Desktop Publishers
Desktop Publishers (SOC 43-9031) earn a median $55,290 a year ($26.58 an hour) in the United States, with 3,350 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Colorado.
What desktop publishers do
Desktop publishers use computer software to format typescript and graphics into material that is ready to publish. They study layout or other design instructions to work out the job and the order of operations, then use desktop publishing software and equipment to design and lay out pages and to produce camera-ready copy. They enter text from the keyboard and choose the size and style of type, column width, and spacing for printed materials. They arrange text and artwork drawn from various databases into an attractive design for print or web pages, drawing on knowledge of type styles, sizes, and layout patterns. They import text and art, such as clip art or files from scanned or digital photographs, prepare sample layouts for approval, and watch the monitor to see work in progress and make changes. Preliminary and final proofs are checked for errors and corrected. Alternate titles include compositor, computer typesetter, and desktop publishing specialist. They carry out layouts rather than create the original concept of a publication.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: Advertising Associate, Compositor, Computer Compositor, Computer Publisher, Computer Typesetter.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.16 | $21.02 | $26.58 | $35.50 | $46.23 | $29.79 | 3,350 |
| Annual | $35,680 | $43,730 | $55,290 | $73,840 | $96,170 | $61,970 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where desktop publishers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $19.23 | $20.39 | $37.38 | $51.91 | $55.16 | $36.78 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $39,990 | $42,420 | $77,750 | $107,970 | $114,730 | $76,500 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $20.23 | $24.82 | $34.58 | $45.54 | $55.49 | $37.62 | 320 | 0.02 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $42,080 | $51,620 | $71,930 | $94,710 | $115,410 | $78,250 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $21.68 | $24.90 | $33.57 | $37.84 | $43.15 | $32.23 | 140 | 0.05 | 2.27 |
| Annual | $45,090 | $51,790 | $69,820 | $78,710 | $89,750 | $67,050 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $23.92 | $28.22 | $30.30 | $30.30 | $47.82 | $32.09 | 100 | 0.02 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $49,760 | $58,700 | $63,020 | $63,020 | $99,470 | $66,750 | ||||
| South Carolina | Hourly | $23.98 | $25.66 | $29.96 | $42.68 | $45.43 | $32.15 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $49,890 | $53,360 | $62,320 | $88,780 | $94,500 | $66,880 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.50 | $22.25 | $27.24 | $38.70 | $52.34 | $32.95 | 350 | 0.04 | 1.67 |
| Annual | $34,320 | $46,290 | $56,660 | $80,500 | $108,860 | $68,540 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $20.23 | $24.82 | $34.58 | $45.54 | $55.49 | $37.62 | 320 | 0.02 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $42,080 | $51,620 | $71,930 | $94,710 | $115,410 | $78,250 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $16.09 | $20.68 | $27.77 | $33.58 | $34.70 | $27.10 | 270 | 0.02 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $33,480 | $43,010 | $57,760 | $69,840 | $72,180 | $56,360 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $16.81 | $18.38 | $18.97 | $29.53 | $54.01 | $25.93 | 230 | 0.05 | 2.21 |
| Annual | $34,970 | $38,240 | $39,460 | $61,420 | $112,350 | $53,930 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $20.30 | $20.92 | $25.35 | $29.64 | $35.53 | $26.64 | 150 | 0.02 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $42,220 | $43,520 | $52,720 | $61,660 | $73,890 | $55,420 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $23.01 | $28.17 | $40.04 | $51.79 | $65.21 | $43.23 | 60 | 0.02 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $47,850 | $58,590 | $83,280 | $107,710 | $135,630 | $89,920 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $20.23 | $23.13 | $39.43 | $46.17 | $54.47 | $39.43 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $42,080 | $48,100 | $82,010 | $96,030 | $113,300 | $82,020 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $23.95 | $24.62 | $38.92 | $41.67 | $44.69 | $34.30 | 60 | 0.02 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $49,820 | $51,200 | $80,960 | $86,670 | $92,960 | $71,350 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $26.01 | $32.56 | $37.38 | $41.13 | $44.42 | $36.41 | 60 | 0.06 | 2.61 |
| Annual | $54,100 | $67,730 | $77,750 | $85,550 | $92,390 | $75,730 | ||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $20.39 | $23.97 | $37.38 | $46.71 | $55.16 | $36.67 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $42,420 | $49,860 | $77,740 | $97,160 | $114,730 | $76,270 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.50 | $26.02 | $30.30 | $40.75 | $56.19 | $35.50 | 320 | 0.03 | 1.54 |
| Annual | $34,320 | $54,120 | $63,020 | $84,750 | $116,860 | $73,830 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $16.81 | $16.81 | $20.54 | $31.58 | $54.01 | $27.34 | 140 | 0.05 | 2.17 |
| Annual | $34,970 | $34,970 | $42,730 | $65,690 | $112,350 | $56,880 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $22.24 | $23.72 | $27.95 | $33.21 | $41.22 | $29.68 | 120 | 0.03 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $46,260 | $49,340 | $58,130 | $69,080 | $85,740 | $61,730 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $23.63 | $28.73 | $34.90 | $37.84 | $45.78 | $34.31 | 120 | 0.04 | 1.81 |
| Annual | $49,140 | $59,760 | $72,590 | $78,710 | $95,220 | $71,360 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $17.57 | $25.94 | $32.72 | $34.70 | $34.70 | $29.66 | 90 | 0.02 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $36,550 | $53,950 | $68,060 | $72,180 | $72,180 | $61,690 | ||||
Top industries employing desktop publishers
Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers employ 43.0% of desktop publishers nationally (1,440 jobs) at a median $51,240 a year ($24.64 an hour), followed by Management of Companies and Enterprises (3.0%) and Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (2.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers NAICS 513100 | 1,440 | 43.0% | $51,240 | $24.64 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 100 | 3.0% | $58,500 | $28.13 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations NAICS 813900 | 90 | 2.7% | $78,710 | $37.84 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 80 | 2.4% | $52,720 | $25.34 |
| Educational Support Services NAICS 611700 | 80 | 2.4% | $50,370 | $24.22 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (3,350). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $46,910 for desktop publishers in May 2021 and $55,290 in May 2025, with employment of 7,600 and 3,350.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $46,910 | $22.55 | 7,600 |
| May 2022 | $47,910 | $23.04 | 6,560 |
| May 2023 | $51,290 | $24.66 | 5,220 |
| May 2024 | $53,620 | $25.78 | 4,000 |
| May 2025 | $55,290 | $26.58 | 3,350 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
30 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado profile | $37.38 | $77,750 | $39,990 | $114,730 | ** | ** | ** |
| 2 | California profile | $34.58 | $71,930 | $42,080 | $115,410 | 320 | 0.02 | 0.82 |
| 3 | Maryland profile | $33.57 | $69,820 | $45,090 | $89,750 | 140 | 0.05 | 2.27 |
| 4 | New Jersey profile | $30.30 | $63,020 | $49,760 | $99,470 | 100 | 0.02 | 1.09 |
| 5 | South Carolina profile | $29.96 | $62,320 | $49,890 | $94,500 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.85 |
| 6 | Illinois profile | $29.49 | $61,350 | $44,480 | $79,620 | 150 | 0.03 | 1.16 |
| 7 | Massachusetts profile | $29.41 | $61,170 | $46,320 | $90,020 | 80 | 0.02 | 1.05 |
| 8 | Texas profile | $27.77 | $57,760 | $33,480 | $72,180 | 270 | 0.02 | 0.90 |
| 9 | New York profile | $27.24 | $56,660 | $34,320 | $108,860 | 350 | 0.04 | 1.67 |
| 10 | Minnesota profile | $26.41 | $54,930 | $46,910 | $80,590 | 90 | 0.03 | 1.36 |
| 11 | Vermont profile | $25.75 | $53,550 | $30,020 | $63,330 | 50 | 0.16 | 7.17 |
| 12 | Ohio profile | $25.66 | $53,380 | $47,710 | $69,000 | 60 | 0.01 | 0.48 |
| 13 | Florida profile | $25.35 | $52,720 | $42,220 | $73,890 | 150 | 0.02 | 0.70 |
| 14 | Arizona profile | $25.00 | $52,000 | $44,440 | $84,250 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.44 |
| 15 | Oregon profile | $24.35 | $50,650 | $38,200 | $85,170 | 90 | 0.05 | 2.14 |
| 16 | Indiana profile | $23.59 | $49,070 | $36,300 | $59,750 | 130 | 0.04 | 1.92 |
| 17 | New Hampshire profile | $23.22 | $48,300 | $48,300 | $65,910 | 30 | 0.05 | 2.38 |
| 18 | Louisiana profile | $22.66 | $47,130 | $21,960 | $84,430 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.88 |
| 19 | Maine profile | $22.64 | $47,100 | $30,470 | $63,150 | 30 | 0.05 | 2.29 |
| 20 | Oklahoma profile | $22.14 | $46,040 | $35,930 | $71,350 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.96 |
| 21 | Wisconsin profile | $22.12 | $46,010 | $25,310 | $60,120 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.67 |
| 22 | Kentucky profile | $22.00 | $45,760 | $19,200 | $58,510 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.98 |
| 23 | Michigan profile | $21.78 | $45,300 | $41,000 | $63,400 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.45 |
| 24 | Tennessee profile | $21.37 | $44,440 | $27,080 | $112,240 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.50 |
| 25 | North Carolina profile | $21.01 | $43,700 | $38,130 | $84,630 | 80 | 0.02 | 0.71 |
| 26 | Georgia profile | $18.97 | $39,460 | $34,970 | $112,350 | 230 | 0.05 | 2.21 |
| 27 | Nebraska profile | $17.44 | $36,280 | $34,000 | $50,470 | 40 | 0.04 | 1.71 |
| – | Alaska profile | * | * | * | * | 90 | 0.27 | 12.68 |
| – | Pennsylvania profile | * | * | * | * | 140 | 0.02 | 1.09 |
| – | Virginia profile | * | * | * | * | 50 | 0.01 | 0.60 |
Part of Office and Administrative Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 43-9031 Desktop Publishers.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 43-9031, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 43-9031.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.