Desktop Publishers: Career Overview
Format typescript and graphic elements using computer software to produce publication-ready material.
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What Tasks Do Desktop Publishers Take On?
The core tasks performed by desktop publishers cover:
- Operate desktop publishing software and equipment to design, lay out, and produce camera-ready copy.
- Position text and art elements from a variety of databases in a visually appealing way to design print or web pages, using knowledge of type styles and size and layout patterns.
- Check preliminary and final proofs for errors and make necessary corrections.
- View monitors for visual representation of work in progress and for instructions and feedback throughout process, making modifications as necessary.
- Enter text into computer keyboard and select the size and style of type, column width, and appropriate spacing for printed materials.
- Prepare sample layouts for approval, using computer software.
- Import text and art elements, such as electronic clip art or electronic files from photographs that have been scanned or produced with a digital camera, using computer software.
- Study layout or other design instructions to determine work to be done and sequence of operations.
What Desktop Publishers Need to Know
Top desktop publishers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Advertising Associate
- Compositor
- Computer Compositor
- Computer Publisher
- Computer Typesetter
- DTP Operator (Desktop Publishing Operator)
- Design Editor
- Desktop Operator
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 620,641 desktop publishers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +3.9% over the projection horizon.
Desktop Publishers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $27,130 |
| Hourly median | $13.04 |
| 10th percentile | $20,000 |
| 25th percentile | $22,241 |
| 75th percentile | $32,018 |
| 90th percentile | $36,906 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Desktop Publishers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Colorado | $75,490 |
| New York | $65,740 |
| New Jersey | $65,650 |
| California | $63,620 |
| Oregon | $61,020 |
| Minnesota | $61,020 |
| Maryland | $56,590 |
| Louisiana | $55,110 |
| Massachusetts | $54,590 |
| Arizona | $54,310 |
| Illinois | $53,730 |
| Florida | $51,850 |
| Indiana | $51,520 |
| South Carolina | $50,660 |
| Maine | $48,660 |
| Texas | $47,940 |
| Missouri | $46,770 |
| North Carolina | $46,380 |
| Ohio | $45,130 |
| Georgia | $45,000 |
| Oklahoma | $43,790 |
| Tennessee | $42,940 |
| Nebraska | $38,070 |
| Kentucky | $33,780 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Pay for desktop publishers shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mountains | $75,490 | 2.2% | 1.04 |
| Far Western US | $63,320 | 14.2% | 1.00 |
| Plains States | $57,171 | 7.9% | 2.55 |
| Middle Atlantic | $53,719 | 21.3% | 1.59 |
| Southwest | $48,499 | 14.7% | 1.09 |
| Southeast | $43,683 | 23.4% | 1.25 |
| New England | $39,954 | 6.5% | 2.09 |
| Great Lakes | $35,749 | 9.8% | 0.95 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $75,490 | 60 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $74,410 | 150 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $72,820 | 50 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $70,500 | 400 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $65,710 | 60 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $65,330 | 90 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $61,210 | 70 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $61,190 | 30 |
Which Industries Hire Desktop Publishers
Most desktop publishers work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Information | 1,950 | $51,850 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 620 | $53,730 |
| Educational Services | 250 | $52,350 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 230 | $58,090 |
| Manufacturing | 190 | $51,500 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 130 | $59,120 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 120 | $34,690 |
| Wholesale Trade | 110 | $46,740 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Desktop Publishers Use
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Video creation and editing software: Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Apple macOS (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Cascading style sheets CSS (hot technology)
- Enterprise application integration software: Extensible markup language XML (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Hypertext markup language HTML (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: JavaScript (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: jQuery (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of desktop publishers reflects the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Sitting
- Time Pressure
Getting Started in This Career
Most desktop publishers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Computer Systems Analysts (Supplemental)
- Computer Programmers (Supplemental)
- Software Developers (Supplemental)
- Web Developers (Primary-Long)
- Web and Digital Interface Designers (Primary-Short)
- Video Game Designers (Supplemental)
- Web Administrators (Primary-Long)
- Document Management Specialists (Supplemental)
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 43-9031.00 (Desktop Publishers).
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