Printing Press Operators build quality control analysis, operations monitoring and operation and control skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders (88%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders | 88% | $46,460 | +1% | None |
| 2 | Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 86% | $50,270 | +10% | None |
| 3 | Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 84% | $46,330 | +1% | None |
| 4 | Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 84% | $50,140 | +10% | None |
| 5 | Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 83% | $46,570 | +2% | None |
| 6 | Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 83% | $52,800 | +15% | None |
| 7 | Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 83% | $47,180 | +3% | None |
| 8 | Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 79% | $45,760 | 0% | None |
| 9 | Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 78% | $38,760 | −15% | None |
| 10 | Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators | 78% | $40,610 | −11% | None |
Compared with Printing Press Operators, median $45,780. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as printing press operators (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
88% skill match · $46,460 · +1% pay
Operation and Control · Systems Analysis
86% skill match · $50,270 · +10% pay
Operations Analysis · Technology Design · Service Orientation
84% skill match · $46,330 · +1% pay
Technology Design
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders (88% skill match, median $46,460), Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (86% skill match, median $50,270) and Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (84% skill match, median $46,330), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 16 pay more than printing press operators at the median. The biggest increases: Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators (+69%, $77,320), Engine and Other Machine Assemblers (+17%, $53,710) and Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (+15%, $52,800).
25 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.