Printing Press Operator Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Printing Press Operators — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$45,780
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$22.01
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$63,520
entry level starts ~$33,330
Pay Grade
C
below-average pay · 144,000 employed

How much does a Printing Press Operator make?

A Printing Press Operator earns a median annual salary of $45,780 in the United States, which works out to roughly $22.01 per hour for full-time work. Most Printing Press Operators earn between $33,330 at the entry level and $63,520 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $37,390 and $55,740 a year.

That is $15,610 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Printing Press Operator salary range by percentile

Half of all Printing Press Operators earn between $37,390 and $55,740 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$33,330$16.02
25th percentile (early career)$37,390$17.98
50th percentile (median)$45,780$22.01
75th percentile (experienced)$55,740$26.80
90th percentile (top earners)$63,520$30.54

Highest-paying states for Printing Press Operator

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. District of Columbia leads the country for Printing Press Operator pay at $116,630 a year, followed by Massachusetts ($53,050) and New Jersey ($50,430). At the other end, Alabama posts the lowest median at $36,670 — a gap of $79,960 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1District of Columbia$116,630$56.07+155%
2Massachusetts$53,050$25.50+16%
3New Jersey$50,430$24.25+10%
4Washington$49,800$23.94+9%
5Oregon$48,760$23.44+7%

Workforce and education

About 144,000 people work as Printing Press Operators in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $47,360 — 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

How much does a Printing Press Operator make in the United States?
The median Printing Press Operator salary in the United States is $45,780 per year, or about $22.01 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $33,330, while the top 10% of earners make $63,520 or more.
How does Printing Press Operator pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of C (below-average pay), the Printing Press Operator median of $45,780 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Printing Press Operators the most?
District of Columbia is the highest-paying state for Printing Press Operators, with a median salary of $116,630 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Printing Press Operator?
Becoming a Printing Press Operator typically requires a high school diploma. A high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job.
How many Printing Press Operators work in the United States?
About 144,000 people were employed as Printing Press Operators in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

Related salaries

Other manufacturing & production roles with similar pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.