Desktop Publishers
Format typescript and graphic elements using computer software to produce publication-ready material.
Also called: Advertising Associate · Compositor · Computer Typesetter · Design Editor · Desktop Operator · Desktop Publishing Specialist
Median pay (national)
$53,620
$34,650–$92,880 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
4,000
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-12.4%
~400 openings/yr
Typical entry
Associate's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for desktop publishers shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $92,880 versus $34,650 at the bottom 10% — 2.7x. The median of $53,620 leaves roughly 73% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -12.4% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 400 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 24 states with released data, Colorado pays the most for this role (median $75,490, +41% vs the national median), while Kentucky sits lowest at $33,780 — a 123% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Adobe Photoshop as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Position text and art elements from a variety of databases in a visually appealing way to design print or web pages, using knowledge of type styles and size and layout patterns.
- Check preliminary and final proofs for errors and make necessary corrections.
- Select number of colors and determine color separations.
- Convert various types of files for printing or for the Internet, using computer software.
- Edit graphics and photos, using pixel or bitmap editing, airbrushing, masking, or image retouching.
- Enter data, such as coordinates of images and color specifications, into system to retouch and make color corrections.
- Operate desktop publishing software and equipment to design, lay out, and produce camera-ready copy.
- Enter text into computer keyboard and select the size and style of type, column width, and appropriate spacing for printed materials.
- Prepare sample layouts for approval, using computer software.
- Import text and art elements, such as electronic clip art or electronic files from photographs that have been scanned or produced with a digital camera, using computer software.
Tools & technology
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Apple macOS
- Cascading style sheets CSS
- Extensible markup language XML
- Hypertext markup language HTML
- JavaScript
- jQuery
- Microsoft Visio
- Microsoft Visual Basic
- Microsoft Windows
- MySQL
- Oracle Java
Knowledge areas
- Computers and Electronics
- Communications and Media
- English Language
- Administrative
- Production and Processing
- Design
- Mathematics
- Education and Training