All careers › Printing Press Operators
Press operator: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $33,330lowest 10% earn less
- $37,39025th percentile
- $45,780median
- $55,74075th percentile
- $63,520top 10% earn more
The median pay for printing press operators was $45,780 a year, below the median for all occupations[1][2]. Employment is projected to decline 8.7% from 2025 to 2035, but jobs still open up each year[3][4].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- -8.7%[3]
- Openings per year
- 12,100[4]
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent[6]
How much do press operators make?
The median pay for Printing Press Operators was $45,780 a year, or $22.01 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $47,360 a year, or $22.77 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980, so this job sat below it[2].
The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $33,330 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $37,390[5]. The top-paid 25% earned more than $55,740, and the top-paid 10% earned more than $63,520[5]. 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][5] | $16.03 | $33,330 |
| 25th percentile[9][5] | $17.98 | $37,390 |
| Median[1] | $22.01 | $45,780 |
| 75th percentile[9][5] | $26.80 | $55,740 |
| 90th percentile[9][5] | $30.54 | $63,520 |
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 144,260 people worked in this job in wage and salary positions[11].
Pay by state and city
Among the 50 states and DC with published data, the District of Columbia had the top median at $116,630, based on 350 jobs[12]. Massachusetts followed at $53,050 and New Jersey at $50,430[12]. Alabama had a median of $36,670, the lowest on the list[12].
California had the most jobs at 12,320[13]. Illinois had 9,550 and Texas had 9,110[13].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Harrisonburg, VA had the top median at $64,180[14]. Oshkosh-Neenah, WI came next at $58,750, then Fort Smith, AR-OK at $56,350[14]. The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area had the most jobs at 7,790, with a median of $46,580[15].
Show median pay in 50 states and DC
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia[12] | $116,630 | 350 |
| Massachusetts | $53,050 | 2,110 |
| New Jersey | $50,430 | 4,180 |
| Washington | $49,800 | 2,310 |
| Oregon | $48,760 | 1,330 |
| Minnesota | $48,560 | 4,960 |
| New Hampshire | $48,410 | 680 |
| Kentucky | $48,000 | 2,470 |
| Colorado | $47,860 | 1,830 |
| New York | $47,860 | 6,700 |
| Maryland | $47,840 | 1,250 |
| Maine | $47,430 | 300 |
| Wisconsin | $47,330 | 8,120 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,010 | 7,150 |
| Arkansas | $46,470 | 1,760 |
| Alaska | $46,460 | 170 |
| Vermont | $46,460 | 190 |
| Illinois | $46,260 | 9,550 |
| Missouri | $46,130 | 3,460 |
| California | $46,110 | 12,320 |
| Ohio | $45,760 | 7,500 |
| Connecticut | $45,670 | 1,610 |
| North Carolina | $45,630 | 3,910 |
| Hawaii | $45,390 | 350 |
| Rhode Island | $45,380 | 510 |
| Michigan | $45,280 | 5,110 |
| Indiana | $45,230 | 4,820 |
| South Dakota | $44,930 | 460 |
| Delaware | $44,600 | 210 |
| Virginia | $44,020 | 3,210 |
| Nevada | $43,500 | 1,360 |
| Tennessee | $43,160 | 3,510 |
| Arizona | $42,950 | 2,400 |
| Texas | $42,550 | 9,110 |
| Montana | $42,220 | 300 |
| Nebraska | $42,070 | 2,140 |
| Kansas | $41,890 | 2,640 |
| Georgia | $41,520 | 4,220 |
| West Virginia | $41,200 | 470 |
| Florida | $41,180 | 7,060 |
| Utah | $41,030 | 1,970 |
| Iowa | $40,790 | 2,070 |
| Wyoming | $40,760 | 90 |
| South Carolina | $40,470 | 2,100 |
| Idaho | $38,650 | 610 |
| Mississippi | $38,400 | 670 |
| North Dakota | $37,850 | 270 |
| Louisiana | $37,650 | 870 |
| New Mexico | $37,110 | 250 |
| Oklahoma | $36,760 | 1,140 |
| Alabama | $36,670 | 2,160 |
How to become a press operator
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education for entry, with no related work experience[6]. It also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical[6].
- First: finish high school or earn an equivalent[6].
- Next: you do not need related work experience, according to the typical path[6].
- Then: learn the work on the job, since moderate-term training is the typical route[6].
In an O*NET survey of 25 workers, 73% said a high school diploma or equivalent was the required level[16]. Another 19% named a post-secondary certificate and 6% named some college courses[16]. This is a small survey, so read it as a mix of paths.
O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2, which it describes as very little to some preparation needed[17]. Our facts do not say how long the training lasts.
What press operators do
Press operators set up and run printing machines, including digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic and gravure presses[18]. Typical tasks from O*NET include:
- Start the press and pull proofs to check ink coverage, alignment and registration[19].
- Read job orders for quantities, paper stock, colors and special instructions[19].
- Adjust ink flow rates[19].
- Check that paper and ink match the job specifications[19].
- Feed and load paper and adjust the controls for its size[19].
- Take sample sheets during a run to spot needed adjustments[19].
- Watch automated press systems and respond to fault or alert messages[19].
- Clean ink fountains, plates and cylinders when a run ends[19].
Job titles that workers report include offset press operator, digital press operator and pressman[20].
Job outlook
BLS projects that employment will fall 8.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 144,000 jobs to 131,400 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, 1.5% of press operators were self-employed[22].
Jobs still open up. BLS projects about 12,100 openings a year on average from 2025 to 2035[4]. Openings include jobs that come open when people retire or switch occupations, not only new positions[4]. Each year, 3.9% of workers leave the labor force and 5.8% move to a different occupation[23].
Is it a good fit?
The pay is below the all-occupations median, though the top-paid 10% earned more than $63,520[2][5]. The entry path is a high school diploma with on-the-job training and no related experience[6]. Demand is the weak point, since employment is projected to shrink by 8.7% while all occupations grow[3][21]. Openings are still plentiful because workers retire and change jobs[4]. Our facts do not give the length of training, so ask employers directly.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a press operator make an hour?
- The median was $22.01 an hour in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $16.03 and the top-paid 10% earned more than $30.54[9].
- What education do you need to be a press operator?
- BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education, plus moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
- Are press operators in demand?
- Employment is projected to decline 8.7% from 2025 to 2035[3]. About 12,100 openings a year are still expected[4].
- Which state pays press operators the most?
- The District of Columbia had the top median at $116,630, followed by Massachusetts at $53,050[12].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Printing Press Operators in the US was $45,780 per year and $22.01 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Printing Press Operators is projected to decline 8.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 144,000 to 131,400 jobs (a change of -12,600). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: about 12,100 openings for Printing Press Operators 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Printing Press Operators: 10th percentile $33,330, 25th percentile $37,390, 75th percentile $55,740, 90th percentile $63,520. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Printing Press Operators: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Printing Press Operators was $47,360 per year and $22.77 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Printing Press Operators: 10th percentile $16.03, 25th percentile $17.98, 75th percentile $26.80, 90th percentile $30.54. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 144,260 people were employed as Printing Press Operators in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Printing Press Operators in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Printing Press Operators jobs: California 12,320; Illinois 9,550; Texas 9,110; Wisconsin 8,120; Ohio 7,500. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Printing Press Operators (areas with at least 100 jobs): Harrisonburg, VA $64,180; Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $58,750; Fort Smith, AR-OK $56,350; Trenton-Princeton, NJ $55,920; Springfield, MA $55,740; Manchester-Nashua, NH $54,230; Worcester, MA $53,210; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $52,180. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Printing Press Operators jobs: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 7,790 (median $46,580); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 6,700 (median $49,620); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 6,140 (median $46,200); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,880 (median $45,670); Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 3,390 (median $50,170); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,910 (median $48,610). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET 51-5112.00 survey of workers (25 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 73%, Post-Secondary Certificate 19%, Some College Courses 6% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 51-5112.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET description of Printing Press Operators. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Printing Press Operators. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 51-5112.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Digital Press Operator, Flexographic Press Operator, Offset Press Operator, Offset Pressman, Press Operator, Pressman, Printer, Printing Press Operator. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: 1.5% of Printing Press Operators were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Printing Press Operators: 3.9% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
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.