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Typist: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$49,280median pay per year, or $23.69 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $36,810lowest 10% earn less
  2. $40,80025th percentile
  3. $49,280median
  4. $57,67075th percentile
  5. $65,150top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Typists, which BLS calls Word Processors and Typists, had a median pay of $49,280 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to fall 34.4% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-34.4%[2]
Openings per year
1,900[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do typists make?

The median wage for Word Processors and Typists was $49,280 a year, or $23.69 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The mean (average) was $51,120 a year, or $24.58 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980, so typist pay sits a little below the all-occupations middle[4].

Here are the annual percentile wages:

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[3][8] $36,810 $17.70
25th[3][8] $40,800 $19.62
Median[1] $49,280 $23.69
75th[3][8] $57,670 $27.73
90th[3][8] $65,150 $31.32

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,810[3]. A percentile is a boundary line, and BLS publishes percentile wages rather than a starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses or benefits[10].

Pay by state and city

Among the 36 states and DC with published data, Colorado had the highest median at $57,550, followed by California at $56,380 and Massachusetts at $53,740[11]. Georgia had the lowest listed median at $31,450[11]. Some state figures rest on very few jobs, such as 60 in Colorado[11].

New York had the most jobs at 12,340, then California at 10,270 and New Jersey at 3,560[12]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median at $79,430, then San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara at $64,280 and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom at $58,150[13]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs at 8,370, with a median of $52,290[14].

Show median pay in 36 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Colorado[11]$57,55060
California$56,38010,270
Massachusetts$53,740350
Oregon$52,42040
Minnesota$51,550210
Idaho$49,93060
Tennessee$49,75090
New Jersey$49,5203,560
Connecticut$49,250170
District of Columbia$49,180120
Ohio$48,670310
Wisconsin$48,540180
New York$48,40012,340
Michigan$47,970520
Texas$47,720290
Maryland$47,110210
Nebraska$47,08080
Rhode Island$47,040120
Alabama$46,86070
New Mexico$46,40060
Virginia$46,130290
Washington$46,110140
Illinois$45,490490
Delaware$45,48050
Oklahoma$43,71040
Iowa$43,210360
Arkansas$43,01040
South Carolina$42,84030
Arizona$42,070n/a
Nevada$41,290170
Pennsylvania$41,0001,170
Hawaii$40,060270
Indiana$39,520120
Missouri$37,440260
West Virginia$36,06080
Florida$35,7701,000
Georgia$31,450n/a

How to become a typist

BLS describes a short path into the job[6]:

O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2, which means very little to some preparation is needed[15]. Our facts do not give a length of training, a cost or any required license.

What typists do

O*NET describes the work as typing letters, reports, forms and other material from a rough draft, a corrected copy or a voice recording[16]. Some workers also take on other clerical duties[16]. Common tasks include:

Job titles that workers report include Clerk Typist, Keyboard Specialist, Word Processing Operator and Word Processor[18].

Job outlook

BLS projects that employment will decline 34.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 40,400 jobs to 26,500[2]. For comparison, employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same years[19]. These projection counts include self-employed workers, and 10.9% of typists were self-employed in 2025[2][20]. The OEWS count of about 35,010 jobs covers wage and salary work only[21].

Jobs still open up. BLS projects about 1,900 openings a year on average[5]. Openings include workers who retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 5% of workers leave the labor force and 4.9% move to a different occupation[22].

BLS lists substitution as a factor affecting employment. Other workers are taking over typing tasks because typing skills are now common, and automated processes using machine learning are replacing traditional typing methods[23].

Related occupations also show declines. Data Entry Keyers are projected to fall 25.5% and Office Clerks, General 6%[24].

Is it a good fit?

The job has a low barrier to entry: a high school diploma, no related experience and short on-the-job training[6]. Median pay is close to the all-occupations median[1][4]. The main concern is the outlook, since employment is projected to shrink by about a third while all occupations grow[2][19]. Openings from retirements and job changes are still expected each year[5]. Anyone weighing this job may want to check the related occupations in O*NET, which list their own pay and growth[24].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[24].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a typist make an hour?
The median for Word Processors and Typists was $23.69 an hour in May 2025, and the mean was $24.58[1][7].
What education do you need to be a typist?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent, no related work experience and short-term on-the-job training[6].
Is typist a job in demand?
Employment is projected to decline 34.4% from 2025 to 2035, though about 1,900 openings are projected each year[2][5].
What is the highest paying state for typists?
Colorado had the highest median at $57,550, followed by California at $56,380[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Word Processors and Typists in the US was $49,280 per year and $23.69 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Word Processors and Typists is projected to decline 34.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 40,400 to 26,500 jobs (a change of -13,900). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Word Processors and Typists: 10th percentile $36,810, 25th percentile $40,800, 75th percentile $57,670, 90th percentile $65,150. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 1,900 openings for Word Processors and Typists are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Word Processors and Typists: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Word Processors and Typists was $51,120 per year and $24.58 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Word Processors and Typists: 10th percentile $17.70, 25th percentile $19.62, 75th percentile $27.73, 90th percentile $31.32. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Word Processors and Typists in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Word Processors and Typists jobs: New York 12,340; California 10,270; New Jersey 3,560; Pennsylvania 1,170; Florida 1,000. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Word Processors and Typists (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $79,430; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $64,280; Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $58,150; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $57,670; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $57,320; Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $55,660; Visalia, CA $53,790; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $53,740. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Word Processors and Typists jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 8,370 (median $52,290); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 6,830 (median $57,670); San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR 1,330 (median $28,940); Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY 1,300 (median $47,040); Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 880 (median $49,280); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 840 (median $79,430). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. O*NET 43-9022.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  16. O*NET description of Word Processors and Typists. O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET task list for Word Processors and Typists. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET 43-9022.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Clerk Specialist, Clerk Typist, Keyboard Specialist, Stenographer, Typist, Word Processing Operator, Word Processing Specialist, Word Processor. O*NET OnLine
  19. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  20. BLS Employment Projections: 10.9% of Word Processors and Typists were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 35,010 people were employed as Word Processors and Typists in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Word Processors and Typists: 5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.9% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Word Processors and Typists: Occupational substitution, capital/labor substitution - share decreases as other workers assume the functions of typists due to the ubiquity of typing skills and traditional typing methods continue to be replaced by automated processes through use of machine learning (ML) technologies. BLS Employment Projections
  24. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.