The numbers
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| Job (BLS code) | Jobs, May 2025 | 10th percentile | Median | Change, 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data entry keyers (43-9021) | 127,080 | $15.00 | $19.88 | -25.5% | 7,700 |
| Word processors and typists (43-9022) | 35,010 | $17.70 | $23.69 | -34.4% | 1,900 |
| Office clerks, general (43-9061) | 2,464,940 | $14.57 | $21.64 | -6.0% | 249,000 |
| Customer service reps (43-4051) | 2,595,750 | $15.27 | $21.53 | -5.3% | 289,500 |
| Medical records specialists (29-2072) | 194,720 | $17.79 | $24.59 | +7.8% | 14,000 |
Sources: BLS OEWS, May 2025, and BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. BLS does not split out remote jobs, so these cover all data entry work, in offices too. No government source counts how many are remote.
What this means for you: there are about 38 customer service openings for every data entry opening. So a pure typing job is the long shot, and many jobs include data entry as one part of the work.
What real postings look like
We searched five employer careers sites for "data entry" on November 1, 2026: Conduent, Foundever, CVS Health, TTEC and UnitedHealth Group. Only Conduent showed current postings with that title. Both are in Lexington, KY.
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| Posting | Where | Pay | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Processor, posted October 8, 2026 | "On-site in Lexington, KY" | "$16.00/hour during training, then moves to performance-based pay" | Diploma or equivalent, background check, 45 words a minute |
| Data Entry Specialist, posted October 1, 2026 | Training on-site in Lexington, then hybrid. Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, no weekends | $15.00 | Reviews and updates insurance transactions |
Read that first line closely. The Processor posting warns that performance-based pay "may be below your state's minimum wage." Federal rules let an employer pay by output, but covered, non-exempt workers must still get at least the minimum wage and overtime (DOL Fact Sheet 64). Before you accept this kind of pay, ask:
"What did a new processor earn per hour in their first three months? What happens in a week when my output pay comes in under minimum wage?"
If you think your pay fell short, the DOL Wage and Hour Division takes calls at 1-866-487-9243. See unpaid wages: what to do.
Where the keying went. Many remote phone jobs include it. Conduent's remote rep must "maintain accurate records through data entry." CVS Health's remote advocate must "accurately enter patient information." So if you like accuracy work and can talk to people, read remote customer service jobs with no experience. Also try the job titles O*NET lists: data capture specialist, records clerk, data transcriber.
Typing bars, as stated
Online lists give many typing numbers. We found no government standard, so here is what employers wrote.
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| Posting (read November 1, 2026) | Typing stated |
|---|---|
| Conduent Data Entry Processor, Lexington, KY | Minimum 45 words a minute |
| Conduent Medicaid call center, Kansas | 28 to 30 words a minute, accurately |
| U-Haul roadside agent, remote | "Ability to type while talking (40 WPM or higher is a plus)" |
No posting we read named an accuracy percentage. But accuracy is the job: 88% of data entry keyers told O*NET that being exact is "extremely important." Take a free typing test twice, then write the lower score on your resume.
The body cost. On O*NET, 93% of keyers report sitting continually or almost continually, and 85% report repetitive motions that often. Only 21% report "some freedom" to make decisions. If that sounds hard to take for eight hours, believe it.
Transcription: do the math first
Transcription is often sold as data entry. It is freelance work, usually paid per minute of audio, not per hour you work. Published rates, read November 1, 2026:
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| Platform | Published rate | What else it says |
|---|---|---|
| Rev | $0.40 to $1.10 per audio or video minute | Paid weekly through PayPal. Skills test and sample. "No minimum commitment" |
| TranscribeMe | $15 to $22 per audio hour | "Average monthly earnings are $250," and top monthly earnings are $2,200 |
Your hourly pay depends on how long one audio hour takes you. No public source we found gives a standard, so this table assumes 4 hours of work per audio hour. Time yourself and change the number.
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| Rate | Per audio hour | Per hour of your time, at 4 hours per audio hour |
|---|---|---|
| Rev, low end, $0.40 a minute | $24.00 | $6.00 |
| Rev, high end, $1.10 a minute | $66.00 | $16.50 |
| TranscribeMe, $15 an audio hour | $15.00 | $3.75 |
| TranscribeMe, $22 an audio hour | $22.00 | $5.50 |
If you are an independent contractor, these amounts come before self-employment tax of 15.3% on 92.35% of your net earnings (IRS Topic 554). Minimum wage law generally protects employees, so ask a platform how it classifies you. And TranscribeMe's own $250 average works out to about $58 a week. Treat this as side money, not rent money.
Test it free. Pick a 5-minute clip of two people talking. Type it, label the speakers, and time yourself. Multiply your time by 12 to get your own hours per audio hour.
Spotting the fake version
Scammers use easy-sounding home jobs, because many people want them (FTC, read November 1, 2026). Walk away if you see any of these:
- You pay first. The FTC warns of "starter kits, so-called training, or certifications that are useless."
- A check arrives. You deposit it and send some back. The check bounces, and the bank wants its money from you (FTC).
- Big pay, little work. That is "almost certainly a scam" (FTC). For scale, the 90th percentile for data entry keyers is $28.26 an hour nationally (BLS, May 2025).
- It moves to a chat app. The FTC describes fake recruiters who say Telegram is the only way they communicate.
- The "job" is clicking or rating in an app. That is a task scam. See task scams explained.
More: job scam warning signs.
Should you pay for a certificate?
Only with your eyes open. The one data entry neighbor with growth is medical records, and it is a real step up, not a quick add-on.
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| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Typical entry | A postsecondary certificate, though some enter with a diploma plus health care experience (BLS OOH) |
| Pay and outlook | $24.59 median, growing 7.8%, with about 14,000 openings a year. BLS notes AI coding tools could affect demand |
| One credential's fee | AAPC's CPC exam costs $425 for one attempt or $499 for two, plus coursework, books and practice exams |
| A new credential's limit | AAPC says passing without two years of coding experience earns the apprentice CPC-A, not full CPC |
Those are facts about the field. BLS does not say how many of these jobs are remote, and we found no primary source for how much a credential raises pay, so this page gives no raise figure. Before you pay, read five real postings near you and see what they ask for. Then ask an American Job Center whether training funds could cover it.
Good fit, bad fit
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| Good fit if | Bad fit if |
|---|---|
| You are accurate, and catch your own errors | You rush, or need variety |
| You can sit for long stretches | You have wrist, back or eye trouble that repetition makes worse |
| You can travel to a hybrid site for training | You must be fully remote from day one |
| You will take a phone job that includes data entry | You will not talk to anyone at all |
Start this week
- Today. Test your typing twice, and time a 5-minute transcription clip.
- Tomorrow. Search for "data entry," "records clerk" and "claims processor" on employers' own careers sites, not just on ads.
- Next. Read the resume samples, including the one for records work. Check what home gear costs before you commit.
- Then. Apply to phone jobs too, and keep an in-person search going. See what remote work is really like, and remote jobs with no experience. Parents should also read remote jobs for parents.
Current openings
See remote jobs and customer service jobs. Pay in your metro: pay benchmarks.
More remote openings
Current source-linked listings could not be confirmed in this sample. Check the category search and each original posting for availability.
How to verify a listing
Every opening on JobPin links to its source posting. Open it, then find the same job on the employer's own careers site and match the title, pay and location. Check whether it says on-site, hybrid or remote, because "data entry" ads often blur this. More: how to check if a job is real and how JobPin verifies listings.
How JobPin dates and sources listings: How JobPin verifies listings and events. Report a listing.