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Platemaker/Imager

Types of Degrees Platemaker/Imager Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Platemaker/Imager have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	4
Associate’s Degree	4

What Platemaker/Imager Majors Need to Know

Programs in Platemaker/Imager emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Platemaker/Imager graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Platemaker/Imager emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Production and Processing — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Platemaker/Imager program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Time Management — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 2.8 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Platemaker/Imager careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Visual Color Discrimination — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Visualization — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Platemaker/Imager graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.6 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.8 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.6 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.5 / 7
Scheduling Work and Activities	3.5 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Platemaker/Imager professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
File transfer protocol FTP software	Internet protocol IP multimedia subsystem software	—
Esko ArtPro	Desktop publishing software	—
Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Global Graphics Software Harlequin	Document management software	—
Adobe FrameMaker	Desktop publishing software	—
QuarkXPress	Desktop publishing software	—
Adobe FreeHand MX	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Multi-line optical character reader OCR software	Optical character reader OCR or scanning software	—
Adobe Creative Cloud software	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Platemaker/Imager graduates include:

• Graphics Operator
• Negative Stripper
• Lithographers Printer
• Teletypesetter
• Printer Technician (Printer Tech)
• Plate Mounter
• Transfer Worker
• Proofsheet Corrector
• Print and Publication Linotype Operator
• Ludlow Machine Operator
• Job Compositor
• Galley Stripper
• Electronic Prepress Technician (EPP Tech)
• Stereotyper
• Hand Compositor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Platemaker/Imager graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	39.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	23.2%
Some college courses	20.6%
Postsecondary certificate	9.5%
Bachelor’s degree	5.2%
Less than a high school diploma	2.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Platemaker/Imager?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 50% women and 50% men among Platemaker/Imager graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	4	50.0%
Men	4	50.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Platemaker/Imager graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	4	50.0%
Hispanic or Latino	2	25.0%
Black or African American	2	25.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Platemaker/Imager Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Platemaker/Imager graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$28,061
4 years	$41,119
5 years	$47,590

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $47,590 — roughly 70% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Platemaker/Imager Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Platemaker/Imager graduates earn a median of $41,119 four years after completion — roughly 8% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Graphic Communications	10.03
Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects	10.0304
Computer Typography and Composition Equipment Operator	10.0308
Graphic and Printing Equipment Operator, General Production	10.0305
Graphic Communications, General	10.0301
Graphic Communications, Other	10.0399
Prepress/Desktop Publishing and Digital Imaging Design	10.0303
Printing Management	10.0302
Printing Press Operator	10.0307

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.