Data Entry Keyers: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Data Entry Keyers fall under the Office and Administrative Support category in the U.S. occupational classification. Data Entry Keyers earn a median salary of $39,850 per year, ranking in the top 85% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -25.9% job growth through 2034, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Entry into this field typically requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.

What do data entry keyers earn?

The median annual wage for data entry keyers is $39,850. That puts data entry keyers at #690 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.

Is data entry keyers a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for data entry keyers is -25.9%, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Employment is projected to move from approximately 141K positions in 2024 to 104K in 2034, a net change of -37K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.

What do data entry keyers do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working data entry keyers, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

1. 1.Store completed documents in appropriate locations.
2. 2.Select materials needed to complete work assignments.
3. 3.Compile, sort, and verify the accuracy of data before it is entered.
4. 4.Locate and correct data entry errors, or report them to supervisors.
5. 5.Compare data with source documents, or re-enter data in verification format to detect errors.

Top skills for data entry keyers

O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.

What education does my child need to become data entry keyer?

Many data entry keyers enter the field with a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, though employers increasingly favor candidates with certifications or some postsecondary coursework. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.

Related careers your child might also consider

• Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
  $74,260 median
• First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
  $66,140 median
• Brokerage Clerks
  $62,940 median
• Postal Service Clerks
  $61,630 median
• Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks
  $57,770 median
• Postal Service Mail Carriers
  $57,490 median

Common questions parents ask about data entry keyers