Printing Press Operators
Production · SOC 51-5112
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 51-5112 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 0.0%
- Low · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 61/100
- High friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $45,780
- H-1B offered wage $46,134; LCAs are filings.
- Projected openings
- 15,800
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change -8.1%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 1
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 20,087 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
Transition context
- 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.
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
AI could do ~28.7% of this role but only ~0% 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
Set up and operate digital, letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, or other printing machines. Includes short-run offset printing presses.
Common titles: Digital Press Operator, Flexographic Press Operator, Offset Press Operator, Offset Pressman, Press Operator, Pressman
Representative Tasks
- •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.
- •Adjust ink fountain flow rates.
- •Verify that paper and ink meet the specifications for a given job.
- •Collect and inspect random samples during print runs to identify any necessary adjustments.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Inspected printed materials or other images to verify quality.
- •Operate photographic developing or print production equipment.
- •Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements.
- •Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences.
- •Adjust equipment controls to regulate flow of production materials or products.
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 | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Outlook | Average | 4% Bright |
| Median Salary | $45,780 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |