Desktop publishers use computer software to design page layouts for newspapers, books, brochures, and other items that are printed or published online.

Desktop publishers held about 14,800 jobs in 2014. About one-third of them worked in publishing industries.

Desktop publishers typically need an associate’s degree; they also receive short-term on-the-job training lasting about 1 month.

Employment of desktop publishers is projected to decline 21 percent from 2014 to 2024. Companies are expected to hire fewer desktop publishers as other types of workers—such as graphic designers, web designers, and editors—increasingly perform desktop-publishing tasks.

This occupation supported 16,400 jobs in 2012 and 14,800 jobs in 2014, reflecting a decline of 9.8%. In 2012, this occupation was projected to decrease by 5.5% in 2022 to 15,500 jobs. As of 2014, to keep pace with prediction, the expected number of jobs was 16,200, compared with an observed value of 14,800, 8.6% lower than expected. This indicates current employment trends are much worse than the 2012 trend within this occupation. In 2014, this occupation was projected to decrease by 18.9% in 2024 to 11,700 jobs. Linear extrapolation of the 2012 projection for 2022 results in an expected number of 15,300 jobs for 2024, 30.8% higher than the 2014 projection for 2024. This indicates expectations for future employment trends are much worse than the 2012 trend within this occupation.