Data Entry Clerk Job Description

Salary Range

$35,760 - $48,410

Experience

Entry-level

Work Environment

Office or processing center

What Does a Data Entry Clerk Do?

Billing offices and research teams need every number keyed exactly as it appears on the form. Data entry clerks handle that work for them and for government agencies and records departments, typing forms, invoices and surveys into databases and checking each batch against the originals. One wrong digit can misdirect a bill.

Also known as: Data Entry Operator, Data Input Operator, Senior Data Input Operator

Other Job Titles for This Work

Workers in this occupation report titles such as Data Capture Specialist, Data Entry Machine Operator, Data Entry Operator, Data Entry Specialist, Data Transcriber, Records Clerk, Underwriting Support Specialist.

Data Entry Clerk Duties and Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of a data entry clerk include:

• Key information from paper forms, invoices and surveys into databases or spreadsheets.
• Verify entered data against source documents and correct typing or transposition errors.
• Scan and index documents so each image links to the right record.
• Flag unreadable, incomplete or conflicting forms and return them for clarification.
• Meet daily keystroke or batch targets while keeping error rates within set limits.
• Clean up duplicate, outdated or badly formatted records in existing files.
• Run simple queries or reports to confirm a batch loaded correctly.
• Protect confidential personal, medical or financial details under privacy rules such as HIPAA.
• Sort and file source documents after entry, or send them for secure shredding.
• Log batch counts and completion times so supervisors can track the workload.

Required Skills and Qualifications

To succeed as a data entry clerk, you will need the following skills and qualifications:

• Fast, accurate typing and numeric keypad entry
• Excel, Access or similar database screens
• A sharp eye for transposed digits
• Steady focus through repetitive work
• Basic scanning and OCR software
• Following strict privacy rules
• Self-checking before submitting a batch
• High school diploma or equivalent

Education and Training

If you have worked in any keyboard-heavy job, lead with your typing speed and accuracy when you apply. A typing course is worth taking. Employers typically want a high school diploma, and many give a typing test at interview. New hires learn an employer's forms and screens in a short spell of on-the-job training, the pattern BLS describes as typical for data entry keyers.

Salary and Job Outlook

According to BLS, employment of data entry keyers is projected to fall about 26 percent from 2025 to 2035. That is a sharp drop, driven by scanning, online forms and software that reads documents automatically. BLS still expects roughly 7,700 openings a year, mostly to replace keyers who leave. For a newcomer, the job works best as a first step toward records, billing or office roles.

Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Data entry keyers.

Data Entry Clerk Pay Range

Highest-Paying States for Data Entry Clerks

The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are District of Columbia ($55,170), New Mexico ($49,810), North Dakota ($48,300), Maine ($48,190), Hawaii ($47,630). Pay is lowest in Mississippi ($34,540), South Dakota ($34,320), Arkansas ($33,860).

What the Work Is Like

O*NET surveys people who work as data entry keyers about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:

• 99% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
• 96% spend more than half the workday sitting
• 77% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
• 69% use email every day
• 69% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
• 56% work against deadlines every day
• 46% use their hands on tools, objects or controls for more than half the day

Education Workers Say the Job Needs

Tools and Software Data Entry Clerks Use

Tools and equipment

• Computer data input scanners
• Computer inkjet printers
• Computer keyboards
• Laser facsimile machines
• Multiline telephone systems
• Personal computers
• Photo composing perforators

Software

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Word
• Google Docs
• Intuit QuickBooks
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• SAP software
• Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge
• Data entry software
• Database software

Is This Job a Good Fit for You?

People who do well in this job tend to enjoy organized work with data, records and clear procedures as well as hands-on work with tools, machines or the outdoors.

Skills O*NET rates most important: Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Monitoring, Writing, Time Management, Speaking.

Knowledge areas used most: English Language, Administrative, Customer and Personal Service, Law and Government, Public Safety and Security.

Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 2 of 5, which means some preparation.

Related Careers

These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:

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Applying for a Data Entry Clerk Job

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