Printing press operators salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $33,330 | $16.03 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $45,780 | $22.01 |
| Mean (average) | $47,360 | $22.77 |
| 90th percentile | $63,520 | $30.54 |
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
Printing press operators pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 53 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,670 | $24,260 | $55,830 | 2,160 | 1.1 |
| Alaska | $46,460 | $30,660 | $65,440 | 170 | 0.57 |
| Arizona | $42,950 | $35,800 | $60,700 | 2,400 | 0.8 |
| Arkansas | $46,470 | $28,540 | $64,060 | 1,760 | 1.46 |
| California | $46,110 | $36,580 | $63,910 | 12,320 | 0.73 |
| Colorado | $47,860 | $37,400 | $63,270 | 1,830 | 0.69 |
| Connecticut | $45,670 | $36,080 | $64,880 | 1,610 | 1.02 |
| Delaware | $44,600 | $35,160 | $59,530 | 210 | 0.48 |
| District of Columbia | $116,630 | $48,840 | $138,590 | 350 | 0.54 |
| Florida | $41,180 | $30,490 | $60,130 | 7,060 | 0.77 |
| Georgia | $41,520 | $28,860 | $60,690 | 4,220 | 0.93 |
| Guam | $32,240 | $21,840 | $41,630 | 100 | 1.62 |
| Hawaii | $45,390 | $29,120 | $64,700 | 350 | 0.6 |
| Idaho | $38,650 | $30,240 | $56,510 | 610 | 0.77 |
| Illinois | $46,260 | $31,450 | $66,250 | 9,550 | 1.69 |
| Indiana | $45,230 | $34,820 | $61,330 | 4,820 | 1.62 |
| Iowa | $40,790 | $30,130 | $59,190 | 2,070 | 1.43 |
| Kansas | $41,890 | $27,980 | $58,410 | 2,640 | 1.98 |
| Kentucky | $48,000 | $34,920 | $63,720 | 2,470 | 1.33 |
| Louisiana | $37,650 | $26,580 | $58,090 | 870 | 0.48 |
| Maine | $47,430 | $37,710 | $62,150 | 300 | 0.5 |
| Maryland | $47,840 | $35,690 | $64,160 | 1,250 | 0.49 |
| Massachusetts | $53,050 | $39,430 | $75,310 | 2,110 | 0.62 |
| Michigan | $45,280 | $31,190 | $63,220 | 5,110 | 1.25 |
| Minnesota | $48,560 | $36,950 | $73,670 | 4,960 | 1.81 |
| Mississippi | $38,400 | $25,920 | $60,010 | 670 | 0.62 |
| Missouri | $46,130 | $32,560 | $66,640 | 3,460 | 1.27 |
| Montana | $42,220 | $31,200 | $57,990 | 300 | 0.63 |
| Nebraska | $42,070 | $36,670 | $59,190 | 2,140 | 2.25 |
| Nevada | $43,500 | $36,300 | $62,800 | 1,360 | 0.94 |
| New Hampshire | $48,410 | $34,790 | $69,780 | 680 | 1.07 |
| New Jersey | $50,430 | $37,900 | $77,550 | 4,180 | 1.05 |
| New Mexico | $37,110 | $30,440 | $58,230 | 250 | 0.31 |
| New York | $47,860 | $34,910 | $69,880 | 6,700 | 0.75 |
| North Carolina | $45,630 | $29,600 | $62,010 | 3,910 | 0.85 |
| North Dakota | $37,850 | $30,700 | $57,100 | 270 | 0.67 |
| Ohio | $45,760 | $32,430 | $60,600 | 7,500 | 1.46 |
| Oklahoma | $36,760 | $26,700 | $50,440 | 1,140 | 0.72 |
| Oregon | $48,760 | $37,270 | $63,510 | 1,330 | 0.73 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,010 | $34,850 | $63,690 | 7,150 | 1.27 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,100 | $21,840 | $47,930 | 520 | 0.6 |
| Rhode Island | $45,380 | $40,360 | $71,780 | 510 | 1.11 |
| South Carolina | $40,470 | $29,490 | $59,010 | 2,100 | 0.98 |
| South Dakota | $44,930 | $33,980 | $63,800 | 460 | 1.08 |
| Tennessee | $43,160 | $30,870 | $58,310 | 3,510 | 1.16 |
| Texas | $42,550 | $29,540 | $61,160 | 9,110 | 0.7 |
| Utah | $41,030 | $31,200 | $61,200 | 1,970 | 1.22 |
| Vermont | $46,460 | $37,040 | $70,990 | 190 | 0.67 |
| Virginia | $44,020 | $30,530 | $64,020 | 3,210 | 0.84 |
| Washington | $49,800 | $39,660 | $70,030 | 2,310 | 0.7 |
| West Virginia | $41,200 | $25,780 | $65,220 | 470 | 0.72 |
| Wisconsin | $47,330 | $36,980 | $65,260 | 8,120 | 2.97 |
| Wyoming | $40,760 | $27,750 | $60,570 | 90 | 0.36 |
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 printing press operators
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 12,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 1.5%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for printing press operators
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
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
- Printing Management CIP 10.0302
- Graphic and Printing Equipment Operator, General Production CIP 10.0305
- Printing Press Operator CIP 10.0307
- Graphic Communications, Other CIP 10.0399
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Start presses and pull proofs to check for ink coverage and density, alignment, and registration.
- Examine job orders to determine quantities to be printed, stock specifications, colors, or special printing instructions.
- Adjust ink fountain flow rates.
- Verify that paper and ink meet the specifications for a given job.
- Collect and inspect random samples during print runs to identify any necessary adjustments.
- Feed paper through press cylinders and adjust feed and tension controls.
- Monitor automated press operation systems and respond to fault, error, or alert messages.
- Load presses with paper and make necessary adjustments, according to paper size.
Technology skills
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- AABACH Graphic Systems DIGRA
- Adobe LifeCycle Production Print ES3
- Adobe PageMaker
- Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite
- Electronics for Imaging EFI Monarch
- Electronics for Imaging EFI Pace
- Email software
Transferable skills for career changers: Quality Control Analysis, Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Equipment Maintenance, Troubleshooting, Repairing.
Common job titles: Digital Press Operator, Flexographic Press Operator, Offset Press Operator, Offset Pressman, Press Operator, Pressman, Printer, Printing Press Operator, Printing Pressman, Web Press Operator.
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 printing press operators make?
The national median annual wage for printing press operators was $45,780 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $33,330 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $63,520. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do printing press operators need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is printing press operators a growing career?
BLS projects employment of printing press operators to change -8.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 12,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay printing press operators the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($116,630), Massachusetts ($53,050), New Jersey ($50,430). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.