Desktop Publishers Salary
The median pay for a desktop publishers in Maine is $47,100/year ($22.64/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.7), that's roughly $48,209 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,281/month, about 39.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Maine. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $47K get you in Maine?
About desktop publishers
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What this looks like in Maine
Pay for desktop publishers in Maine runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,281/month, which is 40.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.7) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for desktop publisherss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maine
Entry-level desktop publishers (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track desktop publishers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maine numbers change.
Related careers in Office & Admin
Frequently asked questions
Can a desktop publisher afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maine?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 40.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,281/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for desktop publishers in Maine?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new desktop publishers typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,828/month. At HUD’s $1,281/month FMR, rent would take 70% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is desktop publisher a high-paying job in Maine?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $47K here vs. $55K nationally.
How does Maine compare to the national average for desktop publishers?
Maine pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — below the national median.
How much do desktop publishers make in Maine?
The median is $47,100 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,470, and experienced desktop publishers can clear $63,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Maine?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,160/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,281/month, which eats 40.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a desktop publishers salary go in Maine?
Maine has a Regional Price Parity of 97.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median desktop publishers salary is worth about $48,209 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do desktop publishers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.