Printing machine assistants Pay Data UK — 2025

Printing machine assistants roles in the UK earn a median of £30,859 per year, equivalent to £15.37 per hour as of 2025. This represents a 8.7% increase in annual pay compared to the previous year. Pay varies across the UK, ranging from £23,924 to £45,258 per year.

How Pay Varies Across the UK

Each bar shows how many areas of the UK have a median annual pay in that range for Printing machine assistants roles. The dashed line marks the national median.

Based on sub-regional area data. Want a precise figure for your area?

About Printing machine assistants

Printing machine assistants set and operate letterpress, platen or cylinder, lithographic and photogravure printing machines, photocopiers, office printers, duplication machines and other reprographic equipment.

Typical Tasks and Duties

• positions printing plates, loads inks into reservoirs and loads paper rolls or sheets into printing press
• sets controls to control the speed, pressure and ink flow of printing machine
• loads photocopiers, office printers, duplication machines and other reprographic equipment with stationery
• starts reprographic or printing machine and monitors operation for paper misfeeds and error messages, removes blockages and replaces damaged paper, and monitors quality of output
• carries out routine maintenance and cleaning of printing machine
• sets and operates machines for cutting paper to specified dimensions or for folding or binding to produce finished paper items
• sets and operates presses for stamping patterns and labels on textiles, clothing, pottery, footwear and other leather goods

Entry Routes and Qualifications

No academic qualifications are required. Off and on-the-job training is provided. NVQs/SVQs in Screen Printing are available at levels 1 and 2, and in Machine Printing at levels 2 and 3.

Related Occupations

Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.