Data Entry Keyers
Median $41,340
Occupation · SOC 43-9022
Word Processors and Typists: pay and where the jobs are
What word processors and typists earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.
National pay, May 2025
$49,280 median annual wage
- Mean (average) annual wage
- $51,120
- Median hourly wage
- $23.69
- Mean hourly wage
- $24.58
- Employment
- 35,010
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 43-9022.
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See where your pay falls among word processors and typists nationally and in your state. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
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How much do word processors and typists make?
The median annual wage for word processors and typists was $49,280 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,810 and the highest-paid 10% more than $65,150. As an hourly rate, the median is $23.69. About 35,010 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in Colorado ($57,550), California ($56,380) and Massachusetts ($53,740). After taxes and local prices, though, a median paycheck goes furthest in Tennessee.
Pay ladder
What each step of the pay range for word processors and typists looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Monthly gross | Monthly after federal tax & FICA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,810 | $17.70 | $3,068 | $2,646 |
| 25th percentile | $40,800 | $19.62 | $3,400 | $2,914 |
| Median | $49,280 | $23.69 | $4,107 | $3,481 |
| 75th percentile | $57,670 | $27.73 | $4,806 | $4,043 |
| 90th percentile | $65,150 | $31.32 | $5,429 | $4,544 |
Word Processors and Typists: pay by state
38 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.
1
$45,885 take-home in national prices
2
$44,972 take-home in national prices
3
$43,537 take-home in national prices
Where a median word processors and typist paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.
| State | Employment | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Median after tax* | In national prices† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 60 | $57,550 | $37,760 | $69,450 | $46,344 | $44,972 |
| California | 10,270 | $56,380 | $40,760 | $65,720 | $45,326 | $40,938 |
| Massachusetts | 350 | $53,740 | $41,600 | $63,790 | $42,646 | $40,324 |
| Oregon | 40 | $52,420 | $41,820 | $62,700 | $40,594 | $39,274 |
| Minnesota | 210 | $51,550 | $47,440 | $60,860 | $41,392 | $41,970 |
| Idaho | 60 | $49,930 | $36,820 | $58,560 | $40,761 | $42,684 |
| Tennessee | 90 | $49,750 | $26,040 | $57,880 | $42,154 | $45,885 |
| New Jersey | 3,560 | $49,520 | $38,430 | $70,650 | $40,383 | $37,115 |
| Connecticut | 170 | $49,250 | $38,430 | $74,000 | $39,540 | $38,162 |
| District of Columbia | 120 | $49,180 | $41,060 | $70,390 | $39,911 | $36,316 |
| Ohio | 310 | $48,670 | $23,040 | $59,390 | $40,391 | $43,537 |
| Wisconsin | 180 | $48,540 | $38,080 | $63,200 | $39,677 | $42,167 |
| New York | 12,340 | $48,400 | $37,020 | $68,580 | $38,813 | $35,964 |
| Michigan | 520 | $47,970 | $36,940 | $59,470 | $38,936 | $40,467 |
| Texas | 290 | $47,720 | $25,400 | $62,370 | $40,523 | $41,752 |
| Maryland | 210 | $47,110 | $40,250 | $65,000 | $38,161 | $36,358 |
| Nebraska | 80 | $47,080 | $40,190 | $58,550 | $38,746 | $43,002 |
| Rhode Island | 120 | $47,040 | $37,310 | $60,070 | $38,312 | $37,458 |
| Alabama | 70 | $46,860 | $30,780 | $65,880 | $37,901 | $42,670 |
| New Mexico | 60 | $46,400 | $37,140 | $52,420 | $38,435 | $41,681 |
| Virginia | 290 | $46,130 | $31,420 | $59,970 | $37,407 | $36,999 |
| Washington | 140 | $46,110 | $40,850 | $81,750 | $38,590 | $36,061 |
| Illinois | 490 | $45,490 | $37,910 | $72,850 | $36,624 | $36,640 |
| Delaware | 50 | $45,480 | $39,120 | $83,230 | $36,694 | $36,765 |
| Oklahoma | 40 | $43,710 | $37,270 | $52,420 | $35,880 | $40,845 |
| Iowa | 360 | $43,210 | $32,130 | $54,900 | $35,909 | $40,916 |
| Arkansas | 40 | $43,010 | $35,990 | $49,730 | $35,635 | $40,989 |
| South Carolina | 30 | $42,840 | $35,320 | $58,430 | $36,033 | $38,435 |
| Arizona | Not published | $42,070 | $34,350 | $73,250 | $35,325 | $35,088 |
| Nevada | 170 | $41,290 | $40,700 | $52,930 | $35,357 | $35,364 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,170 | $41,000 | $30,400 | $60,060 | $33,836 | $34,678 |
| Hawaii | 270 | $40,060 | $40,060 | $54,970 | $32,838 | $29,866 |
| Indiana | 120 | $39,520 | $30,880 | $56,410 | $32,798 | $35,142 |
| Missouri | 260 | $37,440 | $35,030 | $55,690 | $31,441 | $34,620 |
| West Virginia | 80 | $36,060 | $31,460 | $41,500 | $30,235 | $33,784 |
| Florida | 1,000 | $35,770 | $27,520 | $61,520 | $30,921 | $29,900 |
| Puerto Rico | 1,700 | $32,270 | $22,850 | $44,680 | — | — |
| Georgia | Not published | $31,450 | $29,280 | $46,700 | $26,629 | $27,654 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 43-9022. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).
Sources
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25nat.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25st.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.