Printing Press Operators vs Prepress Technicians
Median pay is about $3k higher for Prepress Technicians. The usual entry education is high school for Printing Press Operators and postsecondary cert for Prepress Technicians.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Printing Press Operators | Prepress Technicians |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $45,780 | $48,690, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $37,390 | $40,930, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $55,740 | $58,580, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | -8.7% Declining, higher | -15% Declining |
| Openings a year | 12,100 | 2,100 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | High school | Postsecondary cert |
| Difficulty modeled | 1.8 / 5 | 1.8 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Moderate | Moderate |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 21st pct | 69th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Printing Press Operators
- Active Learning
Only Prepress Technicians
- Writing
Both lean on monitoring, reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, critical thinking.
More comparisons
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.