Data specialist vs data entry technician

The differences between data specialists and data entry technicians 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 technician. Additionally, a data specialist has an average salary of $68,326, which is higher than the $31,058 average annual salary of a data entry technician.

The top three skills for a data specialist include data analysis, data entry and data collection. The most important skills for a data entry technician are customer service, patients, and triage.

Data specialist vs data entry technician overview

	Data Specialist	Data Entry Technician
Yearly salary	$68,326	$31,058
Hourly rate	$32.85	$14.93
Growth rate	9%	-8%
Number of jobs	100,301	142,759
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
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 technician do?

The duties of a data entry technician depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around entering information into databases, reviewing inputs to ensure accuracy and quality, devising strategies to identify any inconsistencies, and conducting corrective measures as needed. There are also instances when a data entry technician must coordinate with the information technology team to conduct repairs on systems, troubleshoot, resolve errors, and conduct regular maintenance checks on databases to ensure an efficient workflow.

Data specialist vs data entry technician salary

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

	Data Specialist	Data Entry Technician
Average salary	$68,326	$31,058
Salary range	Between $40,000 And $116,000	Between $24,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Union City, CA
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Alaska
Best paying company	McKinsey & Company Inc	FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Insurance

Differences between data specialist and data entry technician education

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

	Data Specialist	Data Entry Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Data specialist vs data entry technician demographics

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

	Data Specialist	Data Entry Technician
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 40.6% Female, 59.4%	Male, 31.0% Female, 69.0%
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, 9.7% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 8.0% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between data specialist and data entry technician 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 technician example responsibilities.

Manage continuous patient documentation abiding by the HIPPA guidelines.
Utilize PC to enter and retrieve patient data and process all new and refill prescriptions through Medicaid and private insurance.
Maintain current knowledge of Medicaid claim regulations and processes.
Maintain customer confidence and protect operation according to HIPAA regulations.
Safeguard confidential patient health information in compliance with HIPPA regulations.
Follow all applicable government and federal regulations and guidelines, including medication labeling and HIPAA.

Data specialist vs data entry technician 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 technician skills

Customer Service, 20%
Patients, 19%
Triage, 9%
Data Entry Errors, 5%
Order Entry, 5%
Computer Database, 4%

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Data Specialist vs Data Entry Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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