### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Desktop Publishers Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            									
							
				                                                
                                            




            			desktop publishers imageDesktop publishers design layouts for books, newspapers, and other published items.							
						Quick Facts:     Desktop Publishers2023     Median Pay
            						$51,290     per year
										$24.66     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    Associate's degreeWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    Short-term on-the-job trainingNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    8,500Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    -13% (Decline)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    -1,100What Desktop Publishers Do
                                                
                        
                        
Desktop publishers use computer software to design page layouts for items that are printed or published online.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Many desktop publishers work full time, and they may need to work additional hours to meet publication deadlines.
            
                                                How to Become a Desktop Publisher
                                                
                        
Desktop publishers typically need an associate’s degree. They also receive short-term on-the-job training lasting about 1 month.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for desktop publishers was $51,290 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of desktop publishers is projected to decline							 13 percent from 2022 to 2032.
						Despite declining  employment, about 700 openings for desktop publishers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for desktop publishers.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of desktop publishers with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about desktop publishers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Desktop Publishers Do 
            

			Desktop publishersDesktop publishers edit graphics, such as photographs or illustrations.			
Desktop publishers use computer software to design page layouts for newspapers, books, brochures, and other items that are printed or published online.
Duties
Desktop publishers typically do the following:
Review text, graphics, or other materials created by writers and designers
Edit graphics, such as photographs or illustrations
Import text and graphics into publishing software
Integrate images and text to create cohesive pages
Adjust text properties, such as size, column width, and spacing
Revise layouts and make corrections as necessary
Submit or upload final files for printing or online publishingDesktop publishers use publishing software to create page layouts for print or electronic publication. They may edit text by correcting its spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
Desktop publishers often work with other design, media, or marketing workers, including writers, editors, and graphic designers. For example, they work with graphic designers to come up with images that complement the text and fit the available space.
 Work Environment
			Desktop publishersMany desktop publishers work in the publishing and printing industries.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Desktop publishers held about 8,500 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of desktop publishers were as follows:
        Publishing industries
                29%Self-employed workers
                17Professional, scientific, and technical services
                17Educational services; state, local, and private
                4Printing and related support activities
                2Work Schedules
Many desktop publishers work full time, and they may need to work additional hours to meet publication deadlines.
 How to Become a Desktop Publisher

			Desktop publishersDesktop publishers typically learn on the job from an experienced worker.			
Desktop publishers usually need an associate’s degree. They also receive short-term on-the-job training, lasting about 1 month.
Education
Desktop publishers usually need an associate’s degree, often in graphic design or graphic communications. Community colleges and technical schools offer desktop-publishing courses, which teach students how to create electronic page layouts and format text and graphics with the use of desktop-publishing software.
Training
Desktop publishers typically receive short-term on-the-job training lasting about 1 month. They learn by working closely with more experienced workers or by taking classes that teach them how to use desktop-publishing software. Workers often need to continue training because publishing software changes over time.
Important Qualities
***Artistic ability.*** Desktop publishers must have a good eye for how graphics and text will look, so that they can create pages that are visually appealing and legible.
***Communication skills.*** Desktop publishers must collaborate with others, such as writers, editors, and graphic designers, and communicate ideas effectively.
***Detail oriented.*** Desktop publishers must pay attention to details such as margins, font sizes, and the overall appearance and accuracy of their work.
***Organizational skills.*** Desktop publishers often work under strict deadlines and must be good at scheduling and prioritizing tasks in order to have documents ready in time for publication.
Other Experience
Many employers prefer to hire workers who have experience preparing layouts and using desktop-publishing software. Students may gain experience by working on a publication for a school or other organization.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Desktop PublishersMedian annual wages, May 2023Desktop publishers$51,290  Total, all occupations$48,060  Other office and administrative support workers$40,950Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for desktop publishers was $51,290 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $31,880, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $97,870.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median annual wages for desktop publishers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Professional, scientific, and technical services
                $51,590Educational services; state, local, and private
                49,980Publishing industries
                49,500Printing and related support activities
                48,910Many desktop publishers work full time, and they may need to work additional hours to meet publication deadlines.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                Desktop PublishersPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Total, all occupations3%  Other office and administrative support workers-8%  Desktop publishers-13%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of desktop publishers is projected to decline				 13 percent from 2022 to 2032.
			
			Despite declining  employment, about 700 openings for desktop publishers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
Companies are expected to hire fewer desktop publishers as desktop-publishing tasks are increasingly performed by other types of workers, such as graphic designers, web designers, and editors. Furthermore, as organizations continue to publish their materials electronically instead of printing them, fewer desktop publishers are expected to be needed.
			

                        Employment projections data for     desktop publishers, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Desktop publishers**
			43-9031
			8,500
			7,400
			-13
			-1,100
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Desktop publishers **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of desktop publishers. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Editors**
            Editors plan, review, and revise content for publication.
            Bachelor's degree
            $75,020**Film and Video Editors and Camera Operators**
            Film and video editors and camera operators manipulate moving images that entertain or inform an audience.
            Bachelor's degree
            $65,070**Graphic Designers**
            Graphic designers create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers.
            Bachelor's degree
            $58,910**Special Effects Artists and Animators**
            Special effects artists and animators create images that appear to move and visual effects for various forms of media and entertainment.
            Bachelor's degree
            $99,060**Technical Writers**
            Technical writers prepare instruction manuals, how-to guides, journal articles, and other supporting documents to communicate complex and technical information more easily.
            Bachelor's degree
            $80,050
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about the printing industry, visit
Printing Industries of America

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Desktop Publishers
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Desktop Publishers, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/desktop-publishers.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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