SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Format typescript and graphic elements using computer software to produce publication-ready material.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 43-9031.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $35,680 | $2,973 | $686 | $17.16 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $43,730 | $3,644 | $841 | $21.02 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $55,290 | $4,608 | $1,063 | $26.58 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $73,840 | $6,153 | $1,420 | $35.50 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $96,170 | $8,014 | $1,849 | $46.23 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Desktop Publishers is $55,290, which is 8% higher. Among the 54 occupations of the field Office and Administrative Support, it ranks number 10 by median pay. With 3,350 jobs, it makes up about 0.2 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($61,970) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Desktop Publishers pay by state
The highest median pay was in Colorado ($77,750), California ($71,930) and Maryland ($69,820). The lowest was in Nebraska ($36,280), Georgia ($39,460) and North Carolina ($43,700). The most jobs were in New York (350), California (320) and Texas (270). The occupation is most concentrated in Alaska, where its share of all jobs is 12.7 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | not published | $77,750 | $76,500 | $37.38 |
| California | 320 | $71,930 | $78,250 | $34.58 |
| Maryland | 140 | $69,820 | $67,050 | $33.57 |
| New Jersey | 100 | $63,020 | $66,750 | $30.30 |
| South Carolina | 40 | $62,320 | $66,880 | $29.96 |
| Illinois | 150 | $61,350 | $61,780 | $29.49 |
| Massachusetts | 80 | $61,170 | $65,980 | $29.41 |
| Texas | 270 | $57,760 | $56,360 | $27.77 |
| New York | 350 | $56,660 | $68,540 | $27.24 |
| Minnesota | 90 | $54,930 | $60,680 | $26.41 |
| Vermont | 50 | $53,550 | $50,230 | $25.75 |
| Ohio | 60 | $53,380 | $57,570 | $25.66 |
| Florida | 150 | $52,720 | $55,420 | $25.35 |
| Arizona | 30 | $52,000 | $59,390 | $25.00 |
| Oregon | 90 | $50,650 | $57,850 | $24.35 |
| Indiana | 130 | $49,070 | $49,730 | $23.59 |
| New Hampshire | 30 | $48,300 | $54,240 | $23.22 |
| Louisiana | 40 | $47,130 | $49,690 | $22.66 |
| Maine | 30 | $47,100 | $46,280 | $22.64 |
| Oklahoma | 40 | $46,040 | $50,070 | $22.14 |
| Wisconsin | 40 | $46,010 | $45,630 | $22.12 |
| Kentucky | 40 | $45,760 | $42,250 | $22.00 |
| Michigan | 40 | $45,300 | $50,000 | $21.78 |
| Tennessee | 40 | $44,440 | $51,800 | $21.37 |
| North Carolina | 80 | $43,700 | $51,410 | $21.01 |
| Georgia | 230 | $39,460 | $53,930 | $18.97 |
| Nebraska | 40 | $36,280 | $39,460 | $17.44 |
| Alaska | 90 | not published | not published | not published |
| Pennsylvania | 140 | not published | not published | not published |
| Virginia | 50 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$58,470 a year
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$58,260 a year
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$55,570 a year
- Communications Equipment Operators, All Other$54,680 a year
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$54,210 a year
- Financial Clerks, All Other$53,830 a year
Common questions
How much do Desktop Publishers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $55,290 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,680 and the highest-paid 10% more than $96,170.
How many people work as Desktop Publishers?
About 3,350 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.