Prepress Technicians and Workers Salary
The median pay for a prepress technicians and workers in Richmond, VA is $49,850/year ($23.97/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.86), that's roughly $50,940 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,655/month, about 48.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Richmond?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Richmond’s Regional Price Parity (97.86). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Richmond
Prepress technicians and workers pay in Richmond tracks closely to the national median, $50K locally vs. $49K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,655/month, which is 50% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for prepress technicians and workers in metros near Richmond, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $41K | $42K |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $71K | $65K |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $47K | $51K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $49K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Richmond, VA
Entry-level prepress technicians and workers (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $24K 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 Richmond numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a prepress technicians and worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Richmond?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 50% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,655/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Richmond?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new prepress technicians and workers typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,370/month. At HUD’s $1,655/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 prepress technicians and worker a high-paying job in Richmond?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $50K locally vs. $49K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Richmond compare to the national average for prepress technicians and workers?
Richmond pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do prepress technicians and workers make in Richmond, VA?
The median is $49,850 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,500, and experienced prepress technicians and workers can clear $63,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Richmond?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,312/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,655/month, which eats 50% 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 Richmond?
Richmond has a Regional Price Parity of 97.86 (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 $50,940 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.