Printing Press Operators Salary
The median pay for a printing press operators in Fort Smith, AR-OK is $56,350/year ($27.09/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.89), which stretches that salary to about $65,607 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $937/month, or 25.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $56K get you in Fort Smith?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Smith’s Regional Price Parity (85.89). 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 Fort Smith
Fort Smith sits well above the national pay line for printing press operators, local pay runs about 23% higher than the U.S. median of $46K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $937/month, 24.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Fort Smith offers a genuinely strong financial position for printing press operatorss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for printing press operators in metros near Fort Smith, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $50K | $55K |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $45K | $51K |
| Hot Springs | $39K | $45K |
| Jonesboro | $44K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Smith, AR-OK
Entry-level printing press operators (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $49K 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 Fort Smith?
Yes — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 24.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $937/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for printing press operators in Fort Smith?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new printing press operators typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,905/month. At HUD’s $937/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Fort Smith?
Local pay is 23% above the national median — $56K here vs. $46K nationally.
How does Fort Smith compare to the national average for printing press operators?
Fort Smith pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do printing press operators make in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
The median is $56,350 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,750, and experienced printing press operators can clear $80,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Fort Smith?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,774/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $937/month, which eats 24.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a printing press operators salary go in Fort Smith?
Fort Smith has a Regional Price Parity of 85.89 (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 $65,607 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.