Data Entry

Types of Degrees Data Entry Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many data entry graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	1,081
Associate’s Degree	237
Undergraduate Certificate	64

What Data Entry Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to data entry and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Data Entry Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Skills for Data Entry Majors

When studying data entry, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Time Management - Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

Abilities for Data Entry Majors

As a data entry major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

How Much Do Data Entry Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Data Entry majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $33,740 to $41,160 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Data Entry

Some degrees associated with data entry may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to data entry have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	1.2%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	53.5%
Some College Courses	39.6%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	6.2%

Online Data Entry Programs

In 2018-2019, 147 schools offered a data entry program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	118	26
Certificate (1-2 years)	49	1
Certificate (2-4 Years)	1	0
Associate’s Degree	55	1
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	118	26
Master’s Degree	1	1
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Data Entry Worth It?

The median salary for a data entry grad is $33,740 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

Majors Related to Data Entry

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to data entry.

Major	Number of Grads
Computer Information Systems	76,482
Computer Science	47,906
Information Technology	33,399
Information Science	17,779
Computer Systems Networking	14,055
Computer Software & Applications	12,793
Computer Programming	10,688
Computer Systems Analysis	2,472
Data Processing	2,138
Other Computer & Information Sciences	1,243

References

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.