Career Opportunities

Significant Points about Desktop Publishers

Excerpts from the Occupational Outlook Handbook 2002-2003 Edition, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C.

• Desktop publishers rank among the 10 fastest growing occupations and those with certification or degrees will have the best job opportunities.
• Employment of desktop publishers is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2010, as more page layout and design work is performed in-house using computers and sophisticated publishing software.
• Desktop publishers held about 38,000 jobs in 2000. Nearly all worked in the printing and publishing industries.
• Opportunities should be best for those with computer backgrounds who are certified or who have completed post-secondary programs in desktop publishing. Many employers prefer graduates of these programs because the comprehensive training they receive helps them learn the page layout process and adapt more rapidly to new software and techniques.
• Students interested in pursuing a career in desktop publishing also may obtain an associate degree in applied science or a bachelor's degree in graphic arts or graphic communications. Graphic arts programs are a good way to learn about desktop publishing software used to format pages, assign type characteristics, and import text and graphics into electronic page layouts to produce printed materials such as advertisements, brochures, newsletters, and forms.
• Earnings for desktop publishers vary according to level of experience, training, location, and size of firm. Median annual earnings of desktop publishers were $30,600 in 2000. The middle 50 percent earned between $22,890 and $40,210, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $50,920 a year.