How to become a Data Entry Operator
Also called: Data Processing Operator
Operates a keyboard to input and transfer data into a computer for storage, processing and transmission.
Main tasks
- Enters and codes data to process and store information
- Retrieves and updates data using digital software
- Monitors and maintains databases for accuracy
- Prepares reports and material for publication
Ways in
- TAFE and VET: Certificate III in Accounts Administration (FNS30322); Certificate II in Applied Digital Technologies (ICT20120)
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Typical full-time pay: $71,292 a year
- About 46,300 people work in this job group now, and about 44,700 are projected by 2035. (-3.5%)
- Many tasks in this job could be automated by AI. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as high.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Data Entry Operator?
Ways in include: Certificate III in Accounts Administration; Certificate II in Applied Digital Technologies.
How much does a Data Entry Operator earn in Australia?
Median full-time pay is $71,292 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Is a Data Entry Operator a growing career in Australia?
Employment is projected to fall 3% by 2035, from about 46,300 to about 44,700 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Do you need a degree to become a Data Entry Operator?
Usually not. Only 20% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate III in Accounts Administration; Certificate II in Applied Digital Technologies.
Will AI change the work of a Data Entry Operator?
Many tasks in this job could be automated by AI. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as high.
Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04
Updated 2026-10-04