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Printing Press Operator salary in the U.S.

Printing Press Operators in the U.S. earn a median of $45,780 a year ($22.01 an hour), based on BLS data for 144,260 workers.

Median salary
$45,780
Hourly
$22.01
Average
$47,360
Top 10% earn
$63,520
Workers
144,260

Pay ranges from $33,330 for the lowest-paid 10% to $63,520 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $47,360, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.

Pay range for printing press operators in the U.S.

$0$70,000
Pay levelYearlyHourly
10th percentile (entry level)$33,330$16.03
25th percentile$37,390$17.98
Median$45,780$22.01
75th percentile$55,740$26.80
90th percentile (top earners)$63,520$30.54
Average (mean)$47,360$22.77

Half of printing press operators earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.

Median paycheck, before taxes

Pay periodAmount
Monthly$3,815
Semi-monthly (24 a year)$1,907.50
Biweekly (26 a year)$1,760.77
Weekly$880.38
Hourly$22.01

Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.

Printing Press Operator salary by state

StateMedian salaryWorkers
District of Columbia$116,630350
Massachusetts$53,0502,110
New Jersey$50,4304,180
Washington$49,8002,310
Oregon$48,7601,330
Minnesota$48,5604,960
New Hampshire$48,410680
Kentucky$48,0002,470
Colorado$47,8601,830
New York$47,8606,700
Maryland$47,8401,250
Maine$47,430300
Wisconsin$47,3308,120
Pennsylvania$47,0107,150
Arkansas$46,4701,760
Alaska$46,460170
Vermont$46,460190
Illinois$46,2609,550
Missouri$46,1303,460
California$46,11012,320
Ohio$45,7607,500
Connecticut$45,6701,610
North Carolina$45,6303,910
Hawaii$45,390350
Rhode Island$45,380510
Michigan$45,2805,110
Indiana$45,2304,820
South Dakota$44,930460
Delaware$44,600210
Virginia$44,0203,210
Nevada$43,5001,360
Tennessee$43,1603,510
Arizona$42,9502,400
Texas$42,5509,110
Montana$42,220300
Nebraska$42,0702,140
Kansas$41,8902,640
Georgia$41,5204,220
West Virginia$41,200470
Florida$41,1807,060
Utah$41,0301,970
Iowa$40,7902,070
Wyoming$40,76090
South Carolina$40,4702,100
Idaho$38,650610
Mississippi$38,400670
North Dakota$37,850270
Louisiana$37,650870
New Mexico$37,110250
Oklahoma$36,7601,140
Alabama$36,6702,160
Guam$32,240100
Puerto Rico$26,100520

Best-paying metro areas for printing press operators

Metro areaMedian salaryWorkers
Harrisonburg, VA$64,180130
Rochester, MN$59,20090
Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA$58,85070
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI$58,750610
Fort Smith, AR-OK$56,350180
Trenton-Princeton, NJ$55,920180
Springfield, MA$55,740270
Manchester-Nashua, NH$54,230240
Worcester, MA$53,210210
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$52,1801,360
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$52,0401,410
Wichita Falls, TX$51,51040
Wausau, WI$50,650120
Merced, CA$50,64090
Kenosha, WI$50,54050

Metro areas with the most printing press operators

Metro areaWorkersMedian salary
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN7,790$46,580
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ6,700$49,620
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA6,140$46,200
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX3,880$45,670
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI3,390$50,170
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD2,910$48,610
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA2,650$44,610
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI2,590$47,400
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL2,170$42,890
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI2,100$47,700
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ1,900$42,950
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN1,770$44,810
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN1,730$48,890
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX1,710$40,180
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV1,700$49,490

Related jobs in the U.S.

JobMedian salaryHourly
Print Binding and Finishing Workers$42,290$20.33
Prepress Technicians and Workers$48,690$23.41
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,650$21.47
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,450$35.79
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,570$23.35
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$53,750$25.84
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,220$20.78
Machinist$58,750$28.24
Production Workers, All Other$40,110$19.29
Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$45,850$22.04
Baker$37,160$17.86
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$34,890$16.78
Food Batchmaker$42,290$20.33
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,330$22.27

More: Production Occupations

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-5112. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a printing press operator make in the U.S.?

The median salary for printing press operators in the U.S. is $45,780 a year, or $22.01 an hour. Pay ranges from $33,330 for the lowest-paid 10% to $63,520 for the top 10%.

How much do the highest-paid printing press operators make in the U.S.?

The top 10% of printing press operators in the U.S. earn at least $63,520 a year. The top 25% earn $55,740 or more.

What is the starting pay for printing press operators in the U.S.?

Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $33,330 a year, and a quarter of printing press operators earn $37,390 or less.

How many printing press operators work in the U.S.?

About 144,260 printing press operators are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.