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The average salary for a press operator printing in the United States is $40,520 per year, translating to approximately $19 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on several factors, including experience level, geographic location, and the specific industry within which the operator is employed.
Entry-level positions typically start at lower wages, whereas experienced press operators can earn significantly more. For instance, those with five to ten years of experience may earn up to $50,000 annually.
Press operators in states like California and New York often see higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for skilled workers. Major cities like Los Angeles and New York City also feature some of the highest salaries in the field.
Understanding the salary trends and factors influencing pay can help prospective press operators make informed decisions about their careers. Explore opportunities that align with your skill set and location preferences.
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The highest-paying states for press operators printing are Washington, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The lowest average press operator printing salary states are Hawaii, Iowa, and Kansas.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $51,077 | $24.56 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $49,598 | $23.85 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $48,670 | $23.40 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $49,979 | $24.03 |
| 5 | Washington | $53,720 | $25.83 |
| 6 | Oregon | $48,544 | $23.34 |
| 7 | Idaho | $44,984 | $21.63 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $49,989 | $24.03 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $45,842 | $22.04 |
| 10 | Ohio | $42,313 | $20.34 |
| 11 | Michigan | $42,746 | $20.55 |
| 12 | Virginia | $49,490 | $23.79 |
| 13 | New York | $48,782 | $23.45 |
| 14 | Alaska | $43,963 | $21.14 |
| 15 | Texas | $44,393 | $21.34 |
| 16 | Utah | $44,274 | $21.29 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $41,658 | $20.03 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $45,973 | $22.10 |
| 19 | Maine | $45,429 | $21.84 |
| 20 | Illinois | $43,285 | $20.81 |
| 21 | Vermont | $44,849 | $21.56 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $41,906 | $20.15 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $41,460 | $19.93 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $42,117 | $20.25 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $41,570 | $19.99 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $42,046 | $20.21 |
| 27 | Montana | $42,304 | $20.34 |
| 28 | Indiana | $39,592 | $19.03 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $39,074 | $18.79 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $41,129 | $19.77 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $40,446 | $19.45 |
| 32 | Maryland | $41,716 | $20.06 |
| 33 | Colorado | $43,233 | $20.79 |
| 34 | Delaware | $42,273 | $20.32 |
| 35 | California | $43,064 | $20.70 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $38,192 | $18.36 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $37,152 | $17.86 |
| 38 | Arizona | $39,169 | $18.83 |
| 39 | Missouri | $38,352 | $18.44 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $39,344 | $18.92 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $38,851 | $18.68 |
| 42 | Nevada | $39,966 | $19.21 |
| 43 | Georgia | $37,611 | $18.08 |
| 44 | Iowa | $35,344 | $16.99 |
| 45 | Kansas | $35,235 | $16.94 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $39,564 | $19.02 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $37,363 | $17.96 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $33,915 | $16.31 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $38,087 | $18.31 |
| 50 | Florida | $32,681 | $15.71 |
| 51 | Alabama | $34,580 | $16.63 |
The highest-paying cities for press operators printing are Harrisonburg, VA, Minneapolis, MN, and Portland, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrisonburg, VA | $49,721 | $23.90 |
| 2 | Minneapolis, MN | $48,672 | $23.40 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $48,533 | $23.33 |
| 4 | Buffalo, NY | $48,358 | $23.25 |
| 5 | Dallas, TX | $44,131 | $21.22 |
| 6 | Saint Charles, IL | $43,372 | $20.85 |
| 7 | Mentor, OH | $43,331 | $20.83 |
| 8 | Los Angeles, CA | $42,639 | $20.50 |
| 9 | Durham, NC | $42,440 | $20.40 |
| 10 | Neenah, WI | $41,823 | $20.11 |
| 11 | Nashua, NH | $41,252 | $19.83 |
| 12 | Bowling Green, KY | $40,544 | $19.49 |
| 13 | Fort Wayne, IN | $40,294 | $19.37 |
| 14 | Morristown, TN | $39,534 | $19.01 |
| 15 | Mesa, AZ | $39,179 | $18.84 |
| 16 | Lees Summit, MO | $38,369 | $18.45 |
| 17 | Alpharetta, GA | $37,831 | $18.19 |
| 18 | Columbia, SC | $37,548 | $18.05 |
| 19 | Burlington, IA | $35,034 | $16.84 |
| 20 | Lakeland, FL | $32,705 | $15.72 |
A press operator printing's salary ranges from $31,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $52,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
| 75th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| Average | $40,520 | $3,377 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
The highest paying types of press operators printing are compositor, offset press operator, and lead press operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compositor | $45,101 | $3,758 | $21.68 | 154 |
| Screen Making Technician | $32,429 | $2,702 | $15.59 | 24,872 |
| Printer | $33,219 | $2,768 | $15.97 | 1,756 |
| Pressman | $39,994 | $3,333 | $19.23 | 673 |
| Digital Print Operator | $31,749 | $2,646 | $15.26 | 46,110 |
| Operator | $37,928 | $3,161 | $18.23 | 159,077 |
Top companies hiring press operators printing now:
Press operator printing salaries at Sonoco and ASR Group are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average press operator printing salary at companies like WestRock and Green Bay Packaging are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sonoco | $51,085 | $24.56 |
| 2 | ASR Group | $50,137 | $24.10 |
| 3 | WestRock | $49,463 | $23.78 |
| 4 | Green Bay Packaging | $47,725 | $22.94 |
| 5 | Pactiv | $47,406 | $22.79 |
| 6 | PaperWorks | $44,627 | $21.46 |
| 7 | GPAC | $44,260 | $21.28 |
| 8 | MasterTag | $43,946 | $21.13 |
| 9 | MeadWestvaco | $43,804 | $21.06 |
| 10 | Bell Incorporated | $41,442 | $19.92 |
| 11 | Huhtamäki | $41,151 | $19.78 |
| 12 | Berry Global | $40,765 | $19.60 |
| 13 | Plastic Packaging Technologies | $40,593 | $19.52 |
| 14 | Florida Crystals | $40,527 | $19.48 |
| 15 | Hired | $39,839 | $19.15 |
| 16 | Graphic Packaging International | $39,781 | $19.13 |
| 17 | baesman | $39,750 | $19.11 |
| 18 | CAN Capital | $39,678 | $19.08 |
| 19 | ProAmpac | $39,660 | $19.07 |
| 20 | Little Rapids | $39,648 | $19.06 |
The average press operator printing salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy | $44,109 | $21.21 |
| 2 | Transportation | $42,829 | $20.59 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $40,814 | $19.62 |
| 4 | Media | $39,178 | $18.84 |
| 5 | Retail | $37,149 | $17.86 |
The average press operator printing salary has risen by $3,840 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average press operator printing earned $36,680 annually, but today, they earn $40,520 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for press operators printing over the last decade.
Compare press operator printing salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare press operator printing salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $40,500 | $19.48 | +2.6% |
| 2025 | $39,500 | $18.98 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $38,700 | $18.63 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $38,300 | $18.39 | +0.6% |
| 2022 | $38,000 | $18.27 | +0.8% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerotek | Printing Press Operator | Saint Petersburg, FL | 06/28/2025 | $41,740 |
| Manpowergroup | Printing Press Operator | Marinette, WI | 06/27/2025 | $31,305 |
| Madison | Printing Press Operator | Sun Prairie, WI | 06/21/2025 | $37,044 |
| Sensaria | T2C Press Printed-Internal | Scotts Valley, CA | 06/19/2025 | $35,479 |
| Aerotek | Print Press Operator | Saint Paul, MN | 06/18/2025 | $45,914 |
| Travel Tags | Press/Print Operator-3Rd Shift | Fridley, MN | 06/17/2025 | $64,697 |
| Verstela | Print Press Operator 3Rd Shift | Pleasant Prairie, WI | 06/17/2025 | $39,653 |
| Qualdoc | Printing Press Operator | Richmond, VA | 06/14/2025 | $39,653 |
| Multi-Color Corp | Printing Press Operator, 3Rd Shift | Weaverville, NC | 06/13/2025 | $48,001 |
| Adecco Us, Inc. | Press Printing Operator Associate | Los Angeles, CA | 06/11/2025 | $37,566 |
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