Printing Press Operators
SOC Code: 51-5112 Job Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed
Set up and operate digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, or other printing machines. Includes short-run offset printing presses.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Printing Press Operators. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $38,251 | $50,856 | $63,440 | $76,045 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $37,794 | $48,755 | $59,717 | $70,678 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $27,622 | $40,830 | $54,038 | $67,246 |
| Modesto, CA | $38,334 | $47,694 | $57,034 | $66,394 |
| Napa, CA | $41,496 | $49,608 | $57,720 | $65,832 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $43,784 | $50,606 | $57,408 | $64,230 |
| Rochester, MN | $40,539 | $48,235 | $55,931 | $63,627 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $38,418 | $46,571 | $54,746 | $62,899 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $42,162 | $49,005 | $55,848 | $62,691 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $40,061 | $47,445 | $54,808 | $62,192 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.9 | |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.6 | |
| Operation and Control | 3.2 | |
| Monitoring | 3.2 | |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.1 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 | |
| Active Listening | 3.1 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 | |
| Repairing | 3.1 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Mechanical | 3.8 |
| Production and Processing | 3.7 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 2.9 |
| English Language | 2.8 |
| Computers and Electronics | 2.8 |
| Mathematics | 2.7 |
| Chemistry | 2.5 |
| Public Safety and Security | 2.1 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma | 73.2% |
| Some college | 19.5% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 6.2% |
| Less than high school | 1.2% |
Typical Tasks
- Adjust ink fountain flow rates.
- Change press plates, blankets, or cylinders, as required.
- Clean ink fountains, plates, or printing unit cylinders when press runs are completed.
- Clean or oil presses or make minor repairs, using hand tools.
- Collect and inspect random samples during print runs to identify any necessary adjustments.
- Examine job orders to determine quantities to be printed, stock specifications, colors, or special printing instructions.
- Feed paper through press cylinders and adjust feed and tension controls.
- Input production job settings into workstation terminals that control automated printing systems.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Adobe Acrobat Adobe Illustrator Adobe InDesign Adobe Photoshop Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft Word SAP software AABACH Graphic Systems DIGRA Adobe LifeCycle Production Print ES3 Adobe PageMaker Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite Electronics for Imaging EFI Monarch Electronics for Imaging EFI Pace
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