Printing Press Operators earn a median of $45,780 per year ($22.01/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 8.7% through 2035, with about 12,100 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 51-5112
- Production
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Printing Press Operator in four numbers
- Median pay
- $45,780a year, or $22.01/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $33KTop 10% $64K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -8.7%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−8.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −8.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 12,100144,000 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025144K
- Projected 2035131.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 144K Projected 2035 131.4K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school1.2%
- High school73.2%
- Certificate19.5%
- Some college6.2%
Highest education held by printing press operators Segment Value Less than high school 1.2% High school 73.2% Certificate 19.5% Some college 6.2%
Also advertised as: Digital Press Operator, Flexographic Press Operator, Offset Press Operator, Offset Pressman, Press Operator, Pressman.
Pay
How much do Printing Press Operators make?
Every printing press operator in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$45,780
Middle half earn $37,390 to $55,740
- 10th
- $33,330
- 25th
- $37,390
- 75th
- $55,740
- 90th
- $63,520
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $33,330 |
| 25th | $37,390 |
| Median | $45,780 |
| 75th | $55,740 |
| 90th | $63,520 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $45,780
- Median hourly wage
- $22.01/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $47,360
- People employed
- 144,260
Versus all US occupations
At $45,780, Printing Press Operators earn 10% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $5,200 a year.
Versus production occupations
Inside the Production group, where the middle occupation pays $48,030, this is 5% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $63,520 or more while the bottom 10% earn $33,330, a gap of 1.9×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 12% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
District of Columbia pays the most at $116,630, and still leads at $106,123 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Printing Press Operators the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $116,630 | $106,123 | 350 |
| 2Massachusetts | $53,050 | $50,162 | 2,110 |
| 3New Jersey | $50,430 | $46,349 | 4,180 |
| 4Washington | $49,800 | $46,536 | 2,310 |
| 5Oregon | $48,760 | $47,174 | 1,330 |
| 6Minnesota | $48,560 | $49,239 | 4,960 |
| 7New Hampshire | $48,410 | $46,474 | 680 |
| 8Kentucky | $48,000 | $53,239 | 2,470 |
| 9Colorado | $47,860 | $46,443 | 1,830 |
| 10New York | $47,860 | $44,347 | 6,700 |
Job outlook
Is Printing Press Operator a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -8.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Printing Press Operators | −8.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Printing Press Operators to change -8.7% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 12,600 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 12,100 openings are projected each year, 8.4% of the 144,000 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Printing Press Operator
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as printing press operators.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)73.2%
- Post-Secondary Certificate19.5%
- Some College Courses6.2%
- Less than a High School Diploma1.2%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 73.2% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 19.5% |
| Some College Courses | 6.2% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 1.2% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Printing Press Operator do?
Set up and operate digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, or other printing machines. Includes short-run offset printing presses.
Day-to-day tasks
- 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.
- Examine job orders to determine quantities to be printed, stock specifications, colors, or special printing instructions.
- Start presses and pull proofs to check for ink coverage and density, alignment, and registration.
- Clean or oil presses or make minor repairs, using hand tools.
- Change press plates, blankets, or cylinders, as required.
- Load presses with paper and make necessary adjustments, according to paper size.
- Clean ink fountains, plates, or printing unit cylinders when press runs are completed.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.3
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Active Listening3.1
- Speaking3.1
- Critical Thinking3.1
- Active Learning2.9
- Writing2.4
- Mathematics2.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 |
| Active Listening | 3.1 |
| Speaking | 3.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
| Writing | 2.4 |
| Mathematics | 2.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Quality Control Analysis3.9
- Operations Monitoring3.6
- Operation and Control3.3
- Equipment Maintenance3.1
- Troubleshooting3.1
- Repairing3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Time Management3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.9 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.6 |
| Operation and Control | 3.3 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.1 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.1 |
| Repairing | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Financial analysis software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Printing Press Operator?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Printing Press Operator |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 1 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
- Conventional5.4
- Realistic4.8
- Enterprising1.8
- Artistic1.7
- Social1.7
- Investigative1.2
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Printing Press Operator
O*NET related occupations
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Most earn $37K to $70K
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$40,610median a year
Most earn $30K to $69K
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Most earn $36K to $66K
−10.5%High school
More production careers
Median annual pay, with printing press operators highlighted
- Power Plant Operator$102,040
- Tool and Die Maker$64,050
- Machinist$58,750
- Welder$53,750
- Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter$51,330
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator$50,690
- Printing Press Operator$45,780
- Butcher and Meat Cutter$40,140
- Baker$37,160
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 |
| Tool and Die Maker | $64,050 |
| Machinist | $58,750 |
| Welder | $53,750 |
| Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter | $51,330 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 |
| Printing Press Operator | $45,780 |
| Butcher and Meat Cutter | $40,140 |
| Baker | $37,160 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Printing Press Operator appears on
Questions
Printing Press Operator: frequently asked questions
How much do Printing Press Operators make?
Printing Press Operators earn a median of $45,780 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 10% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $22.01/hr. The middle half earn between $37,390 and $55,740. The top 10% earn $63,520 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Printing Press Operator?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Printing Press Operators. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 73.2% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Printing Press Operator a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 8.7% over 2025–2035, a loss of 12,600 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 12,100 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Printing Press Operator do?
Set up and operate digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, or other printing machines. A core O*NET task: verify that paper and ink meet the specifications for a given job. Employers most often ask for Desktop publishing software, Document management software, Electronic mail software.
Which states pay Printing Press Operators the most?
The highest state medians for Printing Press Operators are District of Columbia ($116,630), Massachusetts ($53,050), New Jersey ($50,430) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Printing Press Operator?
O*NET scores Printing Press Operators highest on the Conventional and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ISFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.