Desktop publishers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,680 | $17.16 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $55,290 | $26.58 |
| Mean (average) | $61,970 | $29.79 |
| 90th percentile | $96,170 | $46.23 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Desktop publishers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 30 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Data unavailable | 90 | 12.68 | ||
| Arizona | $52,000 | $44,440 | $84,250 | 30 | 0.44 |
| California | $71,930 | $42,080 | $115,410 | 320 | 0.82 |
| Colorado | $77,750 | $39,990 | $114,730 | ||
| Florida | $52,720 | $42,220 | $73,890 | 150 | 0.7 |
| Georgia | $39,460 | $34,970 | $112,350 | 230 | 2.21 |
| Illinois | $61,350 | $44,480 | $79,620 | 150 | 1.16 |
| Indiana | $49,070 | $36,300 | $59,750 | 130 | 1.92 |
| Kentucky | $45,760 | $19,200 | $58,510 | 40 | 0.98 |
| Louisiana | $47,130 | $21,960 | $84,430 | 40 | 0.88 |
| Maine | $47,100 | $30,470 | $63,150 | 30 | 2.29 |
| Maryland | $69,820 | $45,090 | $89,750 | 140 | 2.27 |
| Massachusetts | $61,170 | $46,320 | $90,020 | 80 | 1.05 |
| Michigan | $45,300 | $41,000 | $63,400 | 40 | 0.45 |
| Minnesota | $54,930 | $46,910 | $80,590 | 90 | 1.36 |
| Nebraska | $36,280 | $34,000 | $50,470 | 40 | 1.71 |
| New Hampshire | $48,300 | $48,300 | $65,910 | 30 | 2.38 |
| New Jersey | $63,020 | $49,760 | $99,470 | 100 | 1.09 |
| New York | $56,660 | $34,320 | $108,860 | 350 | 1.67 |
| North Carolina | $43,700 | $38,130 | $84,630 | 80 | 0.71 |
| Ohio | $53,380 | $47,710 | $69,000 | 60 | 0.48 |
| Oklahoma | $46,040 | $35,930 | $71,350 | 40 | 0.96 |
| Oregon | $50,650 | $38,200 | $85,170 | 90 | 2.14 |
| Pennsylvania | Data unavailable | 140 | 1.09 | ||
| South Carolina | $62,320 | $49,890 | $94,500 | 40 | 0.85 |
| Tennessee | $44,440 | $27,080 | $112,240 | 40 | 0.5 |
| Texas | $57,760 | $33,480 | $72,180 | 270 | 0.9 |
| Vermont | $53,550 | $30,020 | $63,330 | 50 | 7.17 |
| Virginia | Data unavailable | 50 | 0.6 | ||
| Wisconsin | $46,010 | $25,310 | $60,120 | 40 | 0.67 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for desktop publishers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 19.8%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for desktop publishers
- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Prepress/Desktop Publishing and Digital Imaging Design CIP 10.0303
- Computer Typography and Composition Equipment Operator CIP 10.0308
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Operate desktop publishing software and equipment to design, lay out, and produce camera-ready copy.
- Position text and art elements from a variety of databases in a visually appealing way to design print or web pages, using knowledge of type styles and size and layout patterns.
- Check preliminary and final proofs for errors and make necessary corrections.
- View monitors for visual representation of work in progress and for instructions and feedback throughout process, making modifications as necessary.
- Enter text into computer keyboard and select the size and style of type, column width, and appropriate spacing for printed materials.
- Prepare sample layouts for approval, using computer software.
- Import text and art elements, such as electronic clip art or electronic files from photographs that have been scanned or produced with a digital camera, using computer software.
- Study layout or other design instructions to determine work to be done and sequence of operations.
Technology skills
- Adobe Photoshop (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Apple macOS (hot technology)
- Cascading style sheets CSS (hot technology)
- Extensible markup language XML (hot technology)
- Hypertext markup language HTML (hot technology)
- JavaScript (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Service Orientation.
Common job titles: Advertising Associate, Compositor, Computer Typesetter, Design Editor, Desktop Operator, Desktop Publishing Specialist, Electronic Console Display Operator, Electronic Imager, Electronic Publishing Specialist, Publisher.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do desktop publishers make?
The national median annual wage for desktop publishers was $55,290 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $35,680 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $96,170. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do desktop publishers need?
BLS lists associate's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is desktop publishers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of desktop publishers to change -14.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay desktop publishers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Colorado ($77,750), California ($71,930), Maryland ($69,820). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.