Data Entry Specialist salary in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
Buffalo-Cheektowaga pays data entry specialists close to the national norm. The median is $41,090 a year1, 8.4% below the New York statewide median of $44,860 and about level with the US median of $41,340. Nationally it ranks #135 of 394 areas. About 410 data entry specialists work here, 4% of the New York total.
BLS occupation 43-9021, area Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Buffalo-Cheektowaga against New York and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $33,240 | $41,090 | $53,680 | |
| New York | $34,130 | $44,860 | $61,200 | |
| United States | $31,200 | $41,340 | $58,790 |
The middle half of data entry specialists in Buffalo-Cheektowaga earns $36,410–$46,680. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $53,680, only 1.6 times the bottom tenth, against 1.9 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $10,270 wide, against $13,570 across New York and $12,650 nationally: employers in Buffalo-Cheektowaga pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a data entry specialist here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $33,240 | $2,770 | $15.98 | $42,890 |
| 25th percentile | $36,410 | $3,034 | $17.50 | $46,981 |
| Median | $41,090 | $3,424 | $19.75 | $53,019 |
| 75th percentile | $46,680 | $3,890 | $22.44 | $60,232 |
| 90th percentile | $53,680 | $4,473 | $25.81 | $69,265 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $4,680 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $5,590, or about $7,213 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $41,340 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, and the New York statewide median of $44,860 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Buffalo-Cheektowaga
At the $41,090 median, a local hire costs about $53,019 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $11,929 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for data entry specialists we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Buffalo-Cheektowaga
Of the 17 roles we track in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, this one ranks #16 by median pay, between customer support specialists ($45,520) and virtual receptionists ($38,960). Project Coordinator is the highest at $101,180.
| Role | Median | vs data entry specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +13.8% | 6,470 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +11.9% | 3,110 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +10.8% | 9,850 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | this role | 410 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -5.2% | 3,930 |
Measured against the US median, data entry specialists rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Buffalo-Cheektowaga (-0.6%), between medical administrative assistants (+0.1%) and project coordinators (-1.1%). The typical role here is at -1.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Data entry specialists hold 0.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, 0.9% across New York and 0.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in New York
Across the 12 areas of New York with data for this job, the median runs from $36,510 in the Southwest New York nonmetro area to $45,350 in New York-Newark, a gap of $8,840 a year. Of the 2 areas in New York with more data entry specialists than Buffalo-Cheektowaga, 1 pays less: Albany-Schenectady, NY ($39,840).
| Area | Median | vs Buffalo-Cheektowaga | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse, NY | +4.3% | 230 | |
| Capital/Northern New York (Nonmetro) | +2.4% | 130 | |
| Kingston, NY | +0.7% | 60 | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | this area | 410 | |
| Central East New York (Nonmetro) | -0.3% | 100 | |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | -2.9% | 210 | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | -3.0% | 450 |
Buffalo-Cheektowaga against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Buffalo-Cheektowaga is #53 of 389 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside New York, Memphis and Philadelphia-Camden pay just above Buffalo-Cheektowaga and Cleveland and Trenton-Princeton just below. All four are within $190 a year of the median in Buffalo-Cheektowaga. Of the three markets with about as many data entry specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Buffalo-Cheektowaga | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | +3.1% | 400 | jobs | |
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | +0.5% | 2,340 | pay | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | +0.4% | 550 | pay | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | this area | 410 | ||
| Cleveland, OH | -0.2% | 900 | pay | |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | -0.4% | 500 | pay | |
| Madison, WI | -7.6% | 430 | jobs | |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | -10.1% | 390 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a data entry specialist in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?
About $53,019 a year at the median, or $4,418 a month: $41,090 in pay plus about $11,929 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for data entry specialists in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
The median was $41,090 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $33,240, the 90th $53,680, and the middle half earned $36,410 to $46,680.
Is Buffalo-Cheektowaga cheaper than the rest of New York for data entry specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $41,090 against $44,860 statewide. The next area up in New York is Kingston at $41,370, the next down the Central East New York nonmetro area at $40,970.
How many data entry specialists work in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
BLS counts about 410 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the New York total of 9,470. Only New York-Newark and Albany-Schenectady have more in New York.
Does a data entry specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Yes: $2,130 a year more at the median. The medians are $41,090 and $38,960.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-9021: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.