What is a Word Processor or Typist?

Career Description Use word processor, computer or typewriter to type letters, reports, forms, or other material from rough draft, corrected copy, or voice recording. May perform other clerical duties as assigned.

Life As a Word Processor or Typist

• Reformat documents, moving paragraphs or columns.
• Address envelopes or prepare envelope labels, using typewriter or computer.
• Use data entry devices, such as optical scanners, to input data into computers for revision or editing.
• Collate pages of reports and other documents prepared.
• Transmit work electronically to other locations.
• Operate and resupply printers and computers, changing print wheels or fluid cartridges, adding paper, and loading blank tapes, cards, or disks into equipment.

Word Processor or Typist Needed Skills

These are the skills Word Processors and Typists say are the most useful in their careers:

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Related Job Titles for this Occupation:

• Transcription Typist
• Dictaphone Typist
• Typing Office Worker
• Alarm Signaler
• Medical Typist

Is There Going to be Demand for Word Processors and Typists?

In the United States, there were 74,900 jobs for Word Processors and Typists in 2016.

Word Processor or Typist jobs are decreasing by a rate of -33.1%. This means the total job opportunities are shrinking. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a loss of -24,800 jobs for Word Processors and Typists by 2026. There will be an estimated 4,500 positions for Word Processor or Typist per year.

The states with the most job growth for Word Processors and Typists are Maryland, Alaska, and South Dakota.

Watch out if you plan on working in New York, California, or Pennsylvania. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

What is the Average Salary of a Word Processor or Typist

Word Processors and Typists Make between $27,070 and $58,090 a year. The median salary for this occupation is $39,750.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for jobs of this type in different U.S. states.

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
District of Columbia	$50,920
Connecticut	$48,600
Illinois	$46,620
Massachusetts	$46,020
Washington	$45,960
California	$44,790
Alaska	$44,210
Oregon	$44,150
New York	$43,880
Rhode Island	$43,350
Delaware	$42,960
Maryland	$42,930
New Jersey	$42,740
Wisconsin	$42,650
Virginia	$42,290
North Carolina	$41,220
Minnesota	$41,070
Colorado	$40,980
Maine	$40,890
Georgia	$40,660
Ohio	$39,040
Kansas	$38,480
Michigan	$37,840
Texas	$37,790
South Carolina	$37,270
Arkansas	$36,800
Hawaii	$36,760
Kentucky	$36,650
Pennsylvania	$36,600
West Virginia	$36,180
Utah	$36,090
Iowa	$35,950
Alabama	$35,820
Arizona	$35,630
Oklahoma	$35,480
Missouri	$34,770
Tennessee	$34,650
New Mexico	$34,430
Montana	$33,820
Nevada	$33,480
Nebraska	$33,140
New Hampshire	$32,420
Florida	$32,340
Indiana	$32,190
Idaho	$29,450
Louisiana	$28,910
Mississippi	$28,700

What Tools do Word Processors and Typists Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Word Processors and Typists:

• Microsoft Office
• Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
• Microsoft Visio
• IBM Notes
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Intuit QuickBooks
• Oracle PeopleSoft

How to Become a Word Processor or Typist

Education needed to be a Word Processor or Typist:

What work experience do I need to become a Word Processor or Typist?

Where Word Processors and Typists Work

You May Also Be Interested In…

Are you already one of the many Word Processors and Typists in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:

• File Clerks
• Medical Secretaries
• Medical Transcriptionists

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons