Data entry keyers earned a median $19.88 an hour (about $41,350 a year) in the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Here is the pay by hour, week and year, how it compares, and how to raise it.
- BLS data for May 2025 puts the median data entry keyer wage at $19.88 an hour; the annual mean wage is $43,310.
- About 127,080 people worked as data entry keyers in May 2025, and many more do data entry under titles such as office clerk or administrative assistant.
- Data entry pays below the all-occupation median of $24.51 an hour, and below most nearby office roles such as bookkeeping clerks ($24.36).
- The fastest way to raise data entry pay is to add skills that move you into higher-paid clerical work: spreadsheets, bookkeeping software, medical or legal records, or data quality checks.
- Real remote data entry jobs never ask you to pay for training, equipment or a “starter kit.”
In this article
The typical data entry clerk salary in the U.S. is $19.88 an hour, or about $41,350 a year for full-time work, based on the median wage for data entry keyers in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 wage survey. The average (mean) is higher, at $20.82 an hour and $43,310 a year. Your own pay depends mostly on location, industry and the extra skills you bring.
Data entry clerk salary at a glance (BLS, May 2025)
BLS publishes pay for this job under the occupation code SOC 43-9021, “data entry keyers.” The figures below come from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) national table for May 2025, released in May 2026. Annual figures assume 2,080 hours (40 hours a week, 52 weeks), which is how BLS converts hourly wages.
| Measure | Data entry keyers | All U.S. occupations |
|---|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $19.88 | $24.51 |
| Median annual wage (hourly x 2,080) | about $41,350 | about $50,980 |
| Mean hourly wage | $20.82 | $33.54 |
| Mean annual wage | $43,310 | $69,770 |
| Employment | 127,080 | 155,495,730 |
The median is the better guide for most people: half of data entry keyers earn more than $19.88 an hour and half earn less. The mean is pulled up by a smaller group of higher earners.
Why “data entry clerk” and “data entry keyer” are the same thing here: employers use titles like data entry clerk, data entry operator, data entry specialist and data entry associate. BLS groups them under data entry keyers. Jobs that mix data entry with phones, filing and scheduling are often counted as general office clerks instead.
How much a data entry clerk makes per hour, week, month and year
Here is the BLS median of $19.88 an hour turned into the pay periods you will see on job postings and pay stubs. These are gross figures before taxes and deductions.
| Schedule | Calculation | Gross pay at the median |
|---|---|---|
| Per hour | BLS median | $19.88 |
| Per week, full time | $19.88 x 40 hours | $795.20 |
| Per month, full time | $41,350 / 12 | about $3,446 |
| Per year, full time | $19.88 x 2,080 hours | about $41,350 |
| Per year, part time (25 hours a week) | $19.88 x 1,300 hours | about $25,844 |
To see what lands in your bank account, use our guide on how to calculate take-home pay.
How data entry pay compares with other office jobs
Data entry is one of the lower-paid office roles, but it sits close to several jobs you can move into with a few added skills.
| Occupation (May 2025) | Median hourly | Annual mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receptionists and information clerks | $18.27 | $39,460 | 910,180 |
| Data entry keyers | $19.88 | $43,310 | 127,080 |
| File clerks | $20.96 | $45,590 | 73,440 |
| Office clerks, general | $21.64 | $46,420 | 2,464,940 |
| Secretaries and administrative assistants (except legal, medical, executive) | $22.86 | $49,350 | 1,706,790 |
| Word processors and typists | $23.69 | $51,120 | 35,010 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks | $24.36 | $53,560 | 1,373,680 |
Two things stand out. First, general office clerk jobs outnumber data entry keyer jobs by about 19 to 1, so many data entry openings are posted under broader titles. Second, moving from data entry ($19.88) to bookkeeping clerk ($24.36) is worth $4.48 an hour at the median, or about $9,300 a year at full time.
What affects how much you earn in data entry
- Location. Pay follows local wage levels and cost of living, so the same job can pay very differently by state and metro. Check local postings and our Salary Guide before you name a number. For entry-level pay by metro, see the best-paying cities for entry-level jobs.
- Industry. Data entry in healthcare, insurance, finance, government or legal settings often involves regulated records and more accuracy checks than general office work, and pay can reflect that. Compare postings within your industry rather than across all of them.
- Speed and accuracy. Many employers test typing speed (words per minute) or ten-key speed (keystrokes per hour) along with error rates. Strong, documented results help you justify a higher offer.
- Software skills. Excel or Google Sheets beyond the basics (lookups, filters, pivot tables), an ERP or CRM system, or an electronic health record system can lift you from “keyer” to “specialist.”
- Type of employment. Temporary and contract jobs may pay a different hourly rate than direct-hire roles, and direct-hire roles may add benefits such as health insurance and paid time off. Compare the full package, not just the hourly rate.
Remote data entry pay and how to avoid job scams
Legitimate remote data entry jobs exist, often with insurance companies, healthcare billing teams, logistics firms and staffing agencies. BLS does not publish separate pay figures for remote data entry, so judge a remote offer against the same national and local ranges you would use for an on-site job.
Remote data entry is also a favorite of scammers. The Federal Trade Commission’s job scam guidance lists warning signs that apply directly:
- The offer promises a lot of money for little work in a short time.
- You are asked to pay for training, certification, software or a starter kit.
- You receive a check, are told to deposit it, and are asked to send part of the money back or buy gift cards.
- A placement firm wants a fee from you up front. Legitimate staffing firms are paid by employers.
- The job involves receiving and reshipping packages. The FTC says reshipping “is never a real job.”
Our guide to a remote job application workflow covers how to track applications and vet employers.
How to increase your data entry clerk salary
- Measure and list your speed. Take a typing and ten-key test, then put the results on your resume (for example “65 WPM, 98% accuracy”). Numbers beat “fast and accurate.”
- Learn one step up in spreadsheets. VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP, data validation, conditional formatting and pivot tables let you clean and check data, not only type it.
- Pick an industry specialty. Medical records, insurance claims, legal documents and accounts payable all reward knowledge of specific forms and rules.
- Aim for the next title. Bookkeeping clerk, accounts payable clerk, administrative assistant and data quality or operations coordinator roles use the same core skills and pay more at the median.
- Negotiate with data. Bring the BLS median and local postings to the offer conversation. Our job offer negotiation scripts give you the exact wording.
If you are comparing data entry with admin work, our breakdown of administrative assistant salary benchmarks shows the next step up.
How Careerscape can help
Careerscape is a U.S. staffing and recruiting firm that places people in temporary, contract and direct-hire office roles across many industries and metro markets. Browse current data entry and office jobs, or get help presenting your speed and software skills with our resume services.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a data entry clerk make an hour?
The median hourly wage for data entry keyers was $19.88 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. The mean was $20.82. Entry-level and part-time roles often start below the median, while specialized roles in healthcare, insurance or finance, and jobs in higher-wage metros, can pay more.
How much does a data entry clerk make a year?
At the May 2025 median of $19.88 an hour, a full-time data entry clerk working 2,080 hours earns about $41,350 a year before taxes. BLS reports an annual mean wage of $43,310 for the occupation. Overtime, shift differentials and benefits can change your total compensation.
Is data entry a good job?
It is a common entry point into office work because it needs little formal experience and teaches software and accuracy habits. The pay is below the national median for all jobs, so treat it as a stepping stone and build skills that lead to bookkeeping, administrative or operations roles, which pay more.
Do remote data entry jobs pay more?
There is no official data showing a remote premium. BLS does not split data entry pay by remote and on-site work, so compare remote offers with the same national median and local postings. Be cautious of remote postings that promise high pay for little effort or ask you to pay for equipment or training; the FTC lists these as common signs of job scams.
What qualifications do you need for data entry?
Job postings commonly ask for a high school diploma or equivalent, reliable typing and ten-key speed, strong attention to detail and comfort with spreadsheets and the employer’s systems. Industry knowledge, such as medical terminology or accounts payable basics, can help you qualify for better-paid roles.