Prepress Technicians and Workers
Production · SOC 51-5111
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 51-5111 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 10.2%
- Medium · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 57/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $48,690
- H-1B offered wage $97,760; LCAs are filings.
- Projected openings
- 2,700
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change -14.6%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 1
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 3,563 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
Best transitions from here
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AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
AI could do ~43.8% of this role but only ~10.2% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
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.
Common titles: Desktop Operator, Electronic Prepress Operator (EPP Operator), Electronic Prepress Technician (EPP Tech), Plate Maker, Plate Mounter, Pre-Press Proofer
Representative 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.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Operate photographic developing or print production equipment.
- •Inspected printed materials or other images to verify quality.
- •Enter commands, instructions, or specifications into equipment.
- •Program equipment to perform production tasks.
- •Maintain production or processing equipment.
Tools & Technologies
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 10.2% | 0.7% |
| Outlook | Average | 4% Bright |
| Median Salary | $48,690 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 90/100 | N/A |