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Desktop publishing specialist salary
Average desktop publishing specialist salary
$53,593
Understanding the Desktop Publishing Specialist Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Desktop Publishing Specialist stands at $53,593 annually, or about $26 per hour. This position plays a crucial role in various industries, including publishing, advertising, and corporate communications, where the creation of visually compelling materials is essential.
Salary levels can differ significantly based on geographic location, industry, and years of experience. For instance, specialists in states like California and New York often command higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. The highest-paying industries for desktop publishing specialists include technology, media, and healthcare.
Moreover, experience plays a key role in salary determination. Entry-level specialists may start around $40,000, while those with several years of experience can earn over $70,000. To maximize your potential, consider pursuing certifications in graphic design or advanced software training.
For those seeking to enhance their careers, opportunities for advancement into managerial or specialized roles exist, providing pathways to higher earnings and greater job satisfaction.
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Where can a Desktop Publishing Specialist earn more?
Desktop publishing specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average desktop publishing specialist salary by state
The average desktop publishing specialist salary in Alaska, North Dakota, and Utah are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average desktop publishing specialist salary states are Arizona, Wyoming, and North Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for desktop publishing specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska | $70,661 | $33.97 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $73,839 | $35.50 |
| 3 | Alaska | $77,799 | $37.40 |
| 4 | Utah | $70,915 | $34.09 |
| 5 | Delaware | $60,376 | $29.03 |
| 6 | Vermont | $59,246 | $28.48 |
| 7 | Missouri | $69,378 | $33.35 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $60,030 | $28.86 |
| 9 | Maryland | $59,751 | $28.73 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $60,830 | $29.25 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $60,458 | $29.07 |
| 12 | Mississippi | $66,766 | $32.10 |
| 13 | Montana | $56,548 | $27.19 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $59,544 | $28.63 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $57,140 | $27.47 |
| 16 | Nevada | $56,380 | $27.11 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $60,857 | $29.26 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $56,471 | $27.15 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $55,976 | $26.91 |
| 20 | Michigan | $52,468 | $25.23 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $52,069 | $25.03 |
| 22 | Ohio | $57,316 | $27.56 |
| 23 | Illinois | $56,010 | $26.93 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $54,148 | $26.03 |
| 25 | Iowa | $46,319 | $22.27 |
| 26 | California | $59,072 | $28.40 |
| 27 | Texas | $51,543 | $24.78 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $46,732 | $22.47 |
| 29 | Colorado | $54,026 | $25.97 |
| 30 | New York | $51,662 | $24.84 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $47,996 | $23.07 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $52,217 | $25.10 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $43,595 | $20.96 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $46,980 | $22.59 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $47,975 | $23.06 |
| 36 | Kansas | $44,582 | $21.43 |
| 37 | Georgia | $46,396 | $22.31 |
| 38 | Idaho | $44,857 | $21.57 |
| 39 | Maine | $46,777 | $22.49 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $43,289 | $20.81 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $45,338 | $21.80 |
| 42 | Virginia | $46,496 | $22.35 |
| 43 | Arizona | $43,727 | $21.02 |
| 44 | Oregon | $46,490 | $22.35 |
| 45 | Indiana | $44,252 | $21.27 |
| 46 | New Jersey | $49,822 | $23.95 |
| 47 | Florida | $40,827 | $19.63 |
| 48 | Washington | $46,749 | $22.48 |
| 49 | Minnesota | $45,206 | $21.73 |
| 50 | Alabama | $41,079 | $19.75 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $41,596 | $20.00 |
Highest paying cities for desktop publishing specialists
The highest-paying cities for desktop publishing specialists are Foster City, CA, Bethesda, MD, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foster City, CA | $60,667 | $29.17 |
| 2 | Bethesda, MD | $59,576 | $28.64 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $59,565 | $28.64 |
| 4 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $56,451 | $27.14 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $56,241 | $27.04 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | $54,082 | $26.00 |
| 7 | Greenville, SC | $52,446 | $25.21 |
| 8 | Ann Arbor, MI | $52,267 | $25.13 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $51,728 | $24.87 |
| 10 | McLean, VA | $47,335 | $22.76 |
| 11 | Roswell, GA | $46,571 | $22.39 |
| 12 | Portland, OR | $46,540 | $22.38 |
| 13 | Saint Paul, MN | $45,244 | $21.75 |
| 14 | Raleigh, NC | $44,032 | $21.17 |
| 15 | Phoenix, AZ | $43,795 | $21.06 |
| 16 | Tallahassee, FL | $40,942 | $19.68 |
Desktop publishing specialist salary details
A desktop publishing specialist's salary ranges from $39,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $73,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a desktop publishing specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
| 75th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| Average | $53,593 | $4,466 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
Top companies hiring desktop publishing specialists now:
Which companies pay desktop publishing specialists the most?
Desktop publishing specialist salaries at Citi and Aetna are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average desktop publishing specialist salary at companies like Mathematica and Accenture are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Citi | $112,422 | $54.05 |
| 2 | Aetna | $77,084 | $37.06 |
| 3 | Mathematica | $66,243 | $31.85 |
| 4 | Accenture | $65,065 | $31.28 |
| 5 | Gallaudet University | $64,255 | $30.89 |
| 6 | Canon | $61,598 | $29.61 |
| 7 | Guidehouse | $59,547 | $28.63 |
| 8 | CVS Health | $59,271 | $28.50 |
| 9 | Sierra Nevada | $57,949 | $27.86 |
| 10 | National Renewable Energy Laboratory | $57,717 | $27.75 |
| 11 | Solugenix | $57,637 | $27.71 |
| 12 | The Florida Bar | $56,425 | $27.13 |
| 13 | TransPerfect | $54,285 | $26.10 |
| 14 | CTG | $54,259 | $26.09 |
| 15 | icon Mechanical | $53,540 | $25.74 |
| 16 | NORC at the University of Chicago | $52,029 | $25.01 |
| 17 | Robert Half | $50,296 | $24.18 |
| 18 | Questex | $45,886 | $22.06 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Desktop Publishing Specialist salary by industry
The average desktop publishing specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average desktop publishing specialist salary in the media industry is $57,891, the highest of any industry.
- The average desktop publishing specialist salary in the finance industry is $53,138.
- Desktop publishing specialists in the government industry earn an average salary of $46,678, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for desktop publishing specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Media | $57,891 | $27.83 |
| 2 | Insurance | $53,138 | $25.55 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $52,777 | $25.37 |
| 4 | Professional | $50,700 | $24.38 |
| 5 | Government | $46,678 | $22.44 |
High paying desktop publishing specialist jobs
Desktop publishing specialist salary trends
The average desktop publishing specialist salary has risen by $12,125 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average desktop publishing specialist earned $41,468 annually, but today, they earn $53,593 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for desktop publishing specialists over the last decade.
Compare desktop publishing specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average desktop publishing specialist salary over time
Compare desktop publishing specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Desktop publishing specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $53,600 | $25.77 | +4.6% |
| 2024 | $51,100 | $24.59 | +5.5% |
| 2023 | $48,400 | $23.25 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $47,700 | $22.94 | +3.0% |
| 2021 | $46,300 | $22.26 | +3.0% |
Recently added desktop publishing specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global Relay | Presentation and Desktop Publishing Specialist | New York, NY | 06/21/2025 | $60,000 |
| SHRM | Specialist, Content Operations & Publishing | Alexandria, VA | 04/25/2025 | $70,000 |
| Leidos Holdings Inc. | Proposal Desktop Publisher Ts/Sci | Columbia, MD | 04/22/2025 | $85,150 |
| Admarketplaceinc | Publisher Specialist | New York, NY | 03/26/2025 | $60,000 |
| Leidos | Proposal Desktop Publisher Ts/Sci | Columbia, MD | 01/26/2025 | $85,150 |
| National Opinion Research Corporation | Desktop Publisher | Bethesda, MD | 10/19/2024 | $54,000 |
| Admarketplace | Publisher Specialist | New York, NY | 10/17/2024 | $60,000 |
| NORC | Desktop Publisher | Chicago, IL | 10/03/2024 | $54,000 |
| Randstad Us | Publishing Specialist | Los Angeles, CA | 10/03/2024 | $85,212 |
| Admarketplace | Publisher Specialist | New York, NY | 09/24/2024 | $60,000 |
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