Prepress Technicians and Workers Salary
The median pay for a prepress technicians and workers in Ames, IA is $54,460/year ($26.18/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.83), which stretches that salary to about $61,308 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,153/month, about 32.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $54K get you in Ames?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Ames’s Regional Price Parity (88.83). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About prepress technicians and workers
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What this looks like in Ames
Ames sits well above the national pay line for prepress technicians and workers, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $49K. Rent runs $1,153/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.83 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for prepress technicians and workers in metros near Ames, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $54K | $59K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $49K | $47K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $50K | $48K |
| Kansas City | $48K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ames, IA
Entry-level prepress technicians and workers (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Prepress Technicians and Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Prepress Technicians and Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $101K | +107% | 180 |
| Maryland | $61K | +25% | 480 |
| Massachusetts | $57K | +18% | 460 |
| New Jersey | $57K | +17% | 880 |
| Vermont | $56K | +15% | 40 |
| Nevada | $56K | +14% | 130 |
| Oregon | $54K | +12% | 230 |
| California | $54K | +11% | 2,020 |
| Washington | $54K | +10% | 380 |
| Arkansas | $53K | +8% | 160 |
| New York | $52K | +8% | 1,110 |
| Montana | $52K | +7% | 40 |
| Colorado | $52K | +6% | 150 |
| Georgia | $50K | +3% | 320 |
| North Carolina | $50K | +2% | 600 |
| Illinois | $49K | +2% | 680 |
| Minnesota | $49K | +1% | 2,880 |
| Virginia | $49K | +1% | 330 |
| Pennsylvania | $49K | +1% | 910 |
| Indiana | $49K | +1% | 670 |
| Connecticut | $49K | +0% | 430 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | -0% | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | -1% | 1,160 |
| Ohio | $48K | -2% | 1,070 |
| Tennessee | $48K | -2% | 640 |
| Iowa | $48K | -2% | 210 |
| Maine | $47K | -3% | 50 |
| Idaho | $47K | -3% | 50 |
| Michigan | $47K | -4% | 540 |
| South Dakota | $46K | -5% | 50 |
| Rhode Island | $46K | -6% | N/A |
| South Carolina | $46K | -6% | 200 |
| Missouri | $46K | -6% | 510 |
| Kentucky | $46K | -6% | 1,130 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | -6% | 80 |
| Florida | $46K | -6% | 840 |
| Kansas | $45K | -7% | 520 |
| Utah | $44K | -9% | 210 |
| Nebraska | $41K | -16% | 400 |
| New Mexico | $40K | -18% | 30 |
| Arizona | $39K | -20% | 210 |
| Texas | $38K | -21% | 2,320 |
| Louisiana | $38K | -22% | 90 |
| West Virginia | $35K | -27% | 50 |
| Alabama | $35K | -28% | 130 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track prepress technicians and workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Ames numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a prepress technicians and worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ames?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 32.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,153/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for prepress technicians and workers in Ames?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new prepress technicians and workers typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,842/month. At HUD’s $1,153/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is prepress technicians and worker a high-paying job in Ames?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $54K here vs. $49K nationally.
How does Ames compare to the national average for prepress technicians and workers?
Ames pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.83), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do prepress technicians and workers make in Ames, IA?
The median is $54,460 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,360, and experienced prepress technicians and workers can clear $63,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Ames?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,593/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 32.1% 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 prepress technicians and workers salary go in Ames?
Ames has a Regional Price Parity of 88.83 (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 prepress technicians and workers salary is worth about $61,308 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do prepress technicians and workers 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.