Abstract: A method and a system are described for achieving a desired value for the magnitude of compression when compressing the information contained in a digitized fingerprint images. A lossy compression method is used that includes use of a compression parameter whose value may be varied to adjust the amount of compression actually achieved. Briefly summarized, the method comprises selecting a first value for the compression parameter and then performing a first compression of the information contained in a digitized fingerprint image using the first value for the compression parameter and using the lossy compression method, thereby producing a first set of compressed information. Next, a first value for the magnitude of compression is computed from the quantity of information that is contained in the digitized fingerprint image and also from the quantity of information that is contained in the first set of compressed information.