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Careers›Roles›Data Entry Machine Operator
Mid-Level

Data Entry Machine Operator

Keying in data fast and accurately, you turn paper, forms, and documents into digital records, on equipment built for volume. Where accuracy and speed both count.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
C
R
I
E
S
A
Conventionalorganizing, detail-oriented
Realistichands-on, practical
Based on Holland Code framework
Industries that often hire Data Entry Machine Operators
Professional Services · 18%Administrative Services · 18%Healthcare · 11%Wholesale & Distribution · 7%Financial Services · 7%Education · 6%
Job markets for Data Entry Machine Operators
Employment concentration · ~296 areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
Technology
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
Jump to:What it's likeCareer pathsBy the numbers
What it's like

What it's like to be a Data Entry Machine Operator

The work means entering data quickly and precisely, verifying it, and handling high volumes on a steady rhythm. You work mostly at a screen or machine, often to throughput targets. Accuracy under speed is the whole job, since a typo becomes an error someone downstream trusts, and the pace can be relentless on a busy day.

What people underestimate is the monotony and the strain: repetitive keying is hard on focus and on the body. Pay tends to be modest, the work is closely measured, and automation has reshaped the field, shifting some of it toward verification. Tools vary by employer.

It fits someone fast, accurate, and comfortable with steady routine. If you need variety or creative work, the repetition can wear. But if you take pride in clean, quick work, and being the reliable one who never lets errors through, the role tends to suit, batch after batch.

What people in this role value
SupportModerate
RelationshipsLower
Working ConditionsLower
AchievementLower
IndependenceLower
RecognitionLower
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

Earning potential across this track
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
Technology & Information$112K+9%
Professional Services$101K-2%
Energy & Utilities$88K-15%
Wholesale & Distribution$85K-17%
Government$80K-22%
Compared to Technology average across all industries
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Data Entry Machine Operators (SOC 43-9021.00), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Related rolesExplore Technology →
Data Entry Machine OperatorTranscribing Machine OperatorWord Processing Machine OperatorData CollectorData TranscriberComputer AideRecords ClerkMail List ProcessorBraille TranscriberPerforator OperatorComputer TypesetterEncoderData KeyerKeypuncherTeletypistVaritypistTeleprinterCard PuncherBraille TypistComputer ClerkEncoding ClerkTeletype ClerkCheck ProcessorBraille OperatorData Input Clerk+1 more
Exploring the Data Entry Machine Operator career path? Truest helps you figure out if it's the right fit — and plan your path forward.
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✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$30K–$57K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
135K
U.S. Employment
-25.9%
10yr Growth
10K
Annual Openings

How this category is changing

$80K$77K$74K$71K$68K201920202021202220232024$68K$80K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningMonitoringWritingTime ManagementSpeakingComplex Problem SolvingCritical ThinkingCoordinationActive Learning
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mapped SOC Codes
43-9021.00

Explore related roles

Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths

directorData Operations Director$171KmidTranscribing Machine Operator$43KmidWord Processing Machine Operator$48KmidData Collector$48KseniorSenior Data Collector$48KmidData Transcriber$42K
View all Technology roles →

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.