Desktop Publishing Specialists
Overview
Introduction
Desktop publishing specialists prepare reports, brochures, books, cards, and other documents for printing and digital publication such as on the Internet. They create computer files of text, graphics, and page layout. They work with files others have created, or they compose original text and graphics for clients. There are approximately 6,400 desktop publishing specialists employed in the United States, but many other people—such as writers, editors, and digital designers—use desktop publishing software in their work. Desktop publi...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Median annual earnings of desktop publishers were $51,290 in May 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $31,880, and the highest paid 10 percent earned $97,870 or more. Fifty percent of desktop publishers earned between $38,350 and $71,420. Wage rates vary depending on experience, training, region, and size of the company. Freelancers can ea...
Work Environment
Desktop publishing specialists spend most of their time working in front of a computer, whether editing text or photographs or laying out pages. They need to be able to work with other prepress professionals, and interact successfully with clients. Hours may vary depending on project deadlines at hand. Some projects may take just a day to complete, while others may take weeks or months. Project...
Outlook
Employment for desktop publishing specialists is projected to decline by 13 percent from 2023 to 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. It reports that "companies are expected to hire fewer desktop publishers as desktop-publishing tasks are increasingly performed by other types of workers, such as graphic designers, web designers, and editors. Furthermore, as organizations continue to...