# Printing Press Operators

> Set up and operate digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, or other printing machines. Includes short-run offset printing presses.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/printing-press-operators
- SOC code: 51-5112.00
- Career family: Production
- Median annual pay: $45,780 (10th percentile $33,330, 90th percentile $63,520)
- Projected growth: Decline, -8.7%
- Openings a year: 12,100
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code CRE)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 63 |
| Investigative (I) | 3 |
| Artistic (A) | 12 |
| Social (S) | 12 |
| Enterprising (E) | 13 |
| Conventional (C) | 74 |

## What you'd do

- Controlling Machines and Processes (importance 91/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 84/100)
- Getting Information (importance 81/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 79/100)
- Scheduling Work and Activities (importance 75/100)
- Handling and Moving Objects (importance 74/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 74/100)
- Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment (importance 73/100)
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment (importance 73/100)
- Training and Teaching Others (importance 70/100)

## Skills

Quality Control Analysis, Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Operation and Control, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Equipment Maintenance, Judgment and Decision Making, Reading Comprehension, Repairing

## Knowledge

Mechanical, Production and Processing, Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Computers and Electronics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Public Safety and Security, Administration and Management, Education and Training

## Also called

Aniline Press Worker, Back Up Machine Operator, Backer, Bag Press Operator, Bag Printer, Balloon Design Printer, Bander and Liner Operator, Ben-Day Artist, Binding Printer, Block Printer

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Graphic Communications](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1003) (CIP 1003, 390 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo SLO](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo-slo-360) | Graphic Communications | $52,902 | $79,432 | $17,000 |
| [Loyola Marymount University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/loyola-marymount-university-1550) | Graphic Communications | not reported | $76,522 | not reported |
| [Ringling College of Art and Design](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ringling-college-of-art-and-design-2233) | Graphic Communications | $47,561 | $75,213 | $27,000 |
| [Brigham Young University-Provo BYU Utah](https://www.collegesref.com/college/brigham-young-university-provo-byu-utah-302) | Graphic Communications | $36,018 | $73,941 | not reported |
| [University of Minnesota-Duluth](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-minnesota-duluth-2960) | Graphic Communications | $45,291 | $61,062 | $23,250 |
| [University of Wisconsin-Stout](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-wisconsin-stout-3091) | Graphic Communications | $42,668 | $59,621 | $22,639 |
| [Arizona State University Campus Immersion](https://www.collegesref.com/college/arizona-state-university-campus-immersion-101) | Graphic Communications | $39,793 | $57,618 | $18,500 |
| [Illinois State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/illinois-state-university-1264) | Graphic Communications | $48,805 | $55,723 | $17,500 |

## Related careers

- [Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/paper-goods-machine-setters-operators-and-tenders): $50,270 median pay
- [Prepress Technicians and Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/prepress-technicians-and-workers): $48,690 median pay
- [Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/photographic-process-workers-and-processing-machine-operators): $40,610 median pay
- [Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/adhesive-bonding-machine-operators-and-tenders): $46,460 median pay
- [Print Binding and Finishing Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/print-binding-and-finishing-workers): $42,290 median pay
- [Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/cutting-punching-and-press-machine-setters-operators-and-tenders-metal-and-plastic): $46,330 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.