Prepress technicians and workers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,810 | $17.22 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $48,690 | $23.41 |
| Mean (average) | $50,800 | $24.43 |
| 90th percentile | $66,080 | $31.77 |
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
Prepress technicians and workers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 46 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $35,020 | $28,400 | $46,060 | 130 | 0.39 |
| Arizona | $38,830 | $35,460 | $65,900 | 210 | 0.43 |
| Arkansas | $52,800 | $34,140 | $73,290 | 160 | 0.8 |
| California | $53,860 | $38,870 | $76,420 | 2,020 | 0.72 |
| Colorado | $51,730 | $40,760 | $71,040 | 150 | 0.35 |
| Connecticut | $48,780 | $35,900 | $84,910 | 430 | 1.66 |
| District of Columbia | $100,980 | $85,820 | $116,630 | 180 | 1.65 |
| Florida | $45,660 | $34,000 | $59,440 | 840 | 0.55 |
| Georgia | $50,280 | $37,480 | $65,580 | 320 | 0.43 |
| Idaho | $47,220 | $31,000 | $55,250 | 50 | 0.41 |
| Illinois | $49,450 | $38,290 | $77,000 | 680 | 0.72 |
| Indiana | $49,050 | $36,670 | $63,290 | 670 | 1.36 |
| Iowa | $47,770 | $31,210 | $63,280 | 210 | 0.9 |
| Kansas | $45,290 | $34,490 | $64,630 | 520 | 2.34 |
| Kentucky | $45,830 | $37,240 | $58,250 | 1,130 | 3.69 |
| Louisiana | $38,060 | $29,450 | $61,620 | 90 | 0.31 |
| Maine | $47,350 | $43,190 | $61,320 | 50 | 0.51 |
| Maryland | $60,770 | $37,970 | $75,980 | 480 | 1.14 |
| Massachusetts | $57,250 | $44,890 | $83,620 | 460 | 0.82 |
| Michigan | $46,960 | $38,340 | $61,650 | 540 | 0.8 |
| Minnesota | $49,130 | $40,430 | $65,570 | 2,880 | 6.36 |
| Missouri | $45,860 | $29,210 | $62,620 | 510 | 1.14 |
| Montana | $51,910 | $38,340 | $54,460 | 40 | 0.52 |
| Nebraska | $40,930 | $40,930 | $58,830 | 400 | 2.56 |
| Nevada | $55,680 | $33,280 | $66,210 | 130 | 0.56 |
| New Hampshire | $48,580 | $34,180 | $59,770 | 120 | 1.11 |
| New Jersey | $56,840 | $45,150 | $77,860 | 880 | 1.34 |
| New Mexico | $39,830 | $30,520 | $65,540 | 30 | 0.24 |
| New York | $52,420 | $37,310 | $71,270 | 1,110 | 0.74 |
| North Carolina | $49,760 | $39,260 | $63,060 | 600 | 0.8 |
| Ohio | $47,810 | $33,920 | $62,030 | 1,070 | 1.26 |
| Oklahoma | $45,730 | $22,400 | $57,250 | 80 | 0.31 |
| Oregon | $54,360 | $41,940 | $71,390 | 230 | 0.76 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,100 | $36,080 | $61,190 | 910 | 0.98 |
| Puerto Rico | $33,030 | $25,160 | $38,360 | 120 | 0.85 |
| Rhode Island | $45,930 | $42,710 | $86,050 | ||
| South Carolina | $45,900 | $30,060 | $59,050 | 200 | 0.55 |
| South Dakota | $46,370 | $29,760 | $64,590 | 50 | 0.71 |
| Tennessee | $47,790 | $33,790 | $60,160 | 640 | 1.27 |
| Texas | $38,410 | $30,590 | $57,210 | 2,320 | 1.08 |
| Utah | $44,230 | $35,720 | $62,620 | 210 | 0.8 |
| Vermont | $55,880 | $49,690 | $58,610 | 40 | 0.8 |
| Virginia | $49,100 | $32,230 | $62,960 | 330 | 0.53 |
| Washington | $53,770 | $39,050 | $69,880 | 380 | 0.71 |
| West Virginia | $35,320 | $28,380 | $53,400 | 50 | 0.47 |
| Wisconsin | $48,410 | $38,020 | $66,090 | 1,160 | 2.57 |
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 prepress technicians and workers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 2,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 5.1%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for prepress technicians and workers
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- 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
- Graphic Communications, General CIP 10.0301
- Printing Management CIP 10.0302
- Prepress/Desktop Publishing and Digital Imaging Design CIP 10.0303
- Graphic and Printing Equipment Operator, General Production CIP 10.0305
- Platemaker/Imager CIP 10.0306
- Printing Press Operator CIP 10.0307
- Computer Typography and Composition Equipment Operator CIP 10.0308
- Graphic Communications, Other CIP 10.0399
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Generate prepress proofs in digital or other format to approximate the appearance of the final printed piece.
- Proofread and perform quality control of text and images.
- Enter, position, and alter text size, using computers, to make up and arrange pages so that printed materials can be produced.
- Perform "preflight" check of required font, graphic, text and image files to ensure completeness prior to delivery to printer.
- Operate and maintain laser plate-making equipment that converts electronic data to plates without the use of film.
- Enter, store, and retrieve information on computer-aided equipment.
- Maintain, adjust, and clean equipment, and perform minor repairs.
Technology skills
- Adobe Creative Cloud software (in demand)
- Adobe Illustrator (in demand)
- Adobe InDesign (in demand)
- Adobe Photoshop (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Adobe Director
- Adobe FrameMaker
- Adobe FreeHand MX
- Adobe LifeCycle Enterprise Suite
- Adobe PageMaker
- Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite
Transferable skills for career changers: Time Management, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving, Operations Monitoring, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness.
Common job titles: Desktop Operator, Electronic Prepress Operator (EPP Operator), Electronic Prepress Technician (EPP Tech), Plate Maker, Plate Mounter, Pre-Press Proofer, Prepress Operator, Prepress Specialist, Prepress Stripper, Prepress Technician.
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 prepress technicians and workers make?
The national median annual wage for prepress technicians and workers was $48,690 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $35,810 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $66,080. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do prepress technicians and workers need?
BLS lists postsecondary nondegree award as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is prepress technicians and workers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of prepress technicians and workers to change -15.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 2,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay prepress technicians and workers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($100,980), Maryland ($60,770), Massachusetts ($57,250). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.