Data Entry Specialist salary in Topeka, KS
Of the 3 areas in Kansas with BLS pay data for this job, Topeka has the lowest median: $36,760 a year1. That is 4.0% below the Kansas statewide median of $38,290, and 11.1% below the US median of $41,340. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#298 of 394). It is the largest market for the job in Kansas: about 300 people, 25% of the Kansas total.
BLS occupation 43-9021, area Topeka, KS. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Topeka against Kansas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka, KS | $28,090 | $36,760 | $36,960 | |
| Kansas | $28,090 | $38,290 | $45,760 | |
| United States | $31,200 | $41,340 | $58,790 |
The middle half of data entry specialists in Topeka earns $31,580–$36,760. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $36,960, only 1.3 times the bottom tenth, against 1.9 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($34,640) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $5,180 wide, against $8,590 across Kansas and $12,650 nationally: employers in Topeka 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 | $28,090 | $2,341 | $13.50 | $36,245 |
| 25th percentile | $31,580 | $2,632 | $15.18 | $40,748 |
| Median | $36,760 | $3,063 | $17.67 | $47,432 |
| 75th percentile | $36,760 | $3,063 | $17.67 | $47,432 |
| 90th percentile | $36,960 | $3,080 | $17.77 | $47,690 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $5,180 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $0, or about $0 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 above the 90th percentile in Topeka, and the Kansas statewide median of $38,290 falls there too. An offer at the national rate would beat what nine in ten local data entry specialists earn.
What a hire really costs in Topeka
At the $36,760 median, a local hire costs about $47,432 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,672 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 Topeka
Of the 17 roles we track in Topeka, this one ranks #16 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($37,050) and virtual receptionists ($35,780). Project Coordinator is the highest at $100,000.
| Role | Median | vs data entry specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | +17.5% | 2,340 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +7.5% | 2,920 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +0.8% | 30 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | this role | 300 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -2.7% | 480 |
Measured against the US median, data entry specialists rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Topeka (-11.1%), between sales development representatives (-9.6%) and office managers (-11.8%). The typical role here is at -8.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Data entry specialists hold 2.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Topeka, 0.8% across Kansas and 0.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Kansas
Across the 3 areas of Kansas with data for this job, the median runs from $36,760 in Topeka to $40,490 in the Kansas nonmetro area, a gap of $3,730 a year. No other area in Kansas has as many data entry specialists, and none of the others pays less.
| Area | Median | vs Topeka | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas (Nonmetro) | +10.1% | 220 | |
| Wichita, KS | +4.9% | 190 | |
| Topeka, KS | this area | 300 |
Topeka against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Topeka is #71 of 389 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Kansas, Jacksonville and Erie pay just above Topeka and Gainesville and Charleston just below. All four are within $150 a year of the median in Topeka. Of the three markets with about as many data entry specialists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Topeka | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette, LA | +10.3% | 300 | jobs | |
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | +6.4% | 300 | jobs | |
| Akron, OH | +1.7% | 310 | jobs | |
| Erie, PA | +0.2% | 50 | pay | |
| Jacksonville, NC | +0.2% | 60 | pay | |
| Topeka, KS | this area | 300 | ||
| Gainesville, FL | -0.3% | 80 | pay | |
| Charleston, WV | -0.4% | 110 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a data entry specialist in Topeka, KS?
About $47,432 a year at the median, or $3,953 a month: $36,760 in pay plus about $10,672 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for data entry specialists in Topeka?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $36,760 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,090, the 90th $36,960, and the middle half earned $31,580 to $36,760.
Is Topeka the cheapest area in Kansas for data entry specialists?
Yes. Its median of $36,760 is the lowest of 3 areas in Kansas. Wichita is next at $38,560.
How many data entry specialists work in Topeka?
BLS counts about 300 in the May 2025 survey. That is 25% of the Kansas total of 1,210. No other area in Kansas has as many.
Does a data entry specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in Topeka?
Yes: $980 a year more at the median. The medians are $36,760 and $35,780.
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.