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Prepress technician: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$48,690median pay per year, or $23.41 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $35,810lowest 10% earn less
  2. $40,93025th percentile
  3. $48,690median
  4. $58,58075th percentile
  5. $66,080top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

The median pay for prepress technicians and workers was $48,690 a year, a little under the median for all occupations[1][2]. Employment is projected to decline 15.3% from 2025 to 2035[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
-15.3%[3]
Openings per year
2,100[5]
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award[6]

How much do prepress technicians make?

The median pay for Prepress Technicians and Workers was $48,690 a year, or $23.41 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $50,800 a year, or $24.43 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980, so this job sat a little below it[2].

The range is fairly wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,810 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $40,930[4]. The top-paid 25% earned more than $58,580, and the top-paid 10% earned more than $66,080[4]. BLS explains that a percentile is a boundary and that it publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[8].

Measure Hourly Annual
10th percentile[9][4] $17.22 $35,810
25th percentile[9][4] $19.68 $40,930
Median[1] $23.41 $48,690
75th percentile[9][4] $28.16 $58,580
90th percentile[9][4] $31.77 $66,080

These wages cover people paid a wage or salary, part time or full time. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production and the cost of benefits[10]. About 23,840 people worked in this job in wage and salary positions[11].

Pay by state and city

Among the 44 states and DC with published data, the District of Columbia had the top median at $100,980, based on 180 jobs[12]. Maryland followed at $60,770 and Massachusetts at $57,250[12]. Texas had a median of $38,410 and Alabama had $35,020, which was the lowest on the list[12].

Minnesota had the most jobs at 2,880[13]. Texas had 2,320 and California had 2,020[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria area had the top median at $70,670[14]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont came next at $59,970, then Oshkosh-Neenah at $58,430[14]. The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington area had the most jobs at 2,500, with a median of $49,130[15].

Show median pay in 44 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
District of Columbia[12]$100,980180
Maryland$60,770480
Massachusetts$57,250460
New Jersey$56,840880
Vermont$55,88040
Nevada$55,680130
Oregon$54,360230
California$53,8602,020
Washington$53,770380
Arkansas$52,800160
New York$52,4201,110
Montana$51,91040
Colorado$51,730150
Georgia$50,280320
North Carolina$49,760600
Illinois$49,450680
Minnesota$49,1302,880
Pennsylvania$49,100910
Virginia$49,100330
Indiana$49,050670
Connecticut$48,780430
New Hampshire$48,580120
Wisconsin$48,4101,160
Ohio$47,8101,070
Tennessee$47,790640
Iowa$47,770210
Maine$47,35050
Idaho$47,22050
Michigan$46,960540
South Dakota$46,37050
Rhode Island$45,930n/a
South Carolina$45,900200
Missouri$45,860510
Kentucky$45,8301,130
Oklahoma$45,73080
Florida$45,660840
Kansas$45,290520
Utah$44,230210
Nebraska$40,930400
New Mexico$39,83030
Arizona$38,830210
Texas$38,4102,320
Louisiana$38,06090
West Virginia$35,32050
Alabama$35,020130

How to become a prepress technician

BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award as the typical education for entry[6]. The same source lists no related work experience and no typical on-the-job training[6].

In an O*NET survey of 33 workers, 39% said a high school diploma or equivalent was the required level[16]. Another 23% named an associate's degree, 21% named some college courses and 9% named a post-secondary certificate[16]. This is a small survey, so it shows a mix of paths rather than one rule.

O*NET puts the job in Job Zone Three, which it calls medium preparation needed[17].

What prepress technicians do

Prepress workers take text and images from designers and clients and turn them into finished pages that are ready to print[18]. Typical tasks from O*NET include:

Job titles that workers report include electronic prepress technician, plate maker and prepress specialist[20].

Job outlook

BLS projects that employment will fall 15.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 24,700 jobs to 20,900 jobs[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same years[21]. These counts include self-employed workers[3]. In 2025, 5.1% of prepress workers were self-employed[22].

Jobs still open up. BLS projects about 2,100 openings a year on average from 2025 to 2035[5]. Openings include jobs that come open when people retire or switch occupations, not only new positions[5]. Each year, 4.3% of workers leave the labor force and 6.4% move to a different occupation[23].

Is it a good fit?

The pay is close to the all-occupations median, and the top-paid 10% earned more than $66,080[2][4]. The entry path is a postsecondary nondegree award with no related experience listed[6]. The weak point is demand. Employment is projected to shrink by 15.3% while all occupations grow[3][21]. Openings still come from workers who retire or change jobs[5]. Our facts do not give program length or cost, so check those with schools directly.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[24].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a prepress technician make an hour?
The median was $23.41 an hour in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $17.22 and the top-paid 10% earned more than $31.77[9].
What education do you need to be a prepress technician?
BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award as the typical entry education[6].
Is prepress technician a growing job?
No. Employment is projected to decline 15.3% from 2025 to 2035[3]. About 2,100 openings a year are still expected[5].
Which state pays prepress technicians the most?
The District of Columbia had the top median at $100,980, followed by Maryland at $60,770[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Prepress Technicians and Workers in the US was $48,690 per year and $23.41 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Prepress Technicians and Workers is projected to decline 15.3% from 2025 to 2035, from about 24,700 to 20,900 jobs (a change of -3,800). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Prepress Technicians and Workers: 10th percentile $35,810, 25th percentile $40,930, 75th percentile $58,580, 90th percentile $66,080. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 2,100 openings for Prepress Technicians and Workers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Prepress Technicians and Workers: education needed for entry: Postsecondary nondegree award; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Prepress Technicians and Workers was $50,800 per year and $24.43 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Prepress Technicians and Workers: 10th percentile $17.22, 25th percentile $19.68, 75th percentile $28.16, 90th percentile $31.77. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 23,840 people were employed as Prepress Technicians and Workers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Prepress Technicians and Workers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Prepress Technicians and Workers jobs: Minnesota 2,880; Texas 2,320; California 2,020; Wisconsin 1,160; Kentucky 1,130. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Prepress Technicians and Workers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $70,670; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $59,970; Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $58,430; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $58,360; Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $56,930; Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $56,850; Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $55,680; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $55,680. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Prepress Technicians and Workers jobs: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 2,500 (median $49,130); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 1,290 (median $54,590); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,080 (median $51,380); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 900 (median $44,980); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 800 (median $35,810); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 580 (median $49,680). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 51-5111.00 survey of workers (33 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 39%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 23%, Some College Courses 21%, Post-Secondary Certificate 9%, Bachelor's Degree 5% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET 51-5111.00: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET description of Prepress Technicians and Workers. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Prepress Technicians and Workers. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET 51-5111.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Desktop Operator, Electronic Prepress Operator (EPP Operator), Electronic Prepress Technician (EPP Tech), Plate Maker, Plate Mounter, Pre-Press Proofer, Prepress Operator, Prepress Specialist. O*NET OnLine
  21. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections: 5.1% of Prepress Technicians and Workers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  23. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Prepress Technicians and Workers: 4.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  24. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.