Office and administrative support
Data entry keyer
Operate data entry device, such as keyboard or photo composing perforator. Duties may include verifying data and preparing materials for printing.
Median pay
$41,340
Growth to 2035
−25%
declining
Openings a year
7,700
Time to qualify*
1 month
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Data entry keyer
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Data entry keyer: 18% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Locate and correct data entry errors, or report them to supervisors.
- Compile, sort, and verify the accuracy of data before it is entered.
- Compare data with source documents, or re-enter data in verification format to detect errors.
- Store completed documents in appropriate locations.
- Select materials needed to complete work assignments.
Also called: Data Capture Specialist · Data Entry Clerk · Data Entry Machine Operator · Data Entry Operator · Data Entry Specialist · Data Transcriber · Records Clerk · Underwriting Support Specialist
Outlook and AI
Data entry keyers held 131,800 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 98,200 by 2035 (−25%, declining; all jobs: +3.5%).
Capital/labor substitution - share decreases as organizations increasingly manage, store, and analyze large quantities of data, requiring traditional data entry methods to be replaced by automated processes through use of expanded technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), mobile data capture, and optical character recognition (OCR).
Compare with
- Data entry keyer vs. File clerk
- Data entry keyer vs. Word processors and typists
- Data entry keyer vs. Office machine operators, except computer
- Data entry keyer vs. Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except postal service
- Data entry keyer vs. Office clerks, general
- Data entry keyer vs. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Data entry keyer vs. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Data entry keyer vs. Billing and posting clerks
- Data entry keyer vs. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Data entry keyer vs. Payroll and timekeeping clerks