Occupation Profile for Data Entry Keyers
Operate data entry device, such as keyboard or photo composing perforator. Duties may include verifying data and preparing materials for printing.
Signficant Points
- For many people, a job as a data entry and information processing worker is their first job after high school.
- Although overall employment is projected to decline, the need to replace workers who leave this large occupation each year should produce job openings.
- Job prospects should be best for those with expertise in appropriate computer software applications and who meet company requirements for keyboarding speed.
Earnings
Median annual earnings of word processors and typists in May 2006 were $29,430. The middle 50 percent earned between $24,180 and $35,950. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $20,200, while the highest 10 percent earned more than $43,330. The salaries of these workers vary by industry and by region. In May 2006, median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of word processors and typists were as follows:
| Local government | $31,210 |
| Elementary and secondary schools | 29,960 |
| Federal government | 29,420 |
| State government | 28,520 |
| Employment services | 25,220 |
Median annual earnings of data entry keyers in May 2006 were $24,690. The middle 50 percent earned between $20,460 and $29,700. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $17,050, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $35,970. The following are median annual earnings for May 2006 in the industries employing the largest numbers of data entry keyers:
| Management, scientific, and technical consulting services | $25,860 |
| Insurance carriers | 25,760 |
| Accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services | 23,600 |
| Data processing, hosting, and related services | 22,680 |
| Employment services | 22,650 |
Job Outlook
Although employment of data entry and information processing workers is expected to decline, job prospects will be favorable for those who have good technical skills, familiarity with office equipment, and keyboarding speed and accuracy.
Employment change. Overall employment of data entry and information processing workers is projected to moderately decline by 7 percent through the year 2016. Although data entry and information processing workers are affected by productivity gains stemming from organizational restructuring and the implementation of new technologies, projected employment change differs among these workers. Employment of word processors and typists is expected to decline because of the proliferation of personal computers, which allows other workers to perform duties formerly assigned to word processors and typists. Most professionals and managers, for example, now use desktop personal computers to do their own word processing. However, because technologies affecting data entry keyers tend to be costlier to implement, employment of these workers will decline less than word processors and typists.
Employment growth of data entry keyers will be dampened by productivity gains as various data-capturing technologies, such as barcode scanners, voice recognition technologies, and sophisticated character recognition readers, become more prevalent. These technologies can be applied to a variety of business transactions, such as inventory tracking, invoicing, and placing orders. Moreover, as telecommunications technology improves, many organizations will increasingly take advantage of computer networks that allow data to be transmitted electronically. These networks will permit more data to be entered automatically into computers, reducing the demand for data entry keyers.
In addition to being affected by technology, employment of data entry and information processing workers will be adversely affected by businesses that are increasingly contracting out their work. Many organizations have reduced or even eliminated permanent in-house staff—for example, in favor of temporary employment and staffing services firms. Some large data entry and information processing firms increasingly employ workers in nations with relatively lower wages. As international trade barriers continue to fall and telecommunications technology improves, this transfer of jobs will mean reduced demand for data entry keyers in the United States.
Job prospects. The need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or leave this large occupation for other reasons will produce numerous job openings each year. Job prospects will be most favorable for those with the best technical skills—in particular, expertise in appropriate computer software applications. Data entry and information processing workers must be willing to upgrade their skills continuously in order to remain marketable.
Employment
Data entry and information processing workers held about 492,000 jobs in 2006 and were employed in virtually every sector of the economy. Of the data entry and information processing workers, 313,000 were data entry keyers and 179,000 were word processors and typists.
About 1 out of 5 data entry and information processing workers held jobs in firms providing administrative and support services, including temporary help and word processing agencies, and another 15 percent worked for State or local government.