Start with the answer
Prepress Technicians and Workers pay in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
The May 2025 BLS OEWS median for Prepress Technicians and Workers is $56,850 per year in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA. It is $70,670 per year in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA is 19.6% below Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV on the published median.
Both rows use SOC 51-5111 and the same annual wage metric. Median means the middle of each area's published wage spread. It is not one worker's pay. The larger median is not proof that one place gives a better job or a better result. It is one wage fact from one source period.
BLS lists 200 wage and salary jobs in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and 490 in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Those are survey job counts, not open posts. Read pay, job scale, local share, and price level as separate facts before you make a choice.