Printing Press Operators
Set up and operate digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, or other printing machines. Includes short-run offset printing presses.
Also called: Digital Press Operator · Flexographic Press Operator · Offset Press Operator · Offset Pressman · Press Operator · Pressman
Median pay (national)
$45,160
$31,450–$63,060 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
145,110
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-8.1%
~13,700 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for printing press operators shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $63,060 versus $31,450 at the bottom 10% — 2.0x. The median of $45,160 leaves roughly 40% 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 -8.1% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 13,700 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 53 states with released data, District of Columbia pays the most for this role (median $115,770, +156% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $22,880 — a 406% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, 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.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Writing
- Mathematics
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Start presses and pull proofs to check for ink coverage and density, alignment, and registration.
- Examine job orders to determine quantities to be printed, stock specifications, colors, or special printing instructions.
- Adjust ink fountain flow rates.
- Collect and inspect random samples during print runs to identify any necessary adjustments.
- Feed paper through press cylinders and adjust feed and tension controls.
- Load presses with paper and make necessary adjustments, according to paper size.
- Secure printing plates to printing units and adjust tolerances.
- Clean ink fountains, plates, or printing unit cylinders when press runs are completed.
- Change press plates, blankets, or cylinders, as required.
- Obtain or mix inks and fill ink fountains.
Tools & technology
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- SAP software
- AABACH Graphic Systems DIGRA
- Adobe LifeCycle Production Print ES3
- Adobe PageMaker
- Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite
- Electronics for Imaging EFI Monarch
- Electronics for Imaging EFI Pace
- Enfocus PitStop Pro
- Graphics software
- Image editing software
- Inventory tracking software
- Job scheduling software
- Job tracking software
Knowledge areas
- Mechanical
- Production and Processing
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- Chemistry
- Public Safety and Security