Data Entry Specialist salary in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC
Hiring a data entry specialist costs less in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake than in Virginia or the country as a whole. The median is $38,030 a year1: 2.2% below the Virginia statewide median of $38,900 and 8.0% below the US median of $41,340. Nationally it ranks #245 of 394 areas. It is the largest market for the job in Virginia: about 510 people.
BLS occupation 43-9021, area Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | $29,640 | $38,030 | $49,440 | |
| Virginia | $28,010 | $38,900 | $54,670 | |
| United States | $31,200 | $41,340 | $58,790 |
The middle half of data entry specialists in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake earns $35,660–$45,060. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $49,440, only 1.7 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 only $9,400 wide, against $13,270 across Virginia and $12,650 nationally: employers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake 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 | $29,640 | $2,470 | $14.25 | $38,245 |
| 25th percentile | $35,660 | $2,972 | $17.14 | $46,013 |
| Median | $38,030 | $3,169 | $18.28 | $49,071 |
| 75th percentile | $45,060 | $3,755 | $21.66 | $58,142 |
| 90th percentile | $49,440 | $4,120 | $23.77 | $63,794 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,030 over the median, the 25th only $2,370 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $9,071 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, and the Virginia statewide median of $38,900 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake
At the $38,030 median, a local hire costs about $49,071 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $11,041 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake
Of the 17 roles we track in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, this one ranks #16 by median pay, between customer support specialists ($38,150) and virtual receptionists ($35,470). Project Coordinator is the highest at $104,920.
| Role | Median | vs data entry specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +15.9% | 4,970 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +11.3% | 230 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +0.3% | 10,960 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | this role | 510 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -6.7% | 4,370 |
Measured against the US median, data entry specialists rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake (-8.0%), between office managers (-8.0%) and e-commerce order specialists (-8.3%). The typical role here is at -6.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Data entry specialists hold 0.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, 0.7% across Virginia and 0.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
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. No other area in Virginia has as many data entry specialists, and 2 of the other 8 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Virginia Beach-Chesapeake | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester, VA-WV | +2.8% | 30 | |
| Northwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | +2.3% | 40 | |
| Charlottesville, VA | +0.7% | 60 | |
| Southside Virginia (Nonmetro) | +0.0% | 50 | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | this area | 510 | |
| Lynchburg, VA | -3.8% | 40 | |
| Southwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | -13.0% | 130 |
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake is #45 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, Sandusky and Homosassa Springs pay just above Virginia Beach-Chesapeake and Tyler and Augusta-Richmond County just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake. Of the three markets with about as many data entry specialists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Virginia Beach-Chesapeake | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | +20.0% | 520 | jobs | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | +14.6% | 510 | jobs | |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | +7.6% | 500 | jobs | |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | +0.3% | 30 | pay | |
| Sandusky, OH | +0.0% | 40 | pay | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | this area | 510 | ||
| Tyler, TX | -0.0% | 130 | pay | |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | -0.1% | 90 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a data entry specialist in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC?
About $49,071 a year at the median, or $4,089 a month: $38,030 in pay plus about $11,041 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for data entry specialists in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake?
The median was $38,030 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $29,640, the 90th $49,440, and the middle half earned $35,660 to $45,060.
Is Virginia Beach-Chesapeake cheaper than the rest of Virginia for data entry specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $38,030 against $38,900 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is the Southside Virginia nonmetro area at $38,040, the next down Lynchburg at $36,600.
How many data entry specialists work in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake?
BLS counts about 510 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Virginia has as many.
Does a data entry specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake?
Yes: $2,560 a year more at the median. The medians are $38,030 and $35,470.
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.