Dubuque, IA · SOC 51-5112

Printing Press Operators in Dubuque

Metro area salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025)

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Median Salary

$40,560

per year in Dubuque

11% below

National Median

$45,780

per year nationally

Hourly Rate

$19.50/hr

median hourly

Employment

50

jobs in Dubuque

BLS metro-level wage data places Printing Press Operators pay in Dubuque, IA at a median of $40,560 per year ($19.50/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $45,780, Dubuque pays 11% below, which typically tracks with a lower local cost of living or smaller specialized-employer cluster. Approximately 50 printing press operatorss are employed across the Dubuque MSA in SOC 51-5112.

The Dubuque pay distribution spans from $31,680 at the 10th percentile to $58,440 at the 90th — a 1.8× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $34,670 and the 75th at $48,090, so half of Dubuque-based printing press operatorss earn within that middle band.

Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Dubuque, IA covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide IA data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.

Salary Range in Dubuque

Annual Salary Distribution

$31,680$34,670$40,560$48,090$58,440
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$31,680

25th Percentile

$34,670

Median

$40,560

75th Percentile

$48,090

90th Percentile

$58,440

Top Paying Jobs in Dubuque

Similar Occupations in Dubuque

Other roles inside the Dubuque, IA MSA from the same SOC major group.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Printing Press Operators make in Dubuque?
The median annual salary for Printing Press Operators in Dubuque, IA is $40,560 ($19.50/hour). The salary range spans from $31,680 at the 10th percentile to $58,440 at the 90th percentile.
Is Dubuque a good place to work as a Printing Press Operators?
Printing Press Operators in Dubuque, IA earns 11% below the national median of $45,780. There are approximately 50 Printing Press Operators jobs in this metro area.

Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.

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