What Does a Print Shop Supervisor Do?
If a rush job's involved, print shop supervisors are too. They make sure that each job is proofed, and that it is printed, finished and ready on time. Supervisors perform a wide range of tasks depending on the shift and the size of the shop, from scheduling presses to running one when an operator is out.
Also known as: Bindery Supervisor, Assistant Duplicating Services Supervisor, Duplicating Service Supervisor, Printing and Reproduction Services Supervisor, Senior Printing and Reproduction Services Supervisor, Composition Supervisor
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Assembly Supervisor, Line Supervisor, Manufacturing Supervisor, Molding Supervisor, Plant Supervisor, Production Manager, Production Supervisor, Quality Assurance Supervisor (QA Supervisor).
Print Shop Supervisor Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a print shop supervisor include:
- Assign press, copy and bindery jobs to operators each shift based on due dates.
- Check proofs against customer files for typos, color and layout before printing starts.
- Approve press sheets for color and registration on critical jobs.
- Train operators on new equipment, safe cutter use and shop procedures.
- Reschedule work when a press goes down or a rush order arrives.
- Order paper, ink, toner and bindery supplies before stock runs short.
- Keep maintenance logs and call service technicians for equipment the shop cannot fix.
- Answer customer calls about job status, pricing and file problems.
- Supervise typesetting and layout work when the shop offers composition services.
- Complete timesheets, job tickets and spoilage reports for the shop manager.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a print shop supervisor, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Hands-on skill with offset, digital and bindery equipment
- Proofreading and preflight of print files
- Color checking with a densitometer or spectrophotometer
- Scheduling under tight deadlines
- Adobe InDesign, Acrobat and Photoshop
- Training and coaching operators
- Calm with rush orders and unhappy customers
- Shop safety, including cutter and chemical safety
Education and Training
Most print shop supervisors learn through years as press or bindery operators, but some start out by studying graphic communications at a community college. Most employers require supervisors to know every machine. Progress to shop manager is gradual but is achievable with budget and customer experience.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $58,630 - $91,680 per year, with a median of $74,450.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers.
BLS projects employment of first-line supervisors of production and operating workers, which covers print shop supervisors, to grow about 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, with roughly 61,000 openings a year. This is a large, mixed group. While print volumes drift down, it is a good idea to learn digital presses and variable-data work to stay in demand.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, First-line supervisors of production and operating workers.
Print Shop Supervisor Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $47,130 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $58,630 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $74,450 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $91,680 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $108,750 |
Highest-Paying States for Print Shop Supervisors
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are Wyoming ($90,390), Connecticut ($83,150), Rhode Island ($81,650), New Jersey ($81,110), District of Columbia ($80,030). Pay is lowest in New Mexico ($64,640), Florida ($63,950), Arkansas ($63,090).
Median pay in all 51 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $73,060 |
| Alaska | $77,960 |
| Arizona | $75,330 |
| Arkansas | $63,090 |
| California | $76,840 |
| Colorado | $78,890 |
| Connecticut | $83,150 |
| Delaware | $79,100 |
| District of Columbia | $80,030 |
| Florida | $63,950 |
| Georgia | $69,170 |
| Hawaii | $71,990 |
| Idaho | $70,890 |
| Illinois | $75,200 |
| Indiana | $73,950 |
| Iowa | $74,750 |
| Kansas | $74,480 |
| Kentucky | $72,490 |
| Louisiana | $77,520 |
| Maine | $78,970 |
| Maryland | $78,520 |
| Massachusetts | $79,920 |
| Michigan | $72,170 |
| Minnesota | $78,550 |
| Mississippi | $68,720 |
| Missouri | $73,210 |
| Montana | $68,760 |
| Nebraska | $72,200 |
| Nevada | $68,270 |
| New Hampshire | $79,310 |
| New Jersey | $81,110 |
| New Mexico | $64,640 |
| New York | $78,580 |
| North Carolina | $69,640 |
| North Dakota | $76,350 |
| Ohio | $72,160 |
| Oklahoma | $70,000 |
| Oregon | $73,580 |
| Pennsylvania | $74,990 |
| Rhode Island | $81,650 |
| South Carolina | $77,500 |
| South Dakota | $73,040 |
| Tennessee | $65,310 |
| Texas | $70,140 |
| Utah | $71,220 |
| Vermont | $75,540 |
| Virginia | $74,150 |
| Washington | $79,310 |
| West Virginia | $68,990 |
| Wisconsin | $74,840 |
| Wyoming | $90,390 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as first-line supervisors of production and operating workers about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 92% wear safety gear such as gloves, safety glasses or a hard hat every day
- 87% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 85% use email every day
- 83% usually work more than 40 hours a week
- 82% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 72% deal with loud or distracting noise every day
- 70% spend more than half the workday on their feet
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or GED | 33% |
| Some college | 15% |
| Less than high school | 14% |
| Associate's degree | 14% |
Tools and Software Print Shop Supervisors Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy leading, persuading and making business decisions as well as organized work with data, records and clear procedures.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Active Listening, Speaking, Time Management, Management of Personnel Resources, Critical Thinking, Monitoring.
Knowledge areas used most: Production and Processing, Administration and Management, Personnel and Human Resources, English Language, Computers and Electronics.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 3 of 5, which means medium preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 51-1011.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.