Desktop Publishers pay in the U.S.
$61,970avg. a year
$29.79 an hour · 3,350 employed
Desktop Publishers in the U.S. earn an average of $61,970 a year and a median of $55,290. Pay is highest in California ($78,250) and lowest in Nebraska ($39,460).
$55,290Median pay
$29.79Average hourly
+22%Avg. pay since 2020
3,350Jobs in the U.S.
Top-paying states for desktop publishers
Average pay by state. Swipe to see the top 10.
1320 jobs
California
$78,250
$37.62 an hour
2
Colorado
$76,500
$36.78 an hour
3350 jobs
New York
$68,540
$32.95 an hour
4140 jobs
Maryland
$67,050
$32.23 an hour
540 jobs
South Carolina
$66,880
$32.15 an hour
6100 jobs
New Jersey
$66,750
$32.09 an hour
780 jobs
Massachusetts
$65,980
$31.72 an hour
8150 jobs
Illinois
$61,780
$29.70 an hour
990 jobs
Minnesota
$60,680
$29.17 an hour
1030 jobs
Arizona
$59,390
$28.55 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Desktop Publishers pay, charted
Pay over time
United States, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where the jobs are
Employment by state, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · tap a state
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Under $50k$50k–$55k$55k–$66k$66k+
Top-paying metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 (areas with 100+ jobs)
| Metro area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $73,830 | $35.50 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $71,360 | $34.31 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $61,730 | $29.68 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $56,880 | $27.34 |
Related jobs
Average U.S. pay, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Desktop Publishers pay in every state
States without a figure had too few jobs or too little survey data for BLS to publish.
| State | Avg. pay | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $59,390 | $52,000 | 30 |
| California | $78,250 | $71,930 | 320 |
| Colorado | $76,500 | $77,750 | – |
| Florida | $55,420 | $52,720 | 150 |
| Georgia | $53,930 | $39,460 | 230 |
| Illinois | $61,780 | $61,350 | 150 |
| Indiana | $49,730 | $49,070 | 130 |
| Kentucky | $42,250 | $45,760 | 40 |
| Louisiana | $49,690 | $47,130 | 40 |
| Maine | $46,280 | $47,100 | 30 |
| Maryland | $67,050 | $69,820 | 140 |
| Massachusetts | $65,980 | $61,170 | 80 |
| Michigan | $50,000 | $45,300 | 40 |
| Minnesota | $60,680 | $54,930 | 90 |
| Nebraska | $39,460 | $36,280 | 40 |
| New Hampshire | $54,240 | $48,300 | 30 |
| New Jersey | $66,750 | $63,020 | 100 |
| New York | $68,540 | $56,660 | 350 |
| North Carolina | $51,410 | $43,700 | 80 |
| Ohio | $57,570 | $53,380 | 60 |
| Oklahoma | $50,070 | $46,040 | 40 |
| Oregon | $57,850 | $50,650 | 90 |
| South Carolina | $66,880 | $62,320 | 40 |
| Tennessee | $51,800 | $44,440 | 40 |
| Texas | $56,360 | $57,760 | 270 |
| Vermont | $50,230 | $53,550 | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $45,630 | $46,010 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
$73,830
320 jobsAtlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
$56,880
140 jobsChicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$61,730
120 jobsWashington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$71,360
120 jobsQuestions and answers
How much do desktop publishers make?
The average is $61,970 a year across the U.S. Half earn more than $55,290 and half earn less (the median).
What is the hourly pay?
The average hourly wage is $29.79, and the median is $26.58 an hour.
Which state pays desktop publishers the most?
California, with an average of $78,250 a year. The best-paying metro area is New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $73,830.
What is the pay range?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $35,680 a year, and the top 10% earn over $96,170.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 43-9031. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.