Prepress operator education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a prepress operator. Prepress operators usually study graphic design, graphic communications, or fine arts. 48% of prepress operators hold a bachelor's degree, and 35% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,693 real prepress operator resumes to see exactly what prepress operator education sections show.

The most common colleges for prepress operators are the Rochester Institute of Technology and the Rochester Institute of Technology.

There are also many online prepress operator courses to help get the education required to be a prepress operator.

There are certain prepress operator certifications that you should consider. These prepress operator certifications include PrePress Operator Certification and Certified Graphics Communications Manager (CGCM).

What education do you need to become a prepress operator?

What degree do you need to be a prepress operator?

The most common degree for prepress operators is bachelor's degree, with 48% of prepress operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 35% and associate degree degree at 8%.

Bachelor's, 48%

Associate, 35%

High School Diploma, 8%

Diploma, 4%

Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a prepress operator?

You should major in graphic design to become a prepress operator. 42% of prepress operators major in graphic design. Other common majors for a prepress operator include graphic communications and fine arts.

Graphic Design, 42%

Graphic Communications, 13%

Fine Arts, 9%

Business, 7%

Other Majors, 29%

Most common colleges for prepress operators

Prepress operators often get their degrees at Rochester Institute of Technology, City College of New York of the City University of New York, The, and School of Visual Arts. Here are the most common colleges for prepress operators in the US based on their resumes.

Prepress operator common college	Percentages
Rochester Institute of Technology	14.81%
City College of New York of the City University of New York, The	6.48%
School of Visual Arts	6.48%
Ball State University	6.48%
The Art Institute of Philadelphia	5.56%

Show more common prepress operator colleges

Best majors for prepress operators

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Graphic Design	41.6%
2	Graphic Communications	12.8%
3	Fine Arts	8.7%
4	Business	7.3%
5	Design And Visual Communication	4.4%

Show more common prepress operator majors

Best colleges for prepress operators

The best colleges for prepress operators are Northeastern University, New York University, and Southern Methodist University.

A prepress operator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for prepress operators. 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 prepress operators.

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 prepress operators

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Top 10 most affordable universities for prepress operators

The most affordable schools for prepress operators are Brigham Young University, fashion institute of technology, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for prepress operators 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 prepress operators.

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 prepress operators

The hardest universities for prepress operators to get into are Northeastern University, New York University, and Southern Methodist University.

Some great schools for prepress operators 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 prepress operators 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

SAT average

1,497

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

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

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 prepress operators

The easiest schools for prepress operators 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 prepress operator 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 prepress operators.

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 prepress operator salary by education level

Prepress operator education level	Prepress operator salary
High School Diploma or Less	$43,403

Prepress operator education FAQs

What is the best college for Prepress Operators?

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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