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SOC 5422 Textiles, printing and other skilled trades

Printers Salary

Median salary £31,367 per year (2025). Based on ONS ASHE data.

About this role

Printers operate printing presses and digital printing equipment to produce books, magazines, newspapers, packaging, labels and commercial print materials. They set up machines, monitor print quality and ensure efficient production runs.

Key responsibilities

  • Setting up and operating litho, digital, flexo or gravure printing presses
  • Monitoring print quality including colour, registration and density
  • Adjusting press settings to maintain consistent output
  • Managing ink, paper and substrate supplies
  • Maintaining and cleaning printing equipment

Qualifications and entry routes

Apprenticeship or NVQ Level 2/3 in print production. BPIF (British Printing Industries Federation) training programmes are the industry standard. Machine-specific training from manufacturers is common.

Career outlook

Print volumes are declining in some areas but packaging, labels and specialty printing remain strong. Digital print skills complement traditional press operation.

Key skills

Press operation Colour matching Quality control Machine maintenance Problem-solving

Common industries

  • Commercial printing
  • Newspaper printing
  • Packaging
  • Label printing
  • Publishing

Data coverage

SOC code 5422
Data source ONS ASHE
Years available 2015–2025
Estimated jobs 8,000

Median Salary

£31,367

Mean Salary

£31,610

Jobs (000s)

8k

Data Years

11 years

Salary Range (2025)

P25: £23,700Median: £31,367
P10: --P25: £24kMedian: £31kP75: --P90: --

Estimated Career Progression

Based on salary percentile distribution for this occupation

Entry Level

£23,700

0-2 years

Mid Level

£23,700

3-7 years

Salary Trend (2015-2025)

Nominal growth: +19.4%Real growth: -13.6%

Gender Pay Comparison (2025)

Full-time vs All Employees (2025)

All Employees

£31,367

Full-time Only

£33,019

Full-time premium: +£1,652