Data specialist vs data entry representative

The differences between data specialists and data entry representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a data specialist and a data entry representative. Additionally, a data specialist has an average salary of $68,326, which is higher than the $33,173 average annual salary of a data entry representative.

The top three skills for a data specialist include data analysis, data entry and data collection. The most important skills for a data entry representative are customer service, outbound calls, and inbound calls.

Data specialist vs data entry representative overview

	Data Specialist	Data Entry Representative
Yearly salary	$68,326	$33,173
Hourly rate	$32.85	$15.95
Growth rate	9%	-
Number of jobs	100,301	147,777
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

What does a data specialist do?

A data specialist's role is to process data, transferring them into an electronic platform or database for record-keeping or creating systems. Their primary responsibility is to ensure the accuracy of every inputted data point and verify its authenticity by reaching out to clients or using specific software. There are also instances when they must perform various analyses or take part in different product development processes. Furthermore, it is crucial to be able to identify any anomalies or inconsistencies; this way, corrective measures can be quickly implemented.

What does a data entry representative do?

Data entry representatives are professionals who are responsible for entering data from different documents into the computer systems for storage, processing, and data management. These representatives must prepare documents for data entry and check the accuracy of the data that has been inputted into the database software. They must resolve the discrepancies in information as well as create data backups as part of their contingency plan. Data entry representatives must also test the new database systems so that information can be used by other people for reference or reports.

Data specialist vs data entry representative salary

Data specialists and data entry representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Data Specialist	Data Entry Representative
Average salary	$68,326	$33,173
Salary range	Between $40,000 And $116,000	Between $26,000 And $41,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Urban Honolulu, HI
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Alaska
Best paying company	McKinsey & Company Inc	Alere
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Automotive

Differences between data specialist and data entry representative education

There are a few differences between a data specialist and a data entry representative in terms of educational background:

	Data Specialist	Data Entry Representative
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Data specialist vs data entry representative demographics

Here are the differences between data specialists' and data entry representatives' demographics:

	Data Specialist	Data Entry Representative
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 40.6% Female, 59.4%	Male, 23.8% Female, 76.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 9.9% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 7.6% White, 55.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between data specialist and data entry representative duties and responsibilities

Data specialist example responsibilities.

Manage the FAA's classify operations program.
Manage and prepare pharmaceutical records for multiple FDA audits.
Create UNIX and LINUX shell scripts to automate data migration process.
Create packages in SSIS to automate importing text files into a data mart.
Participate in data profiling activities and lead root cause / impact analysis sessions.
Manage offshore developers to support DBA operations.

Data entry representative example responsibilities.

Facilitate entry of customer data and payment information for Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance billing according to HIPAA guidelines.
Enter payroll information into EasyPay system AS400.
Update and add patient information into AS400 system.
Follow all HIPPA guidelines to help protect patients, clients and company information.
Obtain correct diagnosis from doctors and apply correct ICD-9 codes to expedite billing/payment process.
Correct Medicare and Medicaid claims prior to billing to limit delay due to administrative error.

Data specialist vs data entry representative skills

Common data specialist skills

Data Analysis, 7%
Data Entry, 7%
Data Collection, 7%
Customer Service, 7%
Data Management, 6%
Visualization, 6%

Common data entry representative skills

Customer Service, 13%
Outbound Calls, 8%
Inbound Calls, 7%
Company Database, 7%
Patient Demographics, 6%
Computer System, 6%

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Data Specialist
Data Specialist vs Data Entry Representative

Updated January 8, 2025

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