers

Answer: A typical data entry clerk in the United States makes $41,340 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Yearly pay of a typical person doing this job in the US
$41,340

Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 127,000 people work in this job. About the same as the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).

Lower earner
$31,200
10th from the bottom of 100
Typical person
$41,340
Right in the middle (median)
Higher earner
$58,790
10th from the top of 100

If 100 people had this job

Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-right

Hover over a person to see their yearly pay

56 of 100
more than half

Data entry clerk pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)

Data entry clerk pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$31,200$41,340$58,790about 127,000
States where data entry clerks earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
Massachusetts$47,560about 2,000
Washington$47,480about 1,000
Utah$47,180about 2,000
California$47,010about 15,000
New York$44,860about 9,000

Why does pay differ?

In the United States, pay can differ with experience and useful skills, the employer or industry, and where the job is. Hours worked and harder or more responsible tasks can also matter; some employers may value extra credentials.

What if you lived in a different state?

Pay varies a lot by state in the US
Whole US$41,340
Massachusetts$47,560
Washington$47,480
Utah$47,180
California$47,010
New York$44,860
Alabama$35,130
Mississippi$34,540
Arkansas$33,860

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

What does a data entry clerk do?

Operate data entry device, such as keyboard or photo composing perforator. Duties may include verifying data and preparing materials for printing. Excludes “Word Processors and Typists” (43-9022).

What's a typical day like?

They read forms such as bills or checks, then type or scan the details into the right computer fields. They sort and check the information, fix mistakes, and save finished records.

How to get this job

In the United States, you usually need a high school diploma or GED, and some jobs ask for little or no experience. Employers often train new workers on the job, from a few days up to a year.

High school plus some training (preparation level 2 of 5)

Good for people who like keeping things organized and building and doing.

Did you know?

Some data entry keyers enter information again in a special checking format to catch mistakes—so the job can involve more than typing it once.

Similar jobs

Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)

Earn more in the same field

Office and Administrative Support jobs that pay a bit more

Sources and data

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY