Printing Press Operators Salary
The median pay for a printing press operators in Kansas is $41,890/year ($20.14/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.54), which stretches that salary to about $46,784 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,066/month, about 37.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kansas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $42K get you in Kansas?
About printing press operators
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What this looks like in Kansas
Printing press operators pay in Kansas tracks closely to the national median, $42K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,066/month, which is 37.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.54 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kansas
Entry-level printing press operators (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Printing Press Operators salary by metro in Kansas
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka | $45K | +7% | 170 |
| Lawrence | $42K | +0% | 500 |
| Manhattan | $38K | -10% | 50 |
| Wichita | $36K | -14% | 310 |
Compare to other states
Track printing press operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a printing press operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kansas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 37.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,066/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 printing press operators in Kansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new printing press operators typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,679/month. At HUD’s $1,066/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Kansas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $42K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Kansas compare to the national average for printing press operators?
Kansas pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do printing press operators make in Kansas?
The median is $41,890 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,980, and experienced printing press operators can clear $58,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Kansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,831/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,066/month, which eats 37.7% 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 Kansas?
Kansas has a Regional Price Parity of 89.54 (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 $46,784 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.