Word Processors and Typists Salary
In Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, word processors and typists earn $42,890 at the median, or about $20.62 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.13), so that salary is closer to $38,594 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,501/month, about 81% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $43K actually covers in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue’s Regional Price Parity (111.13). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About word processors and typists
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What this looks like in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Pay for word processors and typists in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $49K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,501/month, which is 82.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.13), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for word processors and typists.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Entry-level word processors and typists (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Word Processors and Typists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Word Processors and Typists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $58K | +17% | 60 |
| California | $56K | +14% | 10,270 |
| Massachusetts | $54K | +9% | 350 |
| Oregon | $52K | +6% | 40 |
| Minnesota | $52K | +5% | 210 |
| Idaho | $50K | +1% | 60 |
| Tennessee | $50K | +1% | 90 |
| New Jersey | $50K | +0% | 3,560 |
| Connecticut | $49K | -0% | 170 |
| District of Columbia | $49K | -0% | 120 |
| Ohio | $49K | -1% | 310 |
| Wisconsin | $49K | -2% | 180 |
| New York | $48K | -2% | 12,340 |
| Michigan | $48K | -3% | 520 |
| Texas | $48K | -3% | 290 |
| Maryland | $47K | -4% | 210 |
| Nebraska | $47K | -4% | 80 |
| Rhode Island | $47K | -5% | 120 |
| Alabama | $47K | -5% | 70 |
| New Mexico | $46K | -6% | 60 |
| Virginia | $46K | -6% | 290 |
| Washington | $46K | -6% | 140 |
| Illinois | $45K | -8% | 490 |
| Delaware | $45K | -8% | 50 |
| Oklahoma | $44K | -11% | 40 |
| Iowa | $43K | -12% | 360 |
| Arkansas | $43K | -13% | 40 |
| South Carolina | $43K | -13% | 30 |
| Arizona | $42K | -15% | N/A |
| Nevada | $41K | -16% | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $41K | -17% | 1,170 |
| Hawaii | $40K | -19% | 270 |
| Indiana | $40K | -20% | 120 |
| Missouri | $37K | -24% | 260 |
| West Virginia | $36K | -27% | 80 |
| Florida | $36K | -27% | 1,000 |
| Georgia | $31K | -36% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 37 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track word processors and typists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a word processors and typist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 82.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,501/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for word processors and typists in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new word processors and typists typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,905/month. At HUD’s $2,501/month FMR, rent would take 86% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is word processors and typist a high-paying job in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $43K here vs. $49K nationally.
How does Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue compare to the national average for word processors and typists?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do word processors and typists make in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?
The median is $42,890 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,850, and experienced word processors and typists can clear $82,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,042/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,501/month, which eats 82.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a word processors and typists salary go in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue has a Regional Price Parity of 111.13 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median word processors and typists salary is worth about $38,594 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do word processors and typists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.