Data Entry Specialist salary in Cleveland, OH
For this job Cleveland sits right at the US figure, with a median of $40,990 a year1. That is about level with the US median of $41,340, and 1.9% above the Ohio statewide median of $40,220. Nationally it ranks #136 of 394 areas. BLS counts about 900 people in this job here, 20% of the Ohio total.
BLS occupation 43-9021, area Cleveland, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cleveland against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland, OH | $30,910 | $40,990 | $54,000 | |
| Ohio | $29,220 | $40,220 | $54,990 | |
| United States | $31,200 | $41,340 | $58,790 |
Data entry specialists at the 90th percentile earn $54,000, 1.7 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.9. The middle half of data entry specialists in Cleveland earns $37,040–$47,630. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $10,590 wide, against $11,210 across Ohio and $12,650 nationally: employers in Cleveland 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 | $30,910 | $2,576 | $14.86 | $39,884 |
| 25th percentile | $37,040 | $3,087 | $17.81 | $47,794 |
| Median | $40,990 | $3,416 | $19.71 | $52,890 |
| 75th percentile | $47,630 | $3,969 | $22.90 | $61,458 |
| 90th percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $25.96 | $69,677 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $6,640 over the median, the 25th only $3,950 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $8,568 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 Cleveland, and the Ohio statewide median of $40,220 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Cleveland
At the $40,990 median, a local hire costs about $52,890 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $11,900 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 Cleveland
Of the 17 roles we track in Cleveland, this one ranks #16 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($45,920) and virtual receptionists ($36,320). Project Coordinator is the highest at $95,000.
| Role | Median | vs data entry specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +12.5% | 10,450 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +12.3% | 15,900 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +12.0% | 7,120 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | this role | 900 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -11.4% | 5,700 |
Measured against the US median, data entry specialists rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Cleveland (-0.8%), between medical administrative assistants (-0.0%) and administrative assistants (-3.0%). The typical role here is at -3.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Data entry specialists hold 0.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Cleveland, 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. The one area in Ohio with more data entry specialists, Cincinnati, OH-KY ($40,820), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | +6.3% | 810 | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | +6.1% | 230 | |
| Mansfield, OH | +5.3% | 40 | |
| Cleveland, OH | this area | 900 | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | -0.4% | 950 | |
| Toledo, OH | -3.7% | 220 | |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | -5.7% | 110 |
Cleveland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cleveland is #26 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, Buffalo-Cheektowaga and Memphis pay just above Cleveland and Trenton-Princeton and Appleton just below. All four are within $280 a year of the median in Cleveland. Of the three markets with about as many data entry specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | +13.0% | 920 | jobs | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | +0.7% | 550 | pay | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | +0.2% | 410 | pay | |
| Cleveland, OH | this area | 900 | ||
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | -0.2% | 500 | pay | |
| Appleton, WI | -0.2% | 90 | pay | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | -4.5% | 910 | jobs | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | -5.1% | 920 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a data entry specialist in Cleveland, OH?
About $52,890 a year at the median, or $4,408 a month: $40,990 in pay plus about $11,900 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do data entry specialists earn in Cleveland?
The median was $40,990 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,910, the 90th $54,000, and the middle half earned $37,040 to $47,630.
Is Cleveland cheaper than the rest of Ohio for data entry specialists?
No, it costs more: a median of $40,990 against $40,220 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Mansfield at $43,150, the next down Cincinnati at $40,820.
How many data entry specialists work in Cleveland?
BLS counts about 900 in the May 2025 survey. That is 20% of the Ohio total of 4,530. Only Cincinnati has more in Ohio.
Does a data entry specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in Cleveland?
Yes: $4,670 a year more at the median. The medians are $40,990 and $36,320.
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.