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Salary comparison

Prepress Technicians and Workers vs. First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers: Who Earns More?

First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers out-earn Prepress Technicians and Workers by $26K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Prepress Technicians and Workers land at $48,690 and First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers at $74,450. The education gap is real: prepress technicians and worker programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while first-line supervisors of production and operating worker programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Prepress Technicians and Workers is District of Columbia ($100,980); for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers it's Wyoming ($90,390).

Prepress Technicians and Workers
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
Median salary
$48,690
$74,450
Hourly rate
$23.41/hr
$35.79/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$35,810
$47,130
Senior level (90th %)
$66,080
$108,750
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
23,840
673,430
Job growth (10-year)
-14.6%
1.2%
Category
Production & Manufacturing
Production & Manufacturing
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
Wyoming

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Prepress Technicians and Workers median pay.

State
Prepress Technicians and Workers
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
District of Columbia
$100,980
$80,030
Maryland
$60,770
$78,520
Massachusetts
$57,250
$79,920
New Jersey
$56,840
$81,110
California
$53,860
$76,840
Washington
$53,770
$79,310
New York
$52,420
$78,580
Colorado
$51,730
$78,890
Minnesota
$49,130
$78,550
Connecticut
$48,780
$83,150
New Hampshire
$48,580
$79,310
Maine
$47,350
$78,970
Rhode Island
$45,930
$81,650
South Carolina
$45,900
$77,500
Louisiana
$38,060
$77,520

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Prepress Technicians and Workers or First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers?

First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers earn more nationally. The median is $48,690 for Prepress Technicians and Workers versus $74,450 for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers, a difference of $26K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Prepress Technicians and Workers or First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers?

First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers has the better 10-year outlook at 1.2% projected growth, compared to -14.6% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Prepress Technicians and Workers or First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers?

Prepress Technicians and Workers typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Prepress Technicians and Workers get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Prepress Technicians and Workers at $100,980/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Prepress Technicians and Workers vs. First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Prepress Technicians and Workers earn $100,980 vs. $80,030 for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Prepress Technicians and Workers salary breakdownView →Full First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Prepress Technicians and Workers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers by take-home payExplore →How to become a prepress technicians and workersGuide →How to become a first-line supervisors of production and operating workersGuide →