Desktop Publishers : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Summary

Desktop publishers use computer software to design layouts for books, newspapers, and other published items.

Quick Facts: Desktop Publishers
2010 Median Pay	$36,610 per year $17.60 per hour
Entry-Level Education	Associate’s degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	Short-term on-the-job training
Number of Jobs, 2010	22,600
Job Outlook, 2010-20	-15% (Decline rapidly)
Employment Change, 2010-20	-3,300

What Desktop Publishers Do

Desktop publishers use computer software to design page layouts for newspapers, books, brochures, and other items that will be printed or put online. They collect the text, graphics, and other materials they will need and then format them into a finished product.

Work Environment

About half of all desktop publishers work for the publishing and printing industries. Most of the rest work for companies in other industries that produce their own printed materials. Part-time work schedules are common.

How to Become a Desktop Publisher

Desktop publishers have a variety of educational backgrounds, but most complete some form of postsecondary education, such as an associate’s degree. They also usually learn some of their skills on the job. Computer skills, including knowledge of desktop publishing software, are important.

Pay

The median hourly wage of desktop publishers was $17.60 in May 2010.

Job Outlook

Employment of desktop publishers is projected to decline by 15 percent from 2010 to 2020. Employment will decline rapidly as other types of workers increasingly do desktop publishing tasks and as fewer print publications are developed.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of desktop publishers with similar occupations.

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What Desktop Publishers Do About this section

Desktop publishers gather existing materials or work with designers and writers to create new artwork or text.

Desktop publishers use computer software to design page layouts for newspapers, books, brochures, and other items to be printed or put online. They collect the text, graphics, and other materials they will need and format them into a finished product.

Duties

Desktop publishers typically do the following:

Gather existing materials or work with designers and writers to create new artwork or text
Find and edit graphics, such as photographs or illustrations
Use scanners to turn drawings and other materials into digital images
Import text and graphics into desktop publishing software programs
Position artwork and text on the page layout
Select formatting properties, such as text size, column width, and spacing
Check proofs, or preliminary layouts, for errors and make corrections
Convert files for printing or websites
Send final files to a commercial printer or print the documents on a high-resolution printer

Desktop publishers use publishing software to create page layouts for print or web publication. Some desktop publishers may help to create web pages using Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), although this is usually the job of web designers. For more information on workers who design, create, and modify websites, see the profile on information security analysts, web developers, and computer network architects.

Desktop publishers work with other design and media professionals, such as writers, editors and graphic designers. For example, desktop publishers work with graphic designers to come up with images that complement the text and fit the available space.

In addition to designing pages, desktop publishers may edit or write text. Some desktop publishers might be responsible for correcting spelling, punctuation, and grammar or for writing original content themselves.

Desktop publishers’ responsibilities may vary widely from project to project and employer to employer. Smaller firms typically use desktop publishers to perform a wide range of tasks, while desktop publishers at larger firms may specialize in one part of the publishing process.

Work Environment About this section

Many desktop publishers work in the publishing and printing industries where they edit graphs, charts, and text.

Desktop publishers held about 22,600 jobs in 2010. About half of them worked in the publishing and printing industries. Most of the rest worked for companies in other industries that produce their own printed materials, including advertising and public relations industries which are included in professional, scientific, and technical services.

The following industries employed the most desktop publishers in 2010:

Publishing industries (except Internet)	32%
Printing and related support activities	15
Administrative and support services	8
Professional, scientific, and technical services	8
Educational services; state, local, and private	4

Some desktop publishers are self-employed and work on a contract basis.

Work Schedules

Many desktop publishers work part time. They may need to work long hours to meet publication deadlines.

How to Become a Desktop Publisher About this section

Desktop publishers have a variety of educational backgrounds, but most complete some form of postsecondary education, such as an associate’s degree.

Desktop publishers have a variety of educational backgrounds, but most complete some form of postsecondary education, such as an associate’s degree. Workers also usually learn some of their skills on the job. Computer skills, including knowledge of desktop publishing software, are important.

Education

Desktop publishers can prepare for the occupation in several ways. Many workers earn an associate’s degree. Others earn a bachelor’s degree. Still others qualify with a postsecondary non-degree award. Experience can sometimes substitute for education.

Those who earn a degree usually study a field such as graphic design, graphic arts, or graphic communications. Community colleges and trade and technical schools also may offer desktop publishing courses. These classes teach students about desktop publishing software used to format pages and how to import text and graphics into electronic page layouts.

Training

Desktop publishers often learn many of their skills on the job. They learn by observing more experienced workers or by taking classes that teach them how to use desktop publishing software. Ongoing training is often necessary, as technologies and desktop publishing software change.

Work Experience

Many employers prefer to hire workers who have experience in preparing layouts. This experience can sometimes substitute for formal education, such as a degree in graphic design.

Important Qualities

Artistic ability. Desktop publishers must have a good eye for how graphics and text will look to create pages that are visually appealing, legible, and easy to use.

Communication skills. Desktop publishers talk through different concepts for a page layout with writers, editors, and graphic designers. They listen to others’ ideas and explain their own.

Computer skills. Desktop publishers use computer software extensively when creating page layouts and formatting text and graphics.

Detail oriented. When designing and reviewing page layouts, desktop publishers must pay careful attention to details such as margins, font sizes, and the overall appearance and accuracy of their work.

Organizational skills. Desktop publishers often work under strict deadlines and must be good at scheduling and prioritizing tasks in order to have a document ready on time for publication.

Pay About this section

Desktop Publishers

Median hourly wages, May 2010

Desktop Publishers: $17.60
Total, All Occupations: $16.27
Other Office and Administrative Support Workers: $13.35

The median hourly wage of desktop publishers was $17.60 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $10.46, and the top 10 percent earned more than $28.52.

Many desktop publishers work part time. They may need to work long hours to meet publication deadlines.

Job Outlook About this section

Desktop Publishers

Percent change in employment, projected 2010-20

Total, All Occupations: 14%
Other Office and Administrative Support Workers: 12%
Desktop Publishers: -15%

Employment of desktop publishers is projected to decline by 15 percent from 2010 to 2020. Companies are expected to hire fewer desktop publishers as other types of workers—such as graphic designers, Web designers, and copy editors—increasingly take on desktop publishing tasks.

Desktop publishing is commonly used to design printed materials, such as advertisements, brochures, newsletters, and forms. However, increased computer-processing capacity and the widespread availability of more elaborate desktop publishing software will make it easier and more affordable for nonprinting professionals to create their own materials. As a result, there will be less need for people to specialize in desktop publishing.

Some of the tasks that desktop publishers do, such as creating initial page layouts or converting pages to PDF files, can now be automated, further reducing employment. And as companies increasingly look to save on costs, sending desktop publishing tasks to workers in other countries may increase.

Overall declines in the printing and publishing industries—those most likely to employ desktop publishers—will also restrict growth. As organizations increasingly publish their materials on the Internet instead of in print form, to save on printing and distribution costs, employment of desktop publishers may decline further.

Job Prospects

Prospects will be better for those with a degree in graphic design or a related field, or for those with experience in desktop publishing. Electronic and Web-publishing expertise are increasingly in demand. Workers with a diverse range of skills, such as in graphic design, Web design, writing, and editing may have better prospects.

Employment projections data for desktop publishers, 2010-20
Occupational Title	SOC Code	Employment, 2010	Projected Employment, 2020	Change, 2010-20		Employment by Industry
Occupational Title	SOC Code	Employment, 2010	Projected Employment, 2020	Percent	Numeric	Employment by Industry
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
Desktop Publishers	43-9031	22,600	19,200	-15	-3,300	[XLS]

Similar Occupations About this section

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of desktop publishers.

Occupation	Job Duties	ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION	2010 MEDIAN PAY
Editors	Editors plan, review, and revise content for publication.	Bachelor’s degree	$51,470
Film and Video Editors and Camera Operators	Film and video editors and camera operators record images that entertain or inform an audience. Camera operators capture a wide range of material for TV shows, motion pictures, music videos, documentaries, or news and sporting events. Editors construct the final productions from the many different images camera operators capture. They collaborate with producers and directors to create the final production.	Bachelor’s degree	$45,490
Graphic Designers	Graphic designers create visual concepts, by hand or using computer software, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, or captivate consumers. They help to make an organization recognizable by selecting color, images, or logo designs that represent a particular idea or identity to be used in advertising and promotions.	Bachelor’s degree	$43,500
Information Security Analysts, Web Developers, and Computer Network Architects	Information security analysts, web developers, and computer network architects all use information technology (IT) to advance their organization’s goals. Security analysts ensure a firm’s information stays safe from cyberattacks. Web developers create websites to help firms have a public face. Computer network architects create the internal networks all workers within organizations use.	Bachelor’s degree	$75,660
Multimedia Artists and Animators	Multimedia artists and animators create animation and visual effects for television, movies, video games, and other media. They create two- and three-dimensional models and animation.	Bachelor’s degree	$58,510
Printing Workers	Printing workers produce print material in three stages: prepress, press, and binding and finishing. They review specifications, identify and fix problems with printing equipment, and assemble pages.	See How to Become One	$33,150
Technical Writers	Technical writers, also called technical communicators, produce instruction manuals and other supporting documents to communicate complex and technical information more easily. They also develop, gather, and disseminate technical information among customers, designers, and manufacturers.	Bachelor’s degree	$63,280