Print binding and finishing workers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $32,220 | $15.49 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $42,290 | $20.33 |
| Mean (average) | $44,460 | $21.38 |
| 90th percentile | $59,150 | $28.44 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Print binding and finishing workers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 51 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $39,270 | $26,490 | $46,790 | 440 | 0.98 |
| Alaska | $57,200 | $24,770 | $73,420 | 30 | 0.44 |
| Arizona | $39,740 | $34,780 | $55,250 | 240 | 0.35 |
| Arkansas | $41,040 | $31,230 | $57,980 | 200 | 0.72 |
| California | $45,390 | $35,900 | $59,290 | 1,590 | 0.41 |
| Colorado | $45,780 | $37,330 | $63,080 | 370 | 0.6 |
| Connecticut | $47,750 | $36,250 | $61,550 | 490 | 1.36 |
| Delaware | $40,080 | $31,200 | $59,410 | 40 | 0.41 |
| District of Columbia | $108,080 | $64,440 | $115,420 | 200 | 1.33 |
| Florida | $38,730 | $31,510 | $51,570 | 1,320 | 0.62 |
| Georgia | $39,310 | $29,380 | $55,690 | 790 | 0.76 |
| Hawaii | $41,050 | $29,120 | $45,670 | 80 | 0.58 |
| Idaho | $40,200 | $17,050 | $47,540 | 30 | 0.17 |
| Illinois | $47,880 | $37,780 | $57,500 | 1,540 | 1.18 |
| Indiana | $38,730 | $32,080 | $51,240 | 970 | 1.43 |
| Iowa | $38,790 | $31,030 | $58,080 | 330 | 0.99 |
| Kansas | $37,470 | $25,040 | $51,370 | 660 | 2.15 |
| Kentucky | $39,620 | $23,720 | $59,830 | 410 | 0.96 |
| Louisiana | $36,230 | $29,840 | $49,100 | 180 | 0.43 |
| Maine | $48,230 | $37,530 | $58,620 | 180 | 1.32 |
| Maryland | $45,170 | $32,890 | $62,730 | 560 | 0.95 |
| Massachusetts | $46,630 | $35,100 | $60,880 | 750 | 0.97 |
| Michigan | $40,460 | $33,280 | $55,310 | 1,320 | 1.4 |
| Minnesota | $48,390 | $38,000 | $61,730 | 1,710 | 2.71 |
| Mississippi | $91,850 | $37,150 | $108,080 | 110 | 0.46 |
| Missouri | $38,570 | $31,380 | $58,700 | 1,010 | 1.61 |
| Montana | $36,220 | $31,860 | $50,730 | 90 | 0.82 |
| Nebraska | $36,800 | $30,220 | $47,130 | 210 | 0.97 |
| Nevada | $40,200 | $34,590 | $56,160 | 350 | 1.05 |
| New Hampshire | $48,850 | $39,080 | $61,210 | 140 | 0.93 |
| New Jersey | $46,600 | $32,220 | $61,500 | 1,640 | 1.8 |
| New Mexico | $29,380 | $28,350 | $46,250 | 80 | 0.44 |
| New York | $44,210 | $35,560 | $60,040 | 1,150 | 0.55 |
| North Carolina | $39,580 | $33,790 | $54,910 | 1,070 | 1.02 |
| North Dakota | $48,760 | $36,070 | $64,410 | 80 | 0.9 |
| Ohio | $43,680 | $30,880 | $54,660 | 1,700 | 1.44 |
| Oklahoma | $37,770 | $28,170 | $43,450 | 140 | 0.37 |
| Oregon | $46,240 | $37,820 | $58,780 | 240 | 0.56 |
| Pennsylvania | $43,010 | $35,750 | $55,730 | 1,640 | 1.27 |
| Puerto Rico | $27,460 | $22,310 | $36,090 | 300 | 1.52 |
| Rhode Island | $45,050 | $40,530 | $57,040 | 40 | 0.41 |
| South Carolina | $40,820 | $29,350 | $52,170 | 340 | 0.7 |
| South Dakota | $41,350 | $35,220 | $52,880 | 110 | 1.15 |
| Tennessee | $36,960 | $31,320 | $47,750 | 730 | 1.04 |
| Texas | $37,310 | $30,060 | $52,480 | 1,820 | 0.61 |
| Utah | $39,570 | $34,790 | $52,010 | 690 | 1.86 |
| Vermont | $48,930 | $42,710 | $55,840 | 80 | 1.17 |
| Virginia | $42,780 | $30,220 | $62,210 | 980 | 1.12 |
| Washington | $45,300 | $36,300 | $62,380 | 460 | 0.6 |
| West Virginia | $41,340 | $37,750 | $62,450 | 280 | 1.84 |
| Wisconsin | $43,400 | $36,200 | $58,800 | 3,560 | 5.67 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for print binding and finishing workers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 2,300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for print binding and finishing workers
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Examine stitched, collated, bound, or unbound product samples for defects, such as imperfect bindings, ink spots, torn pages, loose pages, or loose or uncut threads.
- Read work orders to determine instructions and specifications for machine set-up.
- Install or adjust bindery machine devices, such as knives, guides, rollers, rounding forms, creasing rams, or clamps, to accommodate sheets, signatures, or books of specified sizes.
- Trim edges of books to size, using cutting machines, book trimming machines, or hand cutters.
- Stitch or glue endpapers, bindings, backings, or signatures, using sewing machines, glue machines, or glue and brushes.
- Monitor machine operations to detect malfunctions or to determine whether adjustments are needed.
- Maintain records, such as daily production records, using specified forms.
- Lubricate, clean, or make minor repairs to machine parts to keep machines in working condition.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Email software
- Houchen Bindery Library Automated Retrieval System LARS
- Label printing software
- Microsoft Publisher
- Trade Bindery Software Bindery Estimating System
- Trade Bindery Software Bindery Management System
- Web browser software
Transferable skills for career changers: Operations Monitoring, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Quality Control Analysis, Coordination, Instructing.
Common job titles: Binder Operator, Bindery Operator, Bindery Technician, Bindery Worker, Book Binder, Custom Bookbinder, Perfect Binder Operator.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do print binding and finishing workers make?
The national median annual wage for print binding and finishing workers was $42,290 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $32,220 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $59,150. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do print binding and finishing workers need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is print binding and finishing workers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of print binding and finishing workers to change -17.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 2,300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay print binding and finishing workers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($108,080), Mississippi ($91,850), Alaska ($57,200). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.