---

Word Processing

Types of Degrees Word Processing Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Word Processing can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Master’s Degree	20

What Word Processing Majors Need to Know

Programs in Word Processing develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Word Processing graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Word Processing emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Administrative — Importance 4.8 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Law and Government — Importance 2.6 / 5; level 1.7 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills built by a Word Processing program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Time Management — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.4 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Word Processing careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 4 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Speech Recognition — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Word Processing graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Performing Administrative Activities	3.9 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	3.9 / 7
Getting Information	3.8 / 7
Processing Information	3.7 / 7
Communicating with People Outside the Organization	3.5 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.3 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Word Processing professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
SRSsoft SRS EHR	Medical software	—
Microsoft Visio	Process mapping and design software	—
Microsoft SharePoint	Document management software	—
Oracle PeopleSoft	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Oracle Siebel CRM	Customer relationship management CRM software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Act!	Customer relationship management CRM software	—
FileMaker Pro	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Publisher	Desktop publishing software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Word Processing graduates include:

• Stencil Typist
• Dictaphone Typist
• Word Processor Technician
• Processing Specialist
• Word Processor Operator
• Legal Typist
• Order Processing Specialist
• Ediphone Operator
• Script Worker
• Data Transcriber
• Clerk Specialist
• Court Stenographer
• Policy Writer Typist
• Typing Office Worker
• Legal Transcriptionist

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Word Processing graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	49.6%
Some college courses	45.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.0%
Less than a high school diploma	2.0%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Word Processing?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 55% women and 45% men among Word Processing graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	11	55.0%
Men	9	45.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Word Processing graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	9	45.0%
Hispanic or Latino	3	15.0%
Black or African American	7	35.0%
Race Unknown	1	5.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Word Processing Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Word Processing graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$46,578
4 years	$35,013
5 years	$35,657

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $35,657 — roughly -23% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Word Processing Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Word Processing graduates earn a median of $35,013 four years after completion — about 8% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications	11.06
Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications, General	11.0601
Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications, Other	11.0699

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.