Data Entry Specialist salary in Kansas City, MO-KS
The median data entry specialist in Kansas City earned $38,910 a year in May 20251, 5.9% below the US median of $41,340. BLS publishes no statewide median for this job in Missouri. Among US areas it comes in at #207 of 394. With about 920 data entry specialists, no area in Missouri employs more.
BLS occupation 43-9021, area Kansas City, MO-KS. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Kansas City against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $32,350 | $38,910 | $49,630 | |
| United States | $31,200 | $41,340 | $58,790 |
The middle half of data entry specialists in Kansas City earns $37,240–$45,480. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $49,630, only 1.5 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 $8,240 wide, against $12,650 nationally, so local offers cluster more tightly.
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 | $32,350 | $2,696 | $15.55 | $41,742 |
| 25th percentile | $37,240 | $3,103 | $17.90 | $48,052 |
| Median | $38,910 | $3,242 | $18.71 | $50,206 |
| 75th percentile | $45,480 | $3,790 | $21.87 | $58,684 |
| 90th percentile | $49,630 | $4,136 | $23.86 | $64,039 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $6,570 over the median, the 25th only $1,670 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $8,477 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 Kansas City.
What a hire really costs in Kansas City
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 $11,296 to the $38,910 median and brings it to $50,206 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 Kansas City
Of the 17 roles we track in Kansas City, this one ranks #16 by median pay, between customer support specialists ($44,350) and virtual receptionists ($37,210). Project Coordinator is the highest at $101,050.
| Role | Median | vs data entry specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +20.3% | 15,930 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +16.1% | 4,680 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +14.0% | 22,240 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | this role | 920 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -4.4% | 6,750 |
Measured against the US median, data entry specialists rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Kansas City (-5.9%), between accountants (-4.3%) and sales development representatives (-7.2%). The typical role here is at -1.7%, so, measured against the US, data entry specialists cost less in Kansas City than the area's general pay level would suggest. Data entry specialists hold 0.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Kansas City, 1.0% across Missouri and 0.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Missouri
Across the 9 areas of Missouri with data for this job, the median runs from $33,210 in St. Joseph to $39,130 in St. Louis, a gap of $5,920 a year. No other area in Missouri has as many data entry specialists, and 7 of the other 8 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Kansas City | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | +0.6% | 910 | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | this area | 920 | |
| Southeast Missouri (Nonmetro) | -1.0% | 90 | |
| Central Missouri (Nonmetro) | -3.0% | 80 | |
| Springfield, MO | -3.2% | 150 | |
| North Missouri (Nonmetro) | -9.4% | 70 | |
| Southwest Missouri (Nonmetro) | -9.4% | 40 |
Kansas City against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Kansas City is #23 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 Missouri, Binghamton and Davenport-Moline pay just above Kansas City and Utica-Rome and Allentown-Bethlehem just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Kansas City. Of the three markets with about as many data entry specialists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Kansas City | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | +19.0% | 920 | jobs | |
| Cleveland, OH | +5.3% | 900 | jobs | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | +0.1% | 150 | pay | |
| Binghamton, NY | +0.1% | 60 | pay | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | this area | 920 | ||
| Utica-Rome, NY | +0.0% | 70 | pay | |
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | -0.1% | 210 | pay | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | -0.5% | 930 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a data entry specialist in Kansas City, MO-KS?
About $50,206 a year at the median, or $4,184 a month: $38,910 in pay plus about $11,296 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do data entry specialists earn in Kansas City?
The median was $38,910 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,350, the 90th $49,630, and the middle half earned $37,240 to $45,480.
How many data entry specialists work in Kansas City?
BLS counts about 920 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Missouri has as many.
Does a data entry specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in Kansas City?
Yes: $1,700 a year more at the median. The medians are $38,910 and $37,210.
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.