Production
Prepress technicians and workers
Format and proof text and images submitted by designers and clients into finished pages that can be printed. Includes digital and photo typesetting. May produce printing plates.
Median pay
$48,690
Growth to 2035
−15%
declining
Openings a year
2,100
Time to qualify*
12 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Prepress technicians and workers
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Hazardous conditions
Prepress technicians and workers: 19% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Generate prepress proofs in digital or other format to approximate the appearance of the final printed piece.
- Proofread and perform quality control of text and images.
- Enter, position, and alter text size, using computers, to make up and arrange pages so that printed materials can be produced.
- Perform "preflight" check of required font, graphic, text and image files to ensure completeness prior to delivery to printer.
- Operate and maintain laser plate-making equipment that converts electronic data to plates without the use of film.
- Enter, store, and retrieve information on computer-aided equipment.
- Maintain, adjust, and clean equipment, and perform minor repairs.
Also called: Desktop Operator · Electronic Prepress Operator (EPP Operator) · Electronic Prepress Technician (EPP Tech) · Plate Maker · Plate Mounter · Pre-Press Proofer · Prepress Operator · Prepress Specialist
Outlook and AI
Prepress technicians and workers held 24,700 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 20,900 by 2035 (−15%, declining; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
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