How long does the training take?

Typically a few months to two years for the certificate. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do prepress technicians and workers make?

The US median is $48,690 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree for this work?

Not a full degree. A certificate or short program is the usual route.

Where can you train for this work?

144 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

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Prepress technicians and workers: pay, training and the programs that lead there

Production & manufacturing · SOC 51-5111

$48,690US median pay, 2025

-15.3%Projected growth, 2025–35

2,100Openings per year

CertificateUsual way in

How you get in

A certificate or short program is the usual way in.

Postsecondary nondegree award
Work in: prepress technicians and workers

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Prepress/Desktop Publishing and Digital Imaging Design	CIP 10.0303	81
Graphic Communications, General	CIP 10.0301	38
Graphic and Printing Equipment Operator, General Production	CIP 10.0305	21
Graphic Communications, Other	CIP 10.0399	8
Printing Management	CIP 10.0302	3
Platemaker/Imager	CIP 10.0306	3
Printing Press Operator	CIP 10.0307	1
Computer Typography and Composition Equipment Operator	CIP 10.0308	1

See the 144 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does the training take?: Typically a few months to two years for the certificate. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do prepress technicians and workers make?: The US median is $48,690 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree for this work?: Not a full degree. A certificate or short program is the usual route.
Where can you train for this work?: 144 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

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