Changing shape

Prepress technicians and workers

Format and proof text and images submitted by designers and clients into finished pages that can be printed. Includes digital and photo typesetting. May produce printing plates.

AI Resistance Index 11 of 99

Among the careers AI is changing fastest: more resilient than 11% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it high), and US jobs are projected to change by -15.3% by 2035, expected to shrink.

AI can do many of the tasks, and hiring is expected to grow slower than average or to shrink. The job is likely to change, so build the human parts of it.

Median pay (2025): $48,690
Job growth to 2035: -15.3%
Openings a year: 2,100
People doing it (2025): 24,700
Usual route in: College certificate

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Where people already use AI for this work

Program computer systems or production equipment
Select materials or equipment for operations or projects
Measure physical characteristics of materials, products, or equipment

From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).

Work AI rarely helps with

Operate industrial processing or production equipment
Inspect completed work or finished products
Maintain tools or equipment

What the work looks like

Generate prepress proofs in digital or other format to approximate the appearance of the final printed piece.
Proofread and perform quality control of text and images.
Enter, position, and alter text size, using computers, to make up and arrange pages so that printed materials can be produced.
Perform "preflight" check of required font, graphic, text and image files to ensure completeness prior to delivery to printer.
Operate and maintain laser plate-making equipment that converts electronic data to plates without the use of film.

From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.

What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects

Fewer of these jobs, as newspapers increasingly reduce their number of print days or move to an online-only format. Newspapers that continue to offer print editions are expected to continue to outsource newspaper printing to dedicated printing companies.
Fewer of these jobs, as software and hardware improvements increase the productivity of workers.

Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook

Photographic process workers and processing machine operatorsHuman edge, steady, Index 26, -5.6%
Lighting techniciansHuman edge, steady, Index 13, -4.8%
Etchers and engraversHuman edge, steady, Index 60, -0.7%
Shoe and leather workers and repairersHuman edge, steady, Index 54, -6.5%

Also known as: Electronic Prepress Operator (EPP Operator), Plate Maker, Prepress Operator, Prepress Technician, Desktop Operator, Electronic Prepress Technician (EPP Tech), Plate Mounter, Pre-Press Proofer.

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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.