Also called: BEP Plate Printer, Currency Press Operator
Runs the giant intaglio presses that print U.S. paper money at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington or Fort Worth.
Plate printers set up and run presses that push sheets of special cotton-linen paper against engraved steel plates under tons of pressure, making the raised ink you can feel on a bill. They inspect sheets for flaws, adjust inks, and keep strict security counts of every sheet. Training is through a multi-year apprenticeship.
Federal wage-grade pay. Estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Apprenticeship, about 4 years after high school. High school diploma, then a multi-year paid Bureau apprenticeship; background check required.
Ways in: Apprenticeship, On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Printing Technology (trade school), Graphic Communications.
Growing slowly. Cash use is falling, but new bill designs keep the presses busy (approx.).
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Press automation and camera inspection grow; skilled printers still run and adjust the presses.
Classes: Printmaking or art, Chemistry, Shop class.
Official data: O*NET occupation 51-5112.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.