Prevailing Wage for Data Entry Keyers
Prevailing wages for Data Entry Keyers are set by the Department of Labor across four experience levels, and the floor varies significantly depending on where the worksite is located. Whether your offer letter lists your title as Data Entry Operator, Data Capture Specialist, or Data Entry Clerk, the same DOL wage floors apply to sponsored positions under H-1B, E-3, and green card pathways.
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Level 1 covers entry-level keyers with limited experience, typically performing routine, closely supervised data input tasks. Workers at this level follow established procedures with minimal independent judgment and usually hold no prior formal experience in the occupation.
Level 2 applies to qualified keyers with moderate experience who work with some independence on standard assignments. This is the most common filing level for Data Entry Keyers, reflecting the typical profile of a sponsored candidate who can handle routine variation without direct supervision.
Level 3 fits experienced keyers who handle complex or varied data entry tasks, may informally guide less experienced colleagues, and operate with significant independence. Employers filing at this level typically have candidates with several years of demonstrated, progressively responsible experience.
Level 4 applies to fully competent senior keyers or leads who set procedures, troubleshoot data quality issues across teams, and may oversee workflows. This level is uncommon in standard sponsorship filings and reflects a supervisory or specialist scope beyond routine keying duties.
Prevailing Wage for Data Entry Keyers by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Data Entry Keyers and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your title maps to SOC 43-9021
Titles like Data Entry Analyst or Records Processing Specialist can be filed under administrative or records-management SOC codes with different wage floors. Verify your employer's LCA lists SOC 43-9021 specifically so the Data Entry Keyers prevailing wage, not a mismatched occupation floor, applies to your offer.
Expect a low base with no offsetting equity
Data Entry Keyer roles rarely include RSUs or annual bonuses, so the offered base salary is the entire compensation picture for prevailing wage purposes. Signing bonuses cannot be amortized to lift a base that falls below the DOL floor for your level and worksite city.
Watch the gap between Puerto Rico metros and mainland offers
DOL wage surveys show the prevailing wage floor for Data Entry Keyers in Arecibo, Ponce, and Aguadilla is far below the median in California or Colorado metros. If your employer has offices in both locations, confirm the LCA lists the actual worksite city where you will physically work.
Search historical sponsors on Migrate Mate
Data Entry Keyers sponsorship filings are concentrated among a narrow set of employer categories, including large BPO firms and healthcare data processors. Migrate Mate shows which employers have an active history of sponsoring this occupation, so you can target outreach toward companies that have filed before.
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Find Jobs for Data Entry KeyersPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 43-9021.00 alongside Data Entry Keyers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Data Capture Specialist Prevailing Wage
Data Capture Specialist Prevailing Wage
Data Capture Specialist positions fall under SOC 43-9021.00 (Data Entry Keyers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Data Entry Clerk Prevailing Wage
Data Entry Clerk Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Data Entry Clerk for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-9021.00 (Data Entry Keyers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Data Entry Machine Operator Prevailing Wage
Data Entry Machine Operator Prevailing Wage
Data Entry Machine Operator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 43-9021.00 (Data Entry Keyers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Data Entry Operator Prevailing Wage
Data Entry Operator Prevailing Wage
Data Entry Operator positions fall under SOC 43-9021.00 (Data Entry Keyers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Data Entry Specialist Prevailing Wage
Data Entry Specialist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Data Entry Specialist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-9021.00 (Data Entry Keyers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Data Transcriber Prevailing Wage
Data Transcriber Prevailing Wage
Data Transcriber is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 43-9021.00 (Data Entry Keyers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Records Clerk Prevailing Wage
Records Clerk Prevailing Wage
Records Clerk positions fall under SOC 43-9021.00 (Data Entry Keyers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Underwriting Support Specialist Prevailing Wage
Underwriting Support Specialist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Underwriting Support Specialist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-9021.00 (Data Entry Keyers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Data Entry Keyers?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to calculate prevailing wages for each occupation and metropolitan area. For Data Entry Keyers under SOC 43-9021, DOL publishes four wage levels derived from the regional earnings distribution. Employers sponsoring a worker must pay at least the level corresponding to the position's duties and required experience, as certified on the Labor Condition Application filed with OFLC.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which applies to me?
DOL assigns levels based on experience, supervision, and complexity. Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision. Level 2 is a qualified worker performing standard tasks with moderate independence, and it covers most sponsored Data Entry Keyer positions. Level 3 reflects experienced workers handling complex variation independently. Level 4 is reserved for senior or lead roles with supervisory scope. Your level should match the actual duties described in the LCA and job offer, not just your years of experience alone.
Why does the prevailing wage for this role differ so much from city to city?
DOL calculates prevailing wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, which capture local labor market conditions separately for each metro area. A San Jose or San Francisco employer competes in a higher-cost labor market where wages across all occupations are elevated, pushing the Data Entry Keyers floor well above the national median. The worksite address on the LCA, not the employer's headquarters, determines which metro's prevailing wage applies, so remote or multi-location arrangements require careful worksite classification.
What happens if a job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored Data Entry Keyer position?
USCIS will not approve an H-1B or employment-based green card petition if the underlying Labor Condition Application shows a wage below the DOL prevailing wage for the occupation and worksite. OFLC can also investigate and debar employers who underpay sponsored workers. For the candidate, an offer that clears the floor only at a lower wage level than the actual duties warrant can create problems during the petition review. The employer must pay at least the higher of the prevailing wage or the actual wage paid to comparable workers.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Data Entry Keyers at a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up the current DOL prevailing wage for SOC 43-9021 in any metropolitan area. Select the fiscal year, enter the occupation code or title, and choose the metro that matches your worksite. You can also review public LCA disclosure data OFLC releases each quarter to see what wage level and rate employers have recently certified for Data Entry Keyers in that location. Migrate Mate lists employers with a documented history of sponsoring this occupation, which helps you identify active hiring companies before you verify the specific wage floor.
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