How To Become A Pressman: What It Is and Career Path

What is a pressman and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Pressmen operate and maintain printing presses. They ensure that printed materials, including newspapers, magazines, and brochures created, are error-free. The duties of a pressman vary by the type of machine used. However, he/she prepares equipment for the printing process and supervises the printing process to make sure there are no errors. Also, he/she inspects the final printed product for quality and consistency. Besides that, he/she consults the prepress technician as needed. Furthermore, he/she monitors the process to avoid paper jams or tears, which may stop the project and reset the press as required. Pressmen can specialize in lithography, flexography, letterpress, or gravure printing presses.

Candidates need at least a high school diploma or its equivalent with previous work experience. Some employers provide on-the-job training. You must possess troubleshooting, attention to detail, teamwork, and math skills. Pressmen earn an average salary of $48,066 per annum. This varies between $31,000 and $74,000.

ScorePressmanUS Average

Salary

3.1

Avg. Salary $39,994

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

3.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.53%

Asian 6.10%

Black or African American 10.74%

Hispanic or Latino 15.39%

Unknown 3.66%

White 63.58%

Gender

female 3.68%

male 96.32%

Age - 50

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 50

Stress level

7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.3

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a pressman

Explore pressman education requirements

Most common pressman degrees

High School Diploma

52.9 %

Associate

18.5 %

Bachelor's

12.4 %

Start to develop specific pressman skills

Skills	Percentages
Safety Regulations	9.82%
Preventative Maintenance	6.33%
UV	5.96%
Web Press	5.65%
Multi	5.36%

Complete relevant pressman training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New pressmen learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a pressman based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real pressman resumes.

Research pressman duties and responsibilities

Lead a team of three employees to help ensure production run smoothly.
Operate 40 Heidelberg 8-color CD with aqueous coater, CPC 2 & 3 and CP Tronics.
Operate a 110 gear less web Flexo press.
Adjust nip rollers and trolleys on upper formers.

Prepare your pressman resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your pressman resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a pressman resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable pressman resume templates

Build a professional pressman resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your pressman resume.