What is the salary and career path for a data entry specialist?
Data entry specialists map exactly to Data Entry Keyers (SOC 43-9021), an exact BLS match for keying and verifying information. The OEWS May 2025 median is $41,340 a year ($19.88 an hour), running from $31,200 at the 10th percentile to $58,790 at the 90th. This is one of the fastest-shrinking occupations tracked by BLS: employment is projected to fall 25.9% over 2024–2034 as OCR, forms automation and software eliminate manual keying, leaving only about 9,500 openings a year, nearly all from turnover. A high school diploma plus fast, accurate typing is the typical entry — but the smart move is to treat it as a stepping stone into broader administrative work.
- Data Entry Specialists are reported under SOC 43-9021 with a $41,340 median (BLS OEWS May 2025); the top 10% clear $58,790.
- The role keys, imports and verifies data, entered with a high school diploma and strong typing and spreadsheet skills.
- BLS projects the code to decline 25.9% through 2034 — one of the steepest drops of any occupation — leaving only ~9,500 openings a year.
- Because manual entry is automating away, the best path is to use the role as a stepping stone into records, admin or data-coordinator work.
Career Path
How do you become a data entry specialist?
Entry data entry clerk
Keying and basic verification at speed sits near the $31,200 10th percentile.
Data Entry Specialist
Accurate keying, importing and error-checking across systems earns the $41,340 median for SOC 43-9021.
Senior data / records clerk
Handling complex data, QA and small-team support reaches the $48,410 75th percentile.
Data or records coordinator
Owning data quality, imports and reporting sits at the $58,790 90th percentile and into broader admin codes.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays data entry specialists the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 43-9021. National median: $41,340. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does data entry specialist pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles data entry specialists most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: data entry specialists rank 3 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected −25.9% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly data entry specialists clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 43-9021 (data entry specialists) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do data entry specialists need?
The typical minimum requirement for the role. See all state licences →
Microsoft's certification proving Excel and Office proficiency, valued for data work.
Speed-and-accuracy credentials some employers use to screen candidates.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do data entry specialists use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 43-9021
Salary Levers
How do data entry specialists earn above the $41,340 BLS median?
Build speed and near-zero error rates
Proven accuracy and throughput move pay from the $31,200 floor toward the $41,340 median.
Add QA and complex-data skills
Handling validation, imports and specialized data pushes pay toward the $48,410 75th percentile.
Grow into a data or records coordinator
Owning data quality and reporting reaches the $58,790 top decile and into broader administrative codes.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a data entry specialist worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 43-9021. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Data Entry Specialist Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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