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The differences between printer operators and compositors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a printer operator and a compositor. Additionally, a compositor has an average salary of $45,101, which is higher than the $36,411 average annual salary of a printer operator.
The top three skills for a printer operator include troubleshoot, quality checks and quality standards. The most important skills for a compositor are VFX, visual effects, and animation.
| Printer Operator | Compositor | |
| Yearly salary | $36,411 | $45,101 |
| Hourly rate | $17.51 | $21.68 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 43,730 | 154 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A printer operator is tasked to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot all printing equipment in a company. This person performs all necessary printing requests coming from customers and the company and is expected to have a working knowledge of various printing equipment and printing techniques to assure quality. The printer operator must also know about design, use of color, and other creative aspects to provide last-minute adjustments on printing jobs to avoid later revisions. The printer operator is vital personnel in businesses like publishing companies and creative houses.
Compositors are the creators of a frame, shot, or sequence final image. They usually combine various digital elements to produce a believable picture. Following the direction of the style chosen for the set is part of these compositors' responsibilities. These workers create their visual effects and high-quality composites using special effects (SFX) like 2D and 3D animation and CGIs. They use these digital elements to create convincing shadows, enhance a picture's lighting, and static background plates.
Printer operators and compositors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Printer Operator | Compositor | |
| Average salary | $36,411 | $45,101 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $53,000 | Between $23,000 And $85,000 |
| Highest paying City | Providence, RI | Pittsfield, MA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Quad | Dassault Systèmes |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a printer operator and a compositor in terms of educational background:
| Printer Operator | Compositor | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Business | Animation |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between printer operators' and compositors' demographics:
| Printer Operator | Compositor | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.1% Female, 31.9% | Male, 62.7% Female, 37.3% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 3.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 7.3% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |