Data Entry Specialist salary in San Francisco-Oakland, CA
Budget above the national rate here. The median data entry specialist in San Francisco-Oakland earned $51,250 a year in May 20251, 9.0% above the California statewide median of $47,010 and 24.0% above the US median of $41,340. Nationally that is #8 of 394 areas, in the top tenth. BLS counts about 1,410 people in this job here, 10% of the California total.
BLS occupation 43-9021, area San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in San Francisco-Oakland against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland, CA | $37,910 | $51,250 | $67,860 | |
| California | $37,490 | $47,010 | $61,520 | |
| United States | $31,200 | $41,340 | $58,790 |
The middle half of data entry specialists in San Francisco-Oakland earns $44,530–$57,100. The top tenth earns $67,860 or more, 1.8 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 $12,570 wide, against $12,660 across California and $12,650 nationally: employers in San Francisco-Oakland 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 | $37,910 | $3,159 | $18.23 | $48,916 |
| 25th percentile | $44,530 | $3,711 | $21.41 | $57,458 |
| Median | $51,250 | $4,271 | $24.64 | $66,129 |
| 75th percentile | $57,100 | $4,758 | $27.45 | $73,677 |
| 90th percentile | $67,860 | $5,655 | $32.62 | $87,561 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,720 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $5,850, or about $7,548 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 10th and 25th percentiles in San Francisco-Oakland, and the California statewide median of $47,010 falls between the 25th percentile and the median. An offer at the national rate would be lower than what three quarters of local data entry specialists earn.
What a hire really costs in San Francisco-Oakland
At the $51,250 median, a local hire costs about $66,129 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,879 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 San Francisco-Oakland
Of the 17 roles we track in San Francisco-Oakland, this one ranks #16 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($51,450) and virtual receptionists ($49,450). Project Coordinator is the highest at $135,040.
| Role | Median | vs data entry specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +19.7% | 13,660 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +12.8% | 19,930 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +0.4% | 1,250 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | this role | 1,410 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -3.5% | 8,510 |
Measured against the US median, data entry specialists rank #16 of the 17 roles we track in San Francisco-Oakland (+24.0%), between office managers (+27.4%) and e-commerce order specialists (+11.4%). The typical role here is at +32.0%, so, measured against the US, data entry specialists cost less in San Francisco-Oakland than the area's general pay level would suggest. Data entry specialists hold 0.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in San Francisco-Oakland, 0.9% across California and 0.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in California
Across the 25 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $39,520 in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara to $54,510 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $14,990 a year. The one area in California with more data entry specialists, Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA ($47,040), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs San Francisco-Oakland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale, CA | +6.4% | 720 | |
| San Francisco-Oakland, CA | this area | 1,410 | |
| Napa, CA | -4.6% | 60 | |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | -5.7% | 160 | |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | -8.2% | 5,900 | |
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA | -8.4% | 970 | |
| Vallejo, CA | -9.5% | 60 |
San Francisco-Oakland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, San Francisco-Oakland is #14 of 389 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside California, New Haven and Olympia-Lacey pay just above San Francisco-Oakland and Boulder and Helena just below. Of the three markets with about as many data entry specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs San Francisco-Oakland | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | +0.8% | 140 | pay | |
| New Haven, CT | +0.2% | 140 | pay | |
| San Francisco-Oakland, CA | this area | 1,410 | ||
| Boulder, CO | -2.6% | 90 | pay | |
| Helena, MT | -2.7% | 90 | pay | |
| Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH | -7.0% | 1,460 | jobs | |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | -18.4% | 1,290 | jobs | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | -24.9% | 1,460 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a data entry specialist in San Francisco-Oakland, CA?
About $66,129 a year at the median, or $5,511 a month: $51,250 in pay plus about $14,879 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for data entry specialists in San Francisco-Oakland?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $51,250 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,910, the 90th $67,860, and the middle half earned $44,530 to $57,100.
Is San Francisco-Oakland cheaper than the rest of California for data entry specialists?
No, it costs more: a median of $51,250 against $47,010 statewide. The next area up in California is San Jose-Sunnyvale at $54,510, the next down Napa at $48,880.
How many data entry specialists work in San Francisco-Oakland?
BLS counts about 1,410 in the May 2025 survey. That is 10% of the California total of 14,520. Only Los Angeles-Long Beach has more in California.
Does a data entry specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in San Francisco-Oakland?
Yes: $1,800 a year more at the median. The medians are $51,250 and $49,450.
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.