SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 43-9021.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $31,200 | $2,600 | $600 | $15.00 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $35,760 | $2,980 | $688 | $17.19 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $41,340 | $3,445 | $795 | $19.88 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $48,410 | $4,034 | $931 | $23.27 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $58,790 | $4,899 | $1,131 | $28.26 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Data Entry Keyers is $41,340, which is 19% lower. Among the 54 occupations of the field Office and Administrative Support, it ranks number 46 by median pay. With 127,080 jobs, it makes up about 8.2 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Data Entry Keyers pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($55,170), New Mexico ($49,810) and North Dakota ($48,300). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($23,940), Guam ($25,730) and Virgin Islands ($33,280). The most jobs were in Texas (17,850), California (14,520) and New York (9,470). The occupation is most concentrated in Virgin Islands, where its share of all jobs is 2.8 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 200 | $55,170 | $58,250 | $26.53 |
| New Mexico | 300 | $49,810 | $47,740 | $23.95 |
| North Dakota | 110 | $48,300 | $46,080 | $23.22 |
| Maine | 140 | $48,190 | $49,260 | $23.17 |
| Hawaii | 210 | $47,630 | $45,840 | $22.90 |
| Massachusetts | 1,590 | $47,560 | $46,880 | $22.87 |
| Washington | 1,360 | $47,480 | $50,230 | $22.83 |
| Utah | 2,140 | $47,180 | $48,360 | $22.68 |
| California | 14,520 | $47,010 | $48,820 | $22.60 |
| Wyoming | 140 | $45,870 | $43,780 | $22.06 |
| Rhode Island | 270 | $44,980 | $47,630 | $21.63 |
| New York | 9,470 | $44,860 | $46,550 | $21.57 |
| Minnesota | 1,360 | $44,280 | $47,570 | $21.29 |
| Colorado | 1,190 | $43,910 | $46,120 | $21.11 |
| Iowa | 1,180 | $43,640 | $44,820 | $20.98 |
| New Hampshire | 790 | $43,440 | $44,010 | $20.88 |
| Vermont | 290 | $43,280 | $44,860 | $20.81 |
| Arizona | 3,420 | $43,200 | $44,270 | $20.77 |
| Illinois | 5,910 | $42,840 | $44,540 | $20.60 |
| Idaho | 540 | $42,810 | $43,660 | $20.58 |
| New Jersey | 4,940 | $42,470 | $45,020 | $20.42 |
| Montana | 300 | $42,340 | $43,300 | $20.35 |
| Georgia | 3,410 | $41,270 | $43,280 | $19.84 |
| Alaska | 160 | $40,700 | $47,850 | $19.57 |
| Indiana | 2,370 | $40,550 | $42,230 | $19.50 |
| Tennessee | 2,360 | $40,490 | $41,930 | $19.47 |
| Ohio | 4,530 | $40,220 | $41,820 | $19.34 |
| North Carolina | 3,330 | $39,610 | $41,270 | $19.04 |
| Nebraska | 1,260 | $39,600 | $38,920 | $19.04 |
| Nevada | 800 | $39,260 | $41,520 | $18.88 |
| Maryland | 1,850 | $38,970 | $41,660 | $18.74 |
| Virginia | 2,890 | $38,900 | $40,740 | $18.70 |
| Florida | 7,650 | $38,880 | $41,070 | $18.69 |
| Texas | 17,850 | $38,880 | $40,800 | $18.69 |
| Pennsylvania | 5,270 | $38,810 | $40,480 | $18.66 |
| Oklahoma | 1,290 | $38,590 | $39,880 | $18.55 |
| Connecticut | 1,290 | $38,560 | $43,110 | $18.54 |
| Kansas | 1,210 | $38,290 | $38,600 | $18.41 |
| Wisconsin | 2,360 | $38,170 | $39,680 | $18.35 |
| Michigan | 3,290 | $38,080 | $41,400 | $18.31 |
| South Carolina | 1,490 | $38,070 | $39,300 | $18.30 |
| Delaware | 410 | $37,810 | $40,780 | $18.18 |
| Louisiana | 1,800 | $36,920 | $38,170 | $17.75 |
| Kentucky | 2,020 | $36,870 | $38,830 | $17.72 |
| West Virginia | 660 | $35,900 | $36,690 | $17.26 |
| Alabama | 1,060 | $35,130 | $36,710 | $16.89 |
| Mississippi | 530 | $34,540 | $36,360 | $16.61 |
| South Dakota | 30 | $34,320 | $35,590 | $16.50 |
| Arkansas | 1,000 | $33,860 | $37,440 | $16.28 |
| Virgin Islands | 70 | $33,280 | $34,390 | $16.00 |
| Guam | 100 | $25,730 | $27,970 | $12.37 |
| Puerto Rico | 2,000 | $23,940 | $27,110 | $11.51 |
| Missouri | 2,720 | not published | not published | not published |
| Oregon | 1,840 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- File Clerks$43,600 a year
- Tellers$43,030 a year
- Telephone Operators$41,740 a year
- Office Machine Operators, Except Computer$40,960 a year
- Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service$39,280 a year
- Couriers and Messengers$39,200 a year
Common questions
How much do Data Entry Keyers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $41,340 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $31,200 and the highest-paid 10% more than $58,790.
How many people work as Data Entry Keyers?
About 127,080 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.