Data Entry Specialist salary in Cincinnati, OH-KY
Cincinnati pays data entry specialists more than Ohio as a whole but less than the country. The median is $40,820 a year1: 1.5% above the Ohio statewide median of $40,220 and 1.3% below the US median of $41,340. Among US areas it comes in at #140 of 394. It is the largest market for the job in Ohio: about 950 people.
BLS occupation 43-9021, area Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cincinnati against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | $29,430 | $40,820 | $55,600 | |
| Ohio | $29,220 | $40,220 | $54,990 | |
| United States | $31,200 | $41,340 | $58,790 |
The middle half of data entry specialists in Cincinnati earns $37,440–$47,620. The top tenth earns $55,600 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.9 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $10,180 wide, against $11,210 across Ohio and $12,650 nationally: employers in Cincinnati 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 | $29,430 | $2,452 | $14.15 | $37,974 |
| 25th percentile | $37,440 | $3,120 | $18.00 | $48,310 |
| Median | $40,820 | $3,402 | $19.62 | $52,671 |
| 75th percentile | $47,620 | $3,968 | $22.89 | $61,445 |
| 90th percentile | $55,600 | $4,633 | $26.73 | $71,742 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $6,800 over the median, the 25th only $3,380 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $8,774 a year in employer cost. 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 Cincinnati, and the Ohio statewide median of $40,220 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Cincinnati
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $11,851 to the $40,820 median and brings it to $52,671 a year. 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 Cincinnati
Of the 17 roles we track in Cincinnati, this one ranks #16 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($46,180) and virtual receptionists ($35,250). Project Coordinator is the highest at $95,380.
| Role | Median | vs data entry specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | +13.8% | 19,410 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +13.5% | 780 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +13.1% | 7,140 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | this role | 950 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -13.6% | 5,560 |
Measured against the US median, data entry specialists rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in Cincinnati (-1.3%), between payroll specialists (-1.2%) and bookkeepers (-2.1%). The typical role here is at -1.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Data entry specialists hold 0.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Cincinnati, 0.9% across Ohio and 0.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Ohio
Across the 15 areas of Ohio with data for this job, the median runs from $36,300 in Canton-Massillon to $43,560 in Columbus, a gap of $7,260 a year. No other area in Ohio has as many data entry specialists, and 10 of the other 14 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Cincinnati | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | +6.6% | 230 | |
| Mansfield, OH | +5.7% | 40 | |
| Cleveland, OH | +0.4% | 900 | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | this area | 950 | |
| Toledo, OH | -3.3% | 220 | |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | -5.3% | 110 | |
| Sandusky, OH | -6.8% | 40 |
Cincinnati against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cincinnati is #21 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 Ohio, Appleton and Trenton-Princeton pay just above Cincinnati and Ann Arbor and Anchorage just below. All four are within $120 a year of the median in Cincinnati. Of the three markets with about as many data entry specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Cincinnati | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA | +15.1% | 970 | jobs | |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | +0.2% | 500 | pay | |
| Appleton, WI | +0.2% | 90 | pay | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | this area | 950 | ||
| Ann Arbor, MI | -0.1% | 130 | pay | |
| Anchorage, AK | -0.3% | 110 | pay | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | -4.7% | 920 | jobs | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | -5.2% | 930 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a data entry specialist in Cincinnati, OH-KY?
About $52,671 a year at the median, or $4,389 a month: $40,820 in pay plus about $11,851 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for data entry specialists in Cincinnati?
The median was $40,820 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $29,430, the 90th $55,600, and the middle half earned $37,440 to $47,620.
Is Cincinnati cheaper than the rest of Ohio for data entry specialists?
No, it costs more: a median of $40,820 against $40,220 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Cleveland at $40,990, the next down Toledo at $39,460.
How many data entry specialists work in Cincinnati?
BLS counts about 950 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Ohio has as many.
Does a data entry specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in Cincinnati?
Yes: $5,570 a year more at the median. The medians are $40,820 and $35,250.
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.