Color inkjet printers (10) commonly employ a plurality of print cartridges (22), usually either two or four, mounted in the printer carriage (20) to produce a full spectrum of colors. In order to optimize print quality, it is desirable to minimize the distance between a thermal inkjet printhead (26) and the media (90) that is being printed on. In a multiple printhead printer (10) only one printhead (26) can be the closest one to the media (90) due to the various mechanical tolerances of the printer (10). Since black text print quality is more sensitive to printhead-to-media distance than is color graphics quality, the overall print quality of both black text and color graphics is optimized by assuring that the black print cartridge (22) is closest to the media (90). Disclosed is a method for determining the relevant tolerances affecting printhead-to-media distance, analyzing the tolerance values to determine the range of tolerances and the greatest variation between one print cartridge and another, such that a determined percentage of the sampled print cartridges fall within this variation. This value is then used to offset the black print cartridge (22) carriage slot (24) so that the black print cartridge will be closest to the media (90).