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Pre-press technician education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a pre-press technician. Pre-press technicians usually study graphic design, graphic communications, or fine arts. 43% of pre-press technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 34% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,754 real pre-press technician resumes to see exactly what pre-press technician education sections show.
The most common colleges for pre-press technicians are the The Art Institute of Pittsburgh and the The Art Institute of Pittsburgh.
There are also many online pre-press technician courses to help get the education required to be a pre-press technician.
There are certain pre-press technician certifications that you should consider. These pre-press technician certifications include Certified Graphics Communications Manager (CGCM) and Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).
What education do you need to become a pre-press technician?
What degree do you need to be a pre-press technician?
- Bachelor's, 43%
- Associate, 34%
- High School Diploma, 14%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a pre-press technician?
- Graphic Design, 38%
- Fine Arts, 8%
- Business, 6%
- Other Majors, 37%
Most common colleges for pre-press technicians
| Pre-press technician common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| The Art Institute of Pittsburgh | 12.37% |
| University of Wisconsin Colleges | 7.22% |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | 6.19% |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | 6.19% |
| Ball State University | 6.19% |
Best majors for pre-press technicians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graphic Design | 38.5% |
| 2 | Graphic Communications | 11.3% |
| 3 | Fine Arts | 8.1% |
| 4 | Business | 5.8% |
| 5 | Communication | 4.7% |
Best colleges for pre-press technicians
The best colleges for pre-press technicians are Northeastern University, New York University, and Southern Methodist University.
A pre-press technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for pre-press technicians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become pre-press technicians.
1. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
2. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
3. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
4. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Enrollment
23,708
5. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,620
Enrollment
27,730
6. New Jersey Institute of Technology
Newark, NJ • Private
In-state tuition
$17,338
Enrollment
7,820
7. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Enrollment
7,938
8. Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$54,492
Enrollment
6,448
9. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Enrollment
31,441
10. Daemen College
Amherst, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$28,580
Enrollment
1,712
20 best online courses for pre-press technicians
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Top 10 most affordable universities for pre-press technicians
The most affordable schools for pre-press technicians are Brigham Young University, fashion institute of technology, and suny farmingdale.
If the best universities for pre-press technicians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for pre-press technicians.
1. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
2. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Cost of attendance
17,864
3. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
4. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
5. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
6. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Cost of attendance
23,600
7. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Cost of attendance
25,228
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. Brigham Young University - Hawaii
Laie, HI • Private
In-state tuition
$5,560
Cost of attendance
18,043
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for pre-press technicians
The hardest universities for pre-press technicians to get into are Northeastern University, New York University, and Southern Methodist University.
Some great schools for pre-press technicians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for pre-press technicians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
2. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
3. Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
51%
SAT average
1,395
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
6. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,367
7. Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,465
8. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,336
9. Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,321
10. Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
66%
SAT average
1,319
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for pre-press technicians
The easiest schools for pre-press technicians to get into are University of the Incarnate Word, notre dame de namur university, and kean university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a pre-press technician without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for pre-press technicians.
1. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
4. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
5. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
6. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
7. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
8. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
9. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
10. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
Average pre-press technician salary by education level
| Pre-press technician education level | Pre-press technician salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $41,730 |
Pre-press technician education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common production and manufacturing questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025