Printing Press Operators Salary
The median pay for a printing press operators in Cedar Rapids, IA is $42,970/year ($20.66/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.96), which stretches that salary to about $48,303 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $956/month, about 32.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $43K get you in Cedar Rapids?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cedar Rapids’s Regional Price Parity (88.96). 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 printing press operators
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What this looks like in Cedar Rapids
Printing press operators pay in Cedar Rapids tracks closely to the national median, $43K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $956/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.96 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for printing press operators in metros near Cedar Rapids, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $43K | $47K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $38K | $42K |
| Ames | $47K | $53K |
| Iowa 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, Cedar Rapids, IA
Entry-level printing press operators (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Printing Press Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Printing Press Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $117K | +155% | 350 |
| Massachusetts | $53K | +16% | 2,110 |
| New Jersey | $50K | +10% | 4,180 |
| Washington | $50K | +9% | 2,310 |
| Oregon | $49K | +7% | 1,330 |
| Minnesota | $49K | +6% | 4,960 |
| New Hampshire | $48K | +6% | 680 |
| Kentucky | $48K | +5% | 2,470 |
| Colorado | $48K | +5% | 1,830 |
| New York | $48K | +5% | 6,700 |
| Maryland | $48K | +4% | 1,250 |
| Maine | $47K | +4% | 300 |
| Wisconsin | $47K | +3% | 8,120 |
| Pennsylvania | $47K | +3% | 7,150 |
| Arkansas | $46K | +2% | 1,760 |
| Alaska | $46K | +1% | 170 |
| Vermont | $46K | +1% | 190 |
| Illinois | $46K | +1% | 9,550 |
| Missouri | $46K | +1% | 3,460 |
| California | $46K | +1% | 12,320 |
| Ohio | $46K | -0% | 7,500 |
| Connecticut | $46K | -0% | 1,610 |
| North Carolina | $46K | -0% | 3,910 |
| Hawaii | $45K | -1% | 350 |
| Rhode Island | $45K | -1% | 510 |
| Michigan | $45K | -1% | 5,110 |
| Indiana | $45K | -1% | 4,820 |
| South Dakota | $45K | -2% | 460 |
| Delaware | $45K | -3% | 210 |
| Virginia | $44K | -4% | 3,210 |
| Nevada | $44K | -5% | 1,360 |
| Tennessee | $43K | -6% | 3,510 |
| Arizona | $43K | -6% | 2,400 |
| Texas | $43K | -7% | 9,110 |
| Montana | $42K | -8% | 300 |
| Nebraska | $42K | -8% | 2,140 |
| Kansas | $42K | -8% | 2,640 |
| Georgia | $42K | -9% | 4,220 |
| West Virginia | $41K | -10% | 470 |
| Florida | $41K | -10% | 7,060 |
| Utah | $41K | -10% | 1,970 |
| Iowa | $41K | -11% | 2,070 |
| Wyoming | $41K | -11% | 90 |
| South Carolina | $40K | -12% | 2,100 |
| Idaho | $39K | -16% | 610 |
| Mississippi | $38K | -16% | 670 |
| North Dakota | $38K | -17% | 270 |
| Louisiana | $38K | -18% | 870 |
| New Mexico | $37K | -19% | 250 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -20% | 1,140 |
| Alabama | $37K | -20% | 2,160 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track printing press operators salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a printing press operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cedar Rapids?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 33.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $956/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 printing press operators in Cedar Rapids?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new printing press operators typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,860/month. At HUD’s $956/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is printing press operator a high-paying job in Cedar Rapids?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $43K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Cedar Rapids compare to the national average for printing press operators?
Cedar Rapids pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do printing press operators make in Cedar Rapids, IA?
The median is $42,970 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,000, and experienced printing press operators can clear $58,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Cedar Rapids?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,878/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $956/month, which eats 33.2% 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 printing press operators salary go in Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids has a Regional Price Parity of 88.96 (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 printing press operators salary is worth about $48,303 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do printing press operators 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.