Digital printer vs printer operator

The differences between digital printers and printer operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a digital printer and a printer operator. Additionally, a printer operator has an average salary of $36,411, which is higher than the $32,841 average annual salary of a digital printer.

The top three skills for a digital printer include adobe photoshop, graphic design and xerox. The most important skills for a printer operator are troubleshoot, quality checks, and quality standards.

Digital printer vs printer operator overview

	Digital Printer	Printer Operator
Yearly salary	$32,841	$36,411
Hourly rate	$15.79	$17.51
Growth rate	-	-
Number of jobs	16,947	43,730
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	High School Diploma, 37%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	4	4

Digital printer vs printer operator salary

Digital printers and printer operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Digital Printer	Printer Operator
Average salary	$32,841	$36,411
Salary range	Between $21,000 And $49,000	Between $24,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	-	Providence, RI
Highest paying state	-	New Jersey
Best paying company	-	Quad
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between digital printer and printer operator education

There are a few differences between a digital printer and a printer operator in terms of educational background:

	Digital Printer	Printer Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	High School Diploma, 37%
Most common major	Graphic Design	Business
Most common college	-	-

Digital printer vs printer operator demographics

Here are the differences between digital printers' and printer operators' demographics:

	Digital Printer	Printer Operator
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 65.5% Female, 34.5%	Male, 68.1% Female, 31.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 3.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 7.6% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 3.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 7.2% White, 60.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between digital printer and printer operator duties and responsibilities

Digital printer example responsibilities.

Install software s to several computers on both PC and Macintosh platforms.
RIP client supply files directly from the PC when necessary to ensure client s files integrity.
Implement pre-flight procedures that eliminate costly re-prints and increase production speed and accuracy.
Used pneumatic screen-printing machine, uv dryers, and automatic screen printers.

Printer operator example responsibilities.

Manage day-to-day operations and supervise employees to ensure the studio run smoothly.
Operate UV and solvent printers.
Collate and bind print materials.
Record HD masters, clones.
Print operator using high speed OCE printers.
Handle rush orders and short delivery windows.

Digital printer vs printer operator skills

Common digital printer skills

Adobe Photoshop, 19%
Graphic Design, 18%
Xerox, 13%
Variable Data, 7%
GBC, 6%
Windows, 6%

Common printer operator skills

Troubleshoot, 14%
Quality Checks, 9%
Quality Standards, 9%
Basic Math, 8%
Windows, 5%
Preventive Maintenance, 5%