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Printing Press Operator

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What is a Printing Press Operator?

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

A Day in the Life of a Printing Press Operator

  • Load presses with paper and make necessary adjustments, according to paper size.
  • Secure printing plates to printing units and adjust tolerances.
  • Adjust ink fountain flow rates.
  • Monitor inventory levels on a regular basis, ordering or requesting additional supplies, as necessary.
  • Download completed jobs to archive media so that questions can be answered or jobs replicated.
  • Start presses and pull proofs to check for ink coverage and density, alignment, and registration.

Qualities of a Printing Press Operator

Printing Press Operators state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Types of Printing Press Operator

  • Printer Slotter Operator
  • Flexographic Press Operator
  • Press Operator Helper
  • Digital Operator
  • Embossing Press Operator Apprentice

Are There Job Opportunities for Printing Press Operators?

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 178,700 jobs in the United States for Printing Press Operator. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Printing Press Operator. The BLS estimates 15,800 yearly job openings in this field.

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The states with the most job growth for Printing Press Operator are Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Kansas, Kentucky, or Hawaii. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Salary for a Printing Press Operator

The average yearly salary of a Printing Press Operator ranges between $22,690 and $58,710.

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Printing Press Operators who work in District of Columbia, Alaska, or Minnesota, make the highest salaries.

How much do Printing Press Operators make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $30,740
Alaska $48,140
Arizona $34,240
Arkansas $35,480
California $39,380
Colorado $39,370
Connecticut $38,600
Delaware $42,280
District of Columbia $80,680
Florida $33,640
Georgia $34,000
Hawaii $43,120
Idaho $32,650
Illinois $44,050
Indiana $34,610
Iowa $35,090
Kansas $34,350
Kentucky $33,540
Louisiana $31,280
Maine $35,380
Maryland $39,850
Massachusetts $42,890
Michigan $36,070
Minnesota $44,670
Mississippi $32,690
Missouri $42,920
Montana $33,320
Nebraska $35,110
Nevada $36,040
New Hampshire $43,250
New Jersey $45,580
New Mexico $32,220
New York $41,770
North Carolina $37,090
North Dakota $35,410
Ohio $36,730
Oklahoma $30,430
Oregon $37,920
Pennsylvania $39,150
Rhode Island $41,250
South Carolina $35,770
South Dakota $35,720
Tennessee $38,170
Texas $38,710
Utah $35,550
Vermont $40,570
Virginia $38,690
Washington $42,060
West Virginia $30,630
Wisconsin $38,430
Wyoming $34,540

What Tools do Printing Press Operators Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Printing Press Operators:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Email software
  • Word processing software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
  • Graphics software
  • Inventory tracking software
  • Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite
  • Adobe Systems Adobe PageMaker
  • QuarkXPress
  • Image editing software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe LifeCycle Production Print ES3

How to Become a Printing Press Operator

What education or degrees do I need to become a Printing Press Operator?

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What work experience do I need to become a Printing Press Operator?

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Where Printing Press Operators Work

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Below are examples of industries where Printing Press Operators work:

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Those interested in being a Printing Press Operator may also be interested in:

Those who work as a Printing Press Operator sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:

References:

Image Credit: Auburn University College of Architecture, Design and Construction via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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