by our College Data Analytics Team
[Data Entry](/majors/computer-information-sciences/data-entry/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong data entry education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 14 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for data entry students.
What’s on this page:
The right data entry school can pay off for years to come. To help, we created our Best Value Data Entry Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
Read more about our methodology
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Best Value Data Entry Schools list, to help you choose. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the data entry degrees they offer, see the list below.
Leading the list is Irvine Valley College, our #1 best value for data entry in the United States. Set in the city of Irvine, Irvine Valley College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $1,156 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $11,860. Typical student debt for data entry graduates is $6,672. Graduates go on to earn a median of $49,156 ten years after entry. That is a strong return on a $6,672 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Santa Monica College earned it the #2 place for data entry. Set in the city of Santa Monica, Santa Monica College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $1,156, compared with $10,708 for out-of-state students. Median earnings reach $42,193 ten years out.
A rank of #3 makes Cerritos College one of the best values for data entry. Located in the suburb of Norwalk, Cerritos College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $1,364, with out-of-state students paying around $12,004. Data Entry graduates carry a median of $11,306 in student loans. Early-career data entry graduates make about $29,495. That is a strong return on a $11,306 median debt.
A rank of #4 makes Elgin Community College one of the best values for data entry. Set in the city of Elgin, Elgin Community College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,252 in tuition and fees, compared with $9,516 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $7,727 to complete the data entry program here. Soon after graduation, data entry degree recipients from Elgin Community College generally make around $43,975. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Mclennan Community College came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value data entry schools. Located in the city of Waco, Mclennan Community College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $3,660 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $5,910. Students borrow a median of $11,598 to complete the data entry program here. Soon after graduation, data entry degree recipients from Mclennan Community College generally make around $40,499. That is a strong return on a $11,598 median debt.
College Of Dupage landed the #6 spot for data entry value this year. Set in the suburb of Glen Ellyn, College Of Dupage is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,560, while out-of-state students pay about $12,750. Students borrow a median of $8,690 to complete the data entry program here. Data Entry graduates of College Of Dupage earn a median of $45,016 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Mchenry County College placed #7 among the best values for data entry. Mchenry County College is a large public school located in the rural area of Crystal Lake. Students from in state pay about $4,162 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $14,399. Students borrow a median of $7,440 to complete the data entry program here. Early-career data entry graduates make about $24,177. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Diablo Valley College came in at #8 for value in data entry this year. Set in the suburb of Pleasant Hill, Diablo Valley College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $1,312, while out-of-state students pay about $10,320. Students borrow a median of $9,205 to complete the data entry program here. Soon after graduation, data entry degree recipients from Diablo Valley College generally make around $27,813. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
American Public University System came in at #9 for value in data entry this year. Set in the town of Charles Town, American Public University System is a very large private for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,400. Typical student debt for data entry graduates is $23,438. Data Entry graduates of American Public University System earn a median of $57,404 early in their careers. Set against $23,438 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Bellevue College ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best value data entry schools. Bellevue College is a large public school located in the city of Bellevue. Students from in state pay about $4,436 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $10,502. Students borrow a median of $18,839 to complete the data entry program here. Soon after graduation, data entry degree recipients from Bellevue College generally make around $48,416. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
West Hills College Lemoore came in at #11 for value in data entry this year. Located in the rural area of Lemoore, West Hills College Lemoore is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $1,384 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $10,954. Data Entry graduates carry a median of $9,687 in student loans. Data Entry graduates of West Hills College Lemoore earn a median of $40,499 early in their careers. Set against $9,687 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Waubonsee Community College earned the #12 position for value in data entry this year. Set in the rural area of Sugar Grove, Waubonsee Community College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,504, while out-of-state students pay about $10,464. Typical student debt for data entry graduates is $9,939. Soon after graduation, data entry degree recipients from Waubonsee Community College generally make around $39,659. That is a strong return on a $9,939 median debt.
Central Lakes College Brainerd ranked #13 on our 2027 list of the best value data entry schools. Central Lakes College Brainerd is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Brainerd. Students from in state pay about $6,249 in tuition and fees. Data Entry graduates carry a median of $14,479 in student loans. Soon after graduation, data entry degree recipients from Central Lakes College Brainerd generally make around $44,264. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Coastline Community College earned the #14 position for value in data entry this year. Coastline Community College is a large public school located in the city of Fountain Valley. Students from in state pay about $1,364 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $11,612. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $44,483.
Explore other best-value rankings in majors related to Data Entry. See all related rankings.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications, General | 280 |
| Word Processing | 25 |
View All Data Entry Concentrations >
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 14 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.