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Occupational Employment Statistics
DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA
51-5112 Printing Press Operators
Occupational Description:
Set up and operate digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, or other printing machines. Includes short-run offset printing presses.
Occupational Employment Statistics(OES) Wage Data
First Quarter 2020
Geography
Employment
Emp SE*
Percentiles
Mean
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Southeast Minnesota
250
77
$22.67/hr
$15.55/hr
$18.25/hr
$22.08/hr
$27.01/hr
$31.29/hr
Leading Industries for Printing Press Operators
Industry
OES Employment (Statewide)
OES Median Wage (Statewide)
Manufacturing
4,690
$21.36/hr
Trade, Transportation and Utilities
230
$18.86/hr
Information
280
$19.22/hr
Financial Activities
N/A
N/A
Professional and Business Services
930
$18.48/hr
Education and Health Services
N/A
$27.23/hr
Other Services
N/A
N/A
Public Administration
N/A
N/A
Other Regional Data for Printing Press Operators
Geography
Employment
Median Wage
Projections
% Change 2016-2026
Northeast Balance of State
N/A
$16.65/hr
N/A
Grand Forks ND-MN MSA
20
$21.63/hr
N/A
Rochester MN MSA
50
$26.56/hr
N/A
Duluth MN-WI MSA
120
$17.94/hr
N/A
Northeast Minnesota
140
$17.46/hr
-27.1%
Fargo ND-MN MSA
220
$14.99/hr
N/A
Southwest Balance of State
220
$15.64/hr
N/A
Southeast Minnesota
250
$22.08/hr
1.8%
Southeast Balance of State
270
$21.08/hr
N/A
La Crosse WI-MN MSA
330
$16.56/hr
N/A
St Cloud MN MSA
340
$19.98/hr
N/A
Mankato-North Mankato MN MSA
410
$18.80/hr
N/A
Northwest Balance of State
550
$17.77/hr
N/A
Northwest Minnesota
560
$17.81/hr
1.9%
Central Minnesota
600
$19.04/hr
-11.0%
Southwest Minnesota
690
$17.96/hr
-10.2%
Seven County Mpls-St Paul, MN
3,990
$22.25/hr
-6.8%
Minneapolis-St Paul-Bloomington MN-WI MSA
4,250
$21.99/hr
N/A
Minnesota
6,180
$20.68/hr
-5.8%
Related Occupations
Occupations
Employment
Median Wage
Projections
% Change 2016-2026
Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
2,720
$18.44/hr
-4.3%
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
1,730
$20.65/hr
-0.4%
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
2,010
$18.68/hr
-9.1%
Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
140
$19.81/hr
-12.7%
Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
N/A
N/A
N/A
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
5,400
$20.74/hr
-4.0%
Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
100
$19.09/hr
7.7%
Print Binding and Finishing Workers
2,490
$18.09/hr
-5.9%
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
10,020
$22.42/hr
6.8%
Furniture Finishers
560
$18.26/hr
0.4%
Task for Printing Press Operators
Collect and inspect random samples during print runs to identify any necessary adjustments.
Adjust ink fountain flow rates.
Secure printing plates to printing units and adjust tolerances.
Clean or oil presses or make minor repairs, using hand tools.
Verify that paper and ink meet the specifications for a given job.
Start presses and pull proofs to check for ink coverage and density, alignment, and registration.
Examine job orders to determine quantities to be printed, stock specifications, colors, or special printing instructions.
Feed paper through press cylinders and adjust feed and tension controls.
Change press plates, blankets, or cylinders, as required.
Examine job orders to determine quantities to be printed, stock specifications, colors, or special printing instructions.