Data Entry Specialist salary in Richmond, VA
For this job Richmond sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $40,270 a year1. That is 3.5% above the Virginia statewide median of $38,900, and 2.6% below the US median of $41,340. Among US areas it comes in at #158 of 394. About 480 data entry specialists work here, 17% of the Virginia total.
BLS occupation 43-9021, area Richmond, VA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Richmond against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | $28,010 | $40,270 | $50,700 | |
| Virginia | $28,010 | $38,900 | $54,670 | |
| United States | $31,200 | $41,340 | $58,790 |
Data entry specialists at the 90th percentile earn $50,700, 1.8 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.9. The middle half of data entry specialists in Richmond earns $35,410–$47,170. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $11,760 wide, against $13,270 across Virginia and $12,650 nationally: employers in Richmond 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 | $28,010 | $2,334 | $13.47 | $36,142 |
| 25th percentile | $35,410 | $2,951 | $17.02 | $45,690 |
| Median | $40,270 | $3,356 | $19.36 | $51,961 |
| 75th percentile | $47,170 | $3,931 | $22.68 | $60,865 |
| 90th percentile | $50,700 | $4,225 | $24.38 | $65,419 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $6,900 a year in pay and about $8,903 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $4,860 in pay. 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 Richmond, and the Virginia statewide median of $38,900 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Richmond
At the $40,270 median, a local hire costs about $51,961 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $11,691 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 Richmond
Of the 17 roles we track in Richmond, this one ranks #16 by median pay, between customer support specialists ($42,660) and virtual receptionists ($36,400). Project Coordinator is the highest at $102,170.
| Role | Median | vs data entry specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +10.0% | 4,140 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +6.4% | 340 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +5.9% | 10,960 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | this role | 480 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -9.6% | 3,550 |
Measured against the US median, data entry specialists rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Richmond (-2.6%), between project coordinators (-0.1%) and medical administrative assistants (-3.5%). The typical role here is at +0.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Data entry specialists hold 0.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Richmond, 0.7% across Virginia and 0.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Virginia
Across the 9 areas of Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $33,070 in the Southwest Virginia nonmetro area to $42,300 in Roanoke, a gap of $9,230 a year. The one area in Virginia with more data entry specialists, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC ($38,030), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Richmond | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke, VA | +5.0% | 70 | |
| Richmond, VA | this area | 480 | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | -2.9% | 30 | |
| Northwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | -3.4% | 40 | |
| Charlottesville, VA | -4.9% | 60 | |
| Southside Virginia (Nonmetro) | -5.5% | 50 | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | -5.6% | 510 |
Richmond against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Richmond is #47 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 Virginia, Greenville and Peoria pay just above Richmond and Boise City and Iowa City just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Richmond. Of the three markets with about as many data entry specialists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Richmond | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +5.7% | 460 | jobs | |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | +1.6% | 500 | jobs | |
| Peoria, IL | +0.1% | 110 | pay | |
| Greenville, NC | +0.0% | 30 | pay | |
| Richmond, VA | this area | 480 | ||
| Boise City, ID | -0.0% | 270 | pay | |
| Iowa City, IA | -0.0% | 40 | pay | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | -11.0% | 470 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a data entry specialist in Richmond, VA?
About $51,961 a year at the median, or $4,330 a month: $40,270 in pay plus about $11,691 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do data entry specialists earn in Richmond?
The median was $40,270 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,010, the 90th $50,700, and the middle half earned $35,410 to $47,170.
Is Richmond cheaper than the rest of Virginia for data entry specialists?
No, it costs more: a median of $40,270 against $38,900 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is Roanoke at $42,300, the next down Winchester at $39,110.
How many data entry specialists work in Richmond?
BLS counts about 480 in the May 2025 survey. That is 17% of the Virginia total of 2,890. Only Virginia Beach-Chesapeake has more in Virginia.
Does a data entry specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in Richmond?
Yes: $3,870 a year more at the median. The medians are $40,270 and $36,400.
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.