How much does a Desktop Publisher make?
Desktop Publishers in the United States bring home a median salary of $55,290 a year, or around $26.58 an hour. Pay spans a wide range: the bottom 10% earn under $35,680, while the top 10% earn $96,170.
That is $6,100 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Desktop Publisher salary range by percentile
Half of all Desktop Publishers earn between $43,730 and $73,840 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,680 | $17.15 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $43,730 | $21.02 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $55,290 | $26.58 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $73,840 | $35.50 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $96,170 | $46.24 |
Highest-paying states for Desktop Publisher
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Colorado leads the country for Desktop Publisher pay at $77,750 a year, followed by California ($71,930) and Maryland ($69,820). At the other end, Nebraska posts the lowest median at $36,280 — a gap of $41,470 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | $77,750 | $37.38 | +41% |
| 2 | California | $71,930 | $34.58 | +30% |
| 3 | Maryland | $69,820 | $33.57 | +26% |
| 4 | New Jersey | $63,020 | $30.30 | +14% |
| 5 | South Carolina | $62,320 | $29.96 | +13% |
Desktop Publisher salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 27 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 3,000 people work as Desktop Publishers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $61,970 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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