Prepress Technicians and Workers Salary
The median pay for a prepress technicians and workers in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ is $38,830/year ($18.67/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $66K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.32), that's roughly $37,582 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,839/month, about 68.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $39K actually covers in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler’s Regional Price Parity (103.32). 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
Pay for prepress technicians and workers in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $49K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,839/month, which is 68.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.32) 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 prepress technicians and workers.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for prepress technicians and workers in metros near Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $51K | $45K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $60K | $52K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $53K | $48K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $56K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
Entry-level prepress technicians and workers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $66K or more, a $31K 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 annually. We'll email you when Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a prepress technicians and worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 68.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,839/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new prepress technicians and workers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,470/month. At HUD’s $1,839/month FMR, rent would take 74% 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $39K here vs. $49K nationally.
How does Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler compare to the national average for prepress technicians and workers?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.32), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — below the national median.
How much do prepress technicians and workers make in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?
The median is $38,830 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,460, and experienced prepress technicians and workers can clear $66,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,689/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,839/month, which eats 68.4% 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler has a Regional Price Parity of 103.32 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median prepress technicians and workers salary is worth about $37,582 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.