Data Entry Clerk
Data entry clerks type and check the information that keeps an organisation's records accurate, from customer details to transaction figures.
- Median salary
- $71,300
3.9%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 34,400
0.3%vs last year
- Projected growth
- −3.5%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- High
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 40/wk
matches all-jobs average
- Shortage status
- Not in shortage
national
Data entry clerks work at a desk for health care providers, government agencies and professional services firms, entering and verifying details in databases, spreadsheets and business systems. The role is narrower than that of an administration officer, whose day also covers phones, scheduling and correspondence, and it centres on putting information in quickly and correctly. Most work from a fixed setup with dual monitors and the organisation's own entry software, and the volume rises around reporting periods such as month end.
How much do data entry clerks earn?
The median full-time salary for a data entry clerk is $71,300 per annum, before tax, up $14,800 since 2018.
What you're paid depends more on the award or enterprise agreement you work under than on how fast you type, and clerical classifications set the bands. Hospitals, government agencies and larger employers that cover evenings or weekends pay penalty rates on top of the base, while most data entry sits on standard office hours. Specialising in a system or a records area, such as payroll or health records, is one of the few ways the rate itself moves.
What does a data entry clerk do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Keying customer, patient or transaction details into a database or system such as MYOB, SAP or Salesforce from paper forms, scans or emails
- Running OCR software over scanned documents and correcting anything it has misread before the record is saved
- Cross-checking entered figures against source documents and running validation checks to catch mismatches before they reach a report
- Sorting and filing digital records so colleagues can find them later, following the naming and storage rules the workplace sets
- Pulling basic reports or data extracts for a supervisor and flagging entries that look wrong rather than guessing and moving on
What skills do data entry clerks need?
Employers look for data analysis, regulatory compliance, backed by Microsoft Excel fluency and strong attention to detail.
Specialist skills
- Data analysis
- Regulatory compliance
Software and tools
- Microsoft Excel
- Data entry software (MYOB, SAP, Salesforce)
- Optical character recognition (OCR) tools
- SQL or database management systems
General skills
- Attention to detail
- Written communication
- Problem solving
Is the job growing?
About 34,400 people work as data entry clerks in Australia, and employment is projected to decline 3.5% over the decade to 2035. That's a real decline, worth weighing carefully before training into the role.
How do you become a data entry clerk?
Here's the path most data entry clerks take, step by step.
- 1Finish Year 12 or an equivalent qualification
There's no degree requirement, and most people in the role list Year 12 or below as their highest qualification. Employers look mainly for reliable keyboard skills and basic spreadsheet confidence, which you can show through a short course or a typing test.
- 2Build the software skills that job ads name
A short course in business administration, records or bookkeeping at TAFE or through an online provider covers Excel, MYOB and the office systems most employers use. These run from a few weeks to a few months and can be done while you work.
- 3Start through a traineeship or an entry-level clerical job
Traineeships in business or health administration are paid, and they put you on the organisation's own systems, which is what interviewers ask about. Reception, call centre and retail work also build the keyboard speed and accuracy that transfers into information entry.
- 4Add a certificate if you want to move beyond entry level
A Certificate III or IV in Business or in Records and Information Management is the recognised study for records work, and it's the qualification to consider if you want to move into records, payroll or accounts support later. It takes roughly six months to a year part time.
Ready to apply as a data entry clerk?
Whether you're working toward becoming a data entry clerk or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a data entry clerk move to?
Moving into Database Administrator typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $56,700 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Database Administrator Careful record checking and system familiarity support a move into database administration, with substantial study in database technologies.Known move | +$56,700 | 44% | reskill |
| Office Manager Record accuracy and office systems experience support a move into office management, with further study in administration or management.Known move | +$18,700 | 35% | reskill |
| Accounts Officer Attention to detail and record accuracy suit accounts processing, though a substantial course in accounting or bookkeeping is needed.Known move | +$3,700 | 38% | reskill |
| Medical Receptionist Accurate information handling and keyboard skills transfer to medical reception, with further study in medical terminology and practice systems.Known move | −$7,400 | 33% | reskill |
| Administration Officer Accurate information entry and keyboard skills carry into broader administrative support, with a short course covering office procedures.Known move | −$13,100 | 50% | short course |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a data entry clerk?
The typical data entry clerk is 40 years old; 81% are women, 54% work full-time, and full-timers average 40 hours a week.
- 40
- Median age
- 81%
- Female share
- 54%
- Full-time
- +0h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a data entry clerk?
Data entry is steady, screen-based work with a clear measure of a good day: the batch is cleared and the error count is low. Average full-time hours run to about 40 a week, and 54% of data entry clerks work full time, with casual and short-term staff often brought in for peak periods. The rhythm suits people who like finishing a defined task and can hold concentration through repeated, similar work, and it grates on anyone who wants variety or a lot of contact with people.
What people like
- You know by the end of the day whether you did well. Accuracy and volume are visible: a batch cleared, a low error rate, an empty queue. That kind of feedback is immediate in a way that longer projects rarely are.
- Predictable hours at a desk that stays put. Most roles run standard office hours in one location, which suits people who want work that stays at work rather than following them home.
- A low barrier to entry with skills that carry. You can start without a degree and pick up software and records experience that counts towards accounts, payroll or office administration work.
- Seeing how an organisation's records fit together. Entering invoices, patient details or licence applications shows you where the information comes from and what other teams do with it.
What people find hard
- The same keystrokes, all day. The work is repetitive by design, and most of the day goes on similar forms and fields rather than varied problems to solve.
- Mistakes are found, good work isn't noticed. An entry error can be traced back to whoever made it, while a long run of accurate work tends to pass without comment.
- Peaks cluster around reporting periods. Month end, invoice runs and hospital admission peaks can mean overtime or agency staff, with quieter stretches in between.
- Long stretches in front of a screen. Sitting with dual monitors for hours at a time takes a toll on eyes, wrists and back, so desk setup and regular breaks matter.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ data entry clerks?
Health Care and Social Assistance employs the largest share of data entry clerks, followed by Public Administration and Safety.
Top employing industries
- 1Health Care and Social Assistance
- 2Public Administration and Safety
- 3Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Year 12 or below | 44.5% | |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate III/IV | 17.7% | |
| Bachelor degree | 15.2% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 12.6% | |
| Postgraduate | 5% |
Will AI replace data entry clerks?
Data entry is one of the more exposed office jobs, because its core work, moving typed text and numbers from one system into another, is exactly what optical character recognition and automated invoice capture do well. Technology has already taken over much of the keying in accounting, health and logistics systems, and what's left leans on documents software reads badly and on discrepancies that need a person to trace. The role isn't disappearing overnight, but the volume of manual entry keeps shrinking.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Keying details from forms and documentsOCR and invoice capture now read printed forms and scans directly into systems such as SAP, so the keying that remains is often handwriting, unusual layouts or documents that failed the first pass.35%high
- Checking entries before a report or payment runValidation rules catch wrong formats and out-of-range figures, but someone still has to work out why a figure is wrong and which record needs fixing.25%moderate
- Fixing what automated capture gets wrongThe software makes the first attempt and the clerk compares it with the source, correcting names, amounts and account codes before the record is saved.20%moderate
- Answering queries about records and tracing errorsWhen a colleague or customer can't find or trust a record, a clerk works back through source documents and correspondence to sort it out, using context the systems don't hold.20%low
Common questions about becoming a data entry clerk
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much does a data entry clerk earn?
Full-time data entry clerks earn a median of $71,300 per year before tax. The figure moves with the award or enterprise agreement you're covered by and with the sector you work in, so a hospital or government clerical role can sit at a different point from a small private firm. It's a reference point rather than a starting rate, since part-time and casual work is common in this role.
How do you become a data entry clerk?
There's no set qualification: employers look for accurate keyboard skills, basic Excel or database confidence and reliability. Many people start through a paid traineeship in business or health administration, or move across from reception, call centre or retail work. A short course in business administration or records is the quickest way to add the software names that job ads ask for.
Are data entry clerk jobs in demand?
Data entry clerks are currently not in shortage, and employment is projected to decline 3.5% over the decade to 2035. That means most openings come from replacing people who leave rather than from new positions, so it helps to look where records volume is steady, such as health care, government and professional services. Employers that need accuracy in regulated records still hire, even where routine entry has been automated.
Will AI replace data entry clerks?
Much of the routine work is exposed: OCR and automated document capture already read printed forms, invoices and scanned referrals straight into systems. What remains is the material software handles badly, including handwritten or inconsistent documents, figures that don't match and need tracing, and queries from colleagues about what a record means. Clerks who understand the systems and the source documents behind them are the ones who stay useful as manual keying falls.
What can data entry clerks move into?
Administration officer draws on the same office and keyboard skills, and it pays $13,100 less. Accounts officer suits people who like record accuracy and needs bookkeeping or accounting study first, and it pays $3,700 more. Database administrator is a bigger step in both study and pay ($56,700 more), requiring substantial training in database technologies.
What does a data entry clerk do all day?
Most of the day is spent at a screen, keying details from forms, scans or emails into a database and checking each entry against the source. Between batches, clerks correct entries that turn out to be wrong, answer questions about records and keep digital files in order. Deadlines bunch around month end and other reporting periods, when the queue grows fastest.
Related roles
- Administration Officer
- Accounts Officer
- Office Manager
- Medical Receptionist
- Database Administrator
- Administration Officer
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