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The differences between printer operators and press operators printing 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 press operator printing. Additionally, a press operator printing has an average salary of $40,520, 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 press operator printing are quality standards, quality checks, and flexo.
| Printer Operator | Press Operator Printing | |
| Yearly salary | $36,411 | $40,520 |
| Hourly rate | $17.51 | $19.48 |
| Growth rate | - | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 43,730 | 34,403 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | High School Diploma, 51% |
| 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.
A Printing Press Operator works on operating the printing machine of a publishing house. This person has advanced knowledge in the printing process, the repair, maintenance, and operation of various printing presses and provides input in color, design, and layout. The operator needs to have an idea of paper types, the quality of raw printing materials, and their uses. This person has the final decision before actual printing, and the outcome of a project rests entirely on his/her shoulders at this stage.
Printer operators and press operators printing have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Printer Operator | Press Operator Printing | |
| Average salary | $36,411 | $40,520 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $53,000 | Between $31,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | Providence, RI | Harrisonburg, VA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | Quad | Sonoco |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a printer operator and a press operator printing in terms of educational background:
| Printer Operator | Press Operator Printing | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | High School Diploma, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between printer operators' and press operators printing' demographics:
| Printer Operator | Press Operator Printing | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.1% Female, 31.9% | Male, 83.5% Female, 16.5% |
| 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, 10.5% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 6.9% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |