Printing Press Operators
Set up and operate digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, or other printing machines. Includes short-run offset printing presses.
- O*NET-SOC code
51-5112.00 - Preparation Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Wages
Median annual wage, U.S.$45,780
Employment, U.S.144,260
Median hourly wage$22.01
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $33,330 | $37,390 | $45,780 | $55,740 | $63,520 |
By state (51)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2,160 | $36,670 | 1.10 |
| Alaska | 170 | $46,460 | 0.57 |
| Arizona | 2,400 | $42,950 | 0.80 |
| Arkansas | 1,760 | $46,470 | 1.46 |
| California | 12,320 | $46,110 | 0.73 |
| Colorado | 1,830 | $47,860 | 0.69 |
| Connecticut | 1,610 | $45,670 | 1.02 |
| Delaware | 210 | $44,600 | 0.48 |
| District of Columbia | 350 | $116,630 | 0.54 |
| Florida | 7,060 | $41,180 | 0.77 |
| Georgia | 4,220 | $41,520 | 0.93 |
| Hawaii | 350 | $45,390 | 0.60 |
| Idaho | 610 | $38,650 | 0.77 |
| Illinois | 9,550 | $46,260 | 1.69 |
| Indiana | 4,820 | $45,230 | 1.62 |
| Iowa | 2,070 | $40,790 | 1.43 |
| Kansas | 2,640 | $41,890 | 1.98 |
| Kentucky | 2,470 | $48,000 | 1.33 |
| Louisiana | 870 | $37,650 | 0.48 |
| Maine | 300 | $47,430 | 0.50 |
| Maryland | 1,250 | $47,840 | 0.49 |
| Massachusetts | 2,110 | $53,050 | 0.62 |
| Michigan | 5,110 | $45,280 | 1.25 |
| Minnesota | 4,960 | $48,560 | 1.81 |
| Mississippi | 670 | $38,400 | 0.62 |
| Missouri | 3,460 | $46,130 | 1.27 |
| Montana | 300 | $42,220 | 0.63 |
| Nebraska | 2,140 | $42,070 | 2.25 |
| Nevada | 1,360 | $43,500 | 0.94 |
| New Hampshire | 680 | $48,410 | 1.07 |
| New Jersey | 4,180 | $50,430 | 1.05 |
| New Mexico | 250 | $37,110 | 0.31 |
| New York | 6,700 | $47,860 | 0.75 |
| North Carolina | 3,910 | $45,630 | 0.85 |
| North Dakota | 270 | $37,850 | 0.67 |
| Ohio | 7,500 | $45,760 | 1.46 |
| Oklahoma | 1,140 | $36,760 | 0.72 |
| Oregon | 1,330 | $48,760 | 0.73 |
| Pennsylvania | 7,150 | $47,010 | 1.27 |
| Rhode Island | 510 | $45,380 | 1.11 |
| South Carolina | 2,100 | $40,470 | 0.98 |
| South Dakota | 460 | $44,930 | 1.08 |
| Tennessee | 3,510 | $43,160 | 1.16 |
| Texas | 9,110 | $42,550 | 0.70 |
| Utah | 1,970 | $41,030 | 1.22 |
| Vermont | 190 | $46,460 | 0.67 |
| Virginia | 3,210 | $44,020 | 0.84 |
| Washington | 2,310 | $49,800 | 0.70 |
| West Virginia | 470 | $41,200 | 0.72 |
| Wisconsin | 8,120 | $47,330 | 2.97 |
| Wyoming | 90 | $40,760 | 0.36 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Printing Press Operators, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biomass Plant Technicians | Learning Strategies | 0.88 | 0.947 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Printing Press Operators, excluding software Printing Press Operators already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Operational databases | 3 of 20 | 11.5x |
| Autodesk AutoCAD | 6 of 20 | 1.6x |
| Microsoft Windows | 4 of 20 | 0.8x |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 6 of 20 | 0.4x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 3.88 | 3.25 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 3.62 | 3.62 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.50 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 2.38 | 2.62 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.38 | 2.38 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.75 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.62 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.75 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.75 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.75 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.62 |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.12 | not rated |
| Science | Essential skill | 1.00 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | 3.83 | 4.28 |
| Production and Processing | 3.66 | 3.63 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 2.86 | 2.57 |
| English Language | 2.80 | 2.72 |
| Computers and Electronics | 2.75 | 2.87 |
| Mathematics | 2.74 | 2.17 |
| Chemistry | 2.47 | 2.52 |
| Public Safety and Security | 2.10 | 1.88 |
| Education and Training | 2.08 | 2.20 |
| Administration and Management | 2.08 | 2.05 |
| Engineering and Technology | 1.88 | 1.68 |
| Design | 1.60 | 1.10 |
| Administrative | 1.50 | 1.03 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 1.44 | 0.72 |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.42 | 0.95 |
| Communications and Media | 1.32 | not rated |
| Physics | 1.26 | 0.59 |
| Law and Government | 1.24 | not rated |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.21 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.20 | not rated |
| Building and Construction | 1.17 | not rated |
| Psychology | 1.13 | not rated |
| Transportation | 1.09 | not rated |
| Geography | 1.07 | not rated |
| Telecommunications | 1.07 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.06 | not rated |
| Foreign Language | 1.01 | not rated |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.01 | not rated |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.01 | not rated |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.01 | not rated |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.01 | not rated |
| Biology | 1.00 | not rated |
| History and Archeology | 1.00 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Near Vision | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Control Precision | 3.50 | 3.88 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.38 | 3.12 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.12 | 3.50 |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.12 | 3.38 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Information Ordering | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Oral Expression | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Selective Attention | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Visualization | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Written Comprehension | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Category Flexibility | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Static Strength | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Far Vision | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Extent Flexibility | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Rate Control | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Reaction Time | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Trunk Strength | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Written Expression | 2.75 | 3.00 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.62 | 2.50 |
| Depth Perception | 2.50 | 2.75 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.50 | 2.50 |
| Response Orientation | 2.50 | 2.38 |
| Time Sharing | 2.50 | 2.25 |
| Originality | 2.38 | 2.38 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Stamina | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Memorization | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.00 | 2.12 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Number Facility | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 1.88 | 1.75 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.88 | 1.62 |
| Dynamic Strength | 1.88 | 1.50 |
| Spatial Orientation | 1.38 | 0.62 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.38 | 0.50 |
| Glare Sensitivity | 1.25 | not rated |
| Peripheral Vision | 1.25 | not rated |
| Sound Localization | 1.25 | not rated |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.12 | not rated |
| Night Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Adobe Acrobat hot
- Adobe Illustrator hot
- Adobe InDesign hot
- Adobe Photoshop hot
- Microsoft Excel hot
- Microsoft Office software hot
- Microsoft Outlook hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- SAP software hot
- 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
- Email software
- Enfocus PitStop Pro
- Graphics software
- Image editing software
- Inventory tracking software
- Job scheduling software
- Job tracking software
- Printers Software Inc. Presidio
- Printing management system software
- QuarkXPress
- Squeegee
- Xerox FreeFlow Print Server
- Xerox ProfitQuick
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence, KS | 500 | 10.34 | $41,890 |
| Mankato, MN | 430 | 8.24 | $44,980 |
| Green Bay, WI | 1,260 | 7.79 | $47,330 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | 610 | 7.06 | $58,750 |
| Terre Haute, IN | 340 | 5.62 | $45,150 |
| Dalton, GA | 310 | 5.11 | $35,200 |
| Appleton, WI | 530 | 4.64 | $46,090 |
| Logan, UT-ID | 240 | 3.90 | $39,820 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | 300 | 3.89 | $45,480 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | 1,680 | 3.64 | $42,070 |