Home / Apprenticeships / Occupations / Prepress Technicians and Workers
Prepress Technicians and Workers: apprenticeship hours and pay
O*NET-SOC 51-5111.00
Approved titles
23
RAPIDS codes
Shortest term
2,000 h
longest minimum 12,000 h
National median pay
$48,690
a year, BLS May 2025
Jobs nationally
23,840
BLS May 2025
Approved apprenticeship titles
- Training approaches
- competency-based, hybrid, time-based
- Shortest approved term
- 2,000 hours, STEREOTYPER (competency-based)
- State medians
- $100,980 in District of Columbia to $33,030 in Puerto Rico (46 states publish one)
| Title | RAPIDS code | Approach and term |
|---|---|---|
| COMPOSITOR (Alternate Title: Keyboarder/Proofreader [Gov]) | 0087 | Competency-Based: 5,571 hours Hybrid: 5,571 to 6,964 hours Time-Based: 8,000 hours Time-Based (V2): 5,571 hours |
| DOT ETCHER | 0679 | Competency-Based: 10,000 hours Hybrid: 10,000 to 12,500 hours Time-Based: 10,000 hours |
| ELECTROTYPER | 0172 | Competency-Based: 10,000 hours Hybrid: 10,000 to 12,500 hours Time-Based: 10,000 hours |
| ETCHER, HAND (Prt & Pub) | 0175 | Competency-Based: 10,000 hours Hybrid: 10,000 to 12,500 hours Time-Based: 10,000 hours |
| ETCHER, PHOTOENGRAVING | 0182 | Competency-Based: 8,000 hours Hybrid: 8,000 to 10,000 hours Time-Based: 8,000 hours |
| LINOTYPE OPERATOR (Prt & Pub) | 0286 | Competency-Based: 10,000 hours Hybrid: 10,000 to 12,500 hours Time-Based: 10,000 hours |
| LITHOGRAPHIC PLATEMAKER | 0063 | Time-Based: 8,000 hours Time-Based (V3): 5,567 hours |
| MONOTYPE-KEYBOARD OPERATOR | 0367 | Competency-Based: 6,000 hours Hybrid: 6,000 to 7,500 hours Time-Based: 6,000 hours |
| PASTE-UP ARTIST | 0392 | Competency-Based: 6,000 hours Hybrid: 6,000 to 7,500 hours Time-Based: 6,000 hours |
| PHOTOENGRAVER | 0399 | Competency-Based: 10,000 hours Hybrid: 10,000 to 12,500 hours Time-Based: 10,000 hours |
| PHOTOENGRAVING FINISHER | 0400 | Competency-Based: 10,000 hours Hybrid: 10,000 to 12,500 hours Time-Based: 10,000 hours |
| PHOTOENGRAVING PRINTER | 0401 | Competency-Based: 10,000 hours Hybrid: 10,000 to 12,500 hours Time-Based: 10,000 hours |
| PHOTOENGRAVING PROOFER | 0402 | Competency-Based: 10,000 hours Hybrid: 10,000 to 12,500 hours Time-Based: 10,000 hours |
| PHOTOGRAPHER, LITHOGRAPHIC | 0685 | Competency-Based: 10,000 hours Hybrid: 10,000 to 12,500 hours Time-Based: 10,000 hours |
| PHOTOGRAPHER, PHOTOENGRAV C923 | 0405 | Competency-Based: 12,000 hours Hybrid: 12,000 to 15,000 hours Time-Based: 12,000 hours |
| PHOTOGRAPHIC-PLATE MAKER | 0407 | Competency-Based: 8,000 hours Hybrid: 8,000 to 10,000 hours Time-Based: 8,000 hours |
| PLATE FINISHER (Print & Pub) | 0427 | Competency-Based: 12,000 hours Hybrid: 12,000 to 15,000 hours Time-Based: 12,000 hours |
| PROOFSHEET CORRECTOR (Prt) | 0415 | Competency-Based: 8,000 hours Hybrid: 8,000 to 10,000 hours Time-Based: 8,000 hours |
| RETOUCHER, PHOTOENGRAVING | 0472 | Competency-Based: 10,000 hours Hybrid: 10,000 to 12,500 hours Time-Based: 10,000 hours |
| SCANNER OPERATOR | 0855 | Competency-Based: 4,000 hours Hybrid: 4,000 to 5,000 hours Time-Based: 4,000 hours |
| STEREOTYPER | 0538 | Competency-Based: 2,000 hours Hybrid: 2,000 to 2,500 hours Time-Based: 2,000 hours |
| STRIPPER (Print & Pub) | 0726 | Competency-Based: 10,000 hours Hybrid: 10,000 to 12,500 hours Time-Based: 10,000 hours |
| STRIPPER, LITHOGRAPHIC II | 0064 | Competency-Based: 8,000 hours Hybrid: 8,000 to 10,000 hours Time-Based: 8,000 hours |
What prepress technicians and workers earn, by state
| State | Median pay | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $100,980 | $48.55 | 180 |
| Maryland | $60,770 | $29.22 | 480 |
| Massachusetts | $57,250 | $27.53 | 460 |
| New Jersey | $56,840 | $27.33 | 880 |
| Vermont | $55,880 | $26.86 | 40 |
| Nevada | $55,680 | $26.77 | 130 |
| Oregon | $54,360 | $26.14 | 230 |
| California | $53,860 | $25.89 | 2,020 |
| Washington | $53,770 | $25.85 | 380 |
| Arkansas | $52,800 | $25.39 | 160 |
| New York | $52,420 | $25.20 | 1,110 |
| Montana | $51,910 | $24.96 | 40 |
| Colorado | $51,730 | $24.87 | 150 |
| Georgia | $50,280 | $24.17 | 320 |
| North Carolina | $49,760 | $23.92 | 600 |
| Illinois | $49,450 | $23.78 | 680 |
| Minnesota | $49,130 | $23.62 | 2,880 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,100 | $23.61 | 910 |
| Virginia | $49,100 | $23.61 | 330 |
| Indiana | $49,050 | $23.58 | 670 |
| Connecticut | $48,780 | $23.45 | 430 |
| New Hampshire | $48,580 | $23.36 | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $48,410 | $23.28 | 1,160 |
| Ohio | $47,810 | $22.99 | 1,070 |
| Tennessee | $47,790 | $22.97 | 640 |
| Iowa | $47,770 | $22.97 | 210 |
| Maine | $47,350 | $22.76 | 50 |
| Idaho | $47,220 | $22.70 | 50 |
| Michigan | $46,960 | $22.58 | 540 |
| South Dakota | $46,370 | $22.29 | 50 |
| Rhode Island | $45,930 | $22.08 | Not published |
| South Carolina | $45,900 | $22.07 | 200 |
| Missouri | $45,860 | $22.05 | 510 |
| Kentucky | $45,830 | $22.03 | 1,130 |
| Oklahoma | $45,730 | $21.99 | 80 |
| Florida | $45,660 | $21.95 | 840 |
| Kansas | $45,290 | $21.77 | 520 |
| Utah | $44,230 | $21.27 | 210 |
| Nebraska | $40,930 | $19.68 | 400 |
| New Mexico | $39,830 | $19.15 | 30 |
| Arizona | $38,830 | $18.67 | 210 |
| Texas | $38,410 | $18.47 | 2,320 |
| Louisiana | $38,060 | $18.30 | 90 |
| West Virginia | $35,320 | $16.98 | 50 |
| Alabama | $35,020 | $16.84 | 130 |
| Puerto Rico | $33,030 | $15.88 | 120 |
Finding a program
How to find a sponsor that trains this title · Apprenticeship sponsors by state (25,633) · All approved occupations
- Approved titles and terms: apprenticeship.gov approved occupations list, Last-Modified October 8, 2026, read October 8, 2026.
- Pay and jobs: BLS OEWS, May 2025, all industries, read October 8, 2026.