Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Short-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Word processors and typists focus on producing accurate written documents using computers and related office technology. This role combines strong writing and reading abilities with attention to detail, fine motor skills, and solid computer and information technology skills. Nationally, there are about 40,000 jobs in this occupation, with a national median annual salary of $47,850. While overall projected employment growth is -36.1%, there are still an estimated 2,000 annual openings, reflecting ongoing turnover and replacement needs. Opportunities vary by location, with some states and metro areas offering higher salaries and stronger overall opportunity scores. People interested in this path should be comfortable working with written information, using office software, and interacting with others through speaking, listening, and customer service. The career can also be a starting point for exploring related roles such as office clerks, file clerks, financial clerks, or other office and administrative support positions.
The national median annual salary for word processors and typists is $47,850, but pay can differ significantly by location. Among the top states by opportunity score, Colorado shows a median salary of $57,550 and California $56,380, while Massachusetts offers $53,740 and New York $48,400. Washington’s median salary is $46,110. At the metro level, some areas stand out even more: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA reports a median salary of $79,430, and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA shows $64,280. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro has a median of $52,290, while Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH sits at $53,740 and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $49,180. These figures indicate that certain metros and states may offer higher earning potential within this occupation, especially select California metro areas.
Word processors and typists have national employment of about 40,000, with projected employment growth of -36.1%. This indicates a shrinking overall job count over the projection period. Despite this decline, the occupation still shows an estimated 2,000 annual openings nationwide. Those openings reflect ongoing replacement needs as workers change jobs, retire, or leave the labor force. The -36.1% projected growth applies consistently to the top states and metro areas listed, suggesting that the decline is not limited to one region. People considering this career should be aware that long-term employment levels are expected to decrease, even though some hiring activity continues. The listed similar occupations—such as office clerks, file clerks, secretaries and administrative assistants (except legal, medical, and executive), and financial clerks, all other—may be additional paths to explore when planning for long-term career flexibility within office and administrative support work.
Location plays a major role in the overall opportunity for word processors and typists. Among states, California, Massachusetts, and New York rank highest by opportunity score, at 67.38, 65.87, and 65.78 respectively. California combines a median salary of $56,380 with employment of 10,270, while New York has 12,340 employed at a median salary of $48,400. Massachusetts offers a median salary of $53,740 with a smaller employment base of 350. Colorado and Washington also appear among the top states, with opportunity scores of 56.97 and 56.29. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (opportunity score 77.42) and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (77.27) lead the list. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA stands out for its median salary of $79,430 and employment of 840. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH also offer solid opportunity scores, highlighting several distinct regional clusters where this occupation is relatively stronger.
The typical education for word processors and typists is a high school diploma or equivalent. Beyond formal education, this career emphasizes a specific mix of skills. Computers and information technology skills are central, reflecting the use of digital tools to produce documents. Writing and reading abilities support clear, accurate text, while being detail oriented helps ensure error-free work. Fine motor skills contribute to efficient, precise keyboarding and related tasks. Interpersonal, customer service, and speaking and listening skills all matter when interacting with coworkers or clients. Mathematics skills may be useful when working with numeric information, and project management skills can help organize tasks and meet deadlines. Mechanical skills also appear in the skill profile, indicating that comfort with equipment and tools can be beneficial. Together, these skills show that success in this role depends on both technical and people-oriented capabilities, built on a foundation of at least a high school education.
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