There are many different levels of data entry, and each one has a different salary options. As of March 2006, the median salary of an entry-level data entry clerk was 24,797 dollars per year. The bottom 25th percentile of the profession made 22,115 dollars per year and the top 75th percentile made 27,899 dollars per year.
The median salary of an intermediate-level data entry clerk was 27,822 dollars per year. The bottom 25th percentile earned 24,812 dollars per year and the top 75th percentile earned 32,126 dollars per year.
The median salary of a senior-level data entry clerk was 31,941 dollars per year. The bottom 25th percentile earned 28,106 dollars per year, and the top 75th percentile earned 36,911 dollars per year.
The median salary of a data entry supervisor was 46,548 dollars per year. The bottom 25th percentile earned 40,456 dollars per year, and the top 75th percentile earned 55,469 per year.
The following are median annual salaries in the industries employing the largest numbers of data entry keyers, as of 2004:
Insurance carriers $23,980
Accounting, bookkeeping, 23,120 and tax preparation services
Data processing, hosting and 20,750 related services
Employment services 21,550
Depository credit intermediation 21,950
Total employment of data entry clerks is projected to decline through 2014. Nevertheless, there is always a need to replace data entry clerks who leave the field or the work force, thus there are positions to be had. Job prospects will always be most favorable for those with the best technical skills, in particular, computer skills. Salary will always be higher for those with certification and experience. Data entry clerks must be willing to update their skills to remain marketable and attain higher earnings.
The growth of this field is being stunted by technology. Various data-capturing technologies, such as: voice recognition technologies, bar code scanners and sophisticated character recognition readers are taking the place of many data entry clerks. Additionally, as telecommunications technology becomes more sophisticated, many organizations will progressively more take advantage of computer networks that allow data to be transmitted electronically. That cuts into the duties of the data entry clerk. Thus, the more skilled you are, the more job security you will have.
In addition to being affected by technology, companies are increasingly contracting out the work of data entry. Many businesses have eliminated their full-time data entry clerks in favor of temporary services. Some of the larger companies have also begun outsourcing data entry jobs to workers in nations with relatively lower wages. As international trade barriers continue to fall and technology improves, this will mean a reduced demand for data entry employees.
