Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

51-5112 Printing Press Operators

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

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
179,220 1.3 % $17.19 $35,760 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $9.83 $12.58 $16.49 $21.07 $26.07
Annual Wage (2) $20,440 $26,160 $34,290 $43,820 $54,220

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Printing and Related Support Activities 103,080 21.52 $17.39 $36,170
Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers 16,260 3.37 $17.50 $36,410
Converted Paper Product Manufacturing 14,480 5.17 $18.39 $38,250
Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services 6,410 1.53 $15.42 $32,070
Plastics Product Manufacturing 5,300 1.04 $16.68 $34,690

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Printing and Related Support Activities 103,080 21.52 $17.39 $36,170
Converted Paper Product Manufacturing 14,480 5.17 $18.39 $38,250
Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills 1,640 4.73 $13.16 $27,370
Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers 16,260 3.37 $17.50 $36,410
Other Textile Product Mills 1,140 1.77 $12.49 $25,970

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 650 0.03 $41.31 $85,910
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 40 0.01 $25.30 $52,620
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 80 0.01 $21.86 $45,470
Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations 110 0.03 $21.41 $44,540
Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (8) (8) $21.20 $44,100

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 16,100 1.15 0.82 $17.68 $36,770
Texas 11,310 1.10 0.79 $15.90 $33,060
Illinois 10,870 1.95 1.40 $17.43 $36,250
Pennsylvania 10,120 1.82 1.31 $17.50 $36,400
New York 9,750 1.16 0.83 $17.70 $36,820




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Wisconsin 7,930 3.00 2.15 $18.23 $37,930
Minnesota 5,810 2.24 1.60 $18.94 $39,380
Missouri 5,620 2.17 1.55 $17.03 $35,430
Kansas 2,800 2.14 1.53 $16.68 $34,690
Iowa 3,070 2.12 1.52 $15.41 $32,040




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 800 1.24 0.89 $30.47 $63,380
Delaware 300 0.74 0.53 $20.56 $42,760
Alaska 140 0.45 0.32 $20.51 $42,650
New Jersey 5,690 1.51 1.08 $20.10 $41,800
Maryland 2,580 1.04 0.74 $20.10 $41,800





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 7,740 2.16 1.55 $17.69 $36,800
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 5,550 1.10 0.78 $18.87 $39,250
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 5,180 1.36 0.97 $17.51 $36,410
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 4,000 1.73 1.24 $20.02 $41,640
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 3,630 2.12 1.52 $19.95 $41,490
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 3,240 1.58 1.13 $16.49 $34,310
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 3,140 1.73 1.24 $18.67 $38,840
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 3,060 1.37 0.98 $19.00 $39,510
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 3,020 2.18 1.56 $15.83 $32,920
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 2,750 3.44 2.46 $18.50 $38,470




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Mankato-North Mankato, MN 540 10.55 7.55 $19.22 $39,980
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 920 10.37 7.42 $19.21 $39,950
Lawrence, KS 290 6.40 4.58 (8) (8)
Green Bay, WI 930 5.68 4.07 $20.19 $41,990
Ames, IA 200 5.12 3.66 $16.39 $34,080
Lancaster, PA 1,060 4.78 3.42 $18.44 $38,350
Jonesboro, AR 220 4.64 3.32 $18.50 $38,490
Harrisonburg, VA 230 4.08 2.92 $18.72 $38,940
Jefferson City, MO 290 4.03 2.88 $16.28 $33,860
Morristown, TN 180 3.99 2.86 $15.56 $32,370