Data Entry Clerks
Overview
Introduction
Data entry clerks transfer information from paper documents to a computer system. They use either a typewriter-like (alphanumeric) keyboard or a 10-key (numerals only) pad to enter data into the system. In this way, the data is converted into a form the computer can easily read and process. There are about 187,300 data entry workers in the United States.
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
The median annual income for data entry clerks was $32,170 in May 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The department also reported that, at the low end of the scale, the lowest 10 percent of data entry clerks earned $22,460 or less. The highest paid 10 percent earned $48,010 or more. Salaries for these workers can vary depending on their employer, the complexity of their job duties...
Work Environment
Most data entry clerks work 37–40 hours per week, with part-time positions becoming increasingly popular. Data entry workstations are usually located in comfortable, well-lighted areas. Data entry clerks usually work side by side with other employees and, in most cases, under close supervision, although there are some opportunities for data entry operators to work from home. The work is routine...
Outlook
Because of improvements in data-processing technology that enable businesses to process greater volumes of information with fewer workers, the U.S. Department of Labor predicts that employment for data entry clerks will decline by 23 percent from 2018 to 2028. Jobs are becoming limited, for example, because most computer systems can now send information directly to another computer system witho...