Print Binding and Finishing Workers
Print Binding and Finishing Workers (SOC 51-5113) earn a median $42,290 a year ($20.33 an hour) in the United States, with 33,180 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What print binding and finishing workers do
Print binding and finishing workers complete printed material after it leaves the press: binding books and other publications and trimming, stitching, or gluing them. Some tasks are done by hand and many by bindery machines such as sewing machines, glue machines, and book trimming machines. The worker reads the work order, then sets up the machine by installing or adjusting knives, guides, rollers, creasing rams, or clamps to suit the sheets or signatures involved. As machines run, they watch for malfunctions and examine sample pieces for defects such as poor bindings, ink spots, torn or loose pages, and loose or uncut threads. Trimming edges to size and attaching endpapers and covers are typical finishing steps. Daily production records are kept, and machine parts are cleaned, lubricated, and given minor repairs.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Bander, Binder, Binder Operator, Bindery Associate, Bindery Cutter.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.49 | $17.75 | $20.33 | $23.62 | $28.44 | $21.38 | 33,180 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $36,910 | $42,290 | $49,130 | $59,150 | $44,460 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where print binding and finishing workers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $30.98 | $48.05 | $51.96 | $51.96 | $55.49 | $48.51 | 200 | 0.28 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $64,440 | $99,940 | $108,080 | $108,080 | $115,420 | $100,910 | ||||
| Mississippi | Hourly | $17.86 | $21.75 | $44.16 | $49.36 | $51.96 | $38.42 | 110 | 0.10 | 0.46 |
| Annual | $37,150 | $45,240 | $91,850 | $102,670 | $108,080 | $79,910 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $11.91 | $11.91 | $27.50 | $30.10 | $35.30 | $23.29 | 30 | 0.09 | 0.44 |
| Annual | $24,770 | $24,770 | $57,200 | $62,600 | $73,420 | $48,450 | ||||
| Vermont | Hourly | $20.53 | $23.37 | $23.53 | $26.38 | $26.85 | $24.03 | 80 | 0.25 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $42,710 | $48,600 | $48,930 | $54,860 | $55,840 | $49,990 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $18.79 | $20.23 | $23.49 | $28.91 | $29.43 | $23.97 | 140 | 0.20 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $39,080 | $42,080 | $48,850 | $60,130 | $61,210 | $49,860 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | $17.41 | $18.32 | $20.87 | $23.00 | $28.27 | $21.32 | 3,560 | 1.21 | 5.67 |
| Annual | $36,200 | $38,100 | $43,400 | $47,850 | $58,800 | $44,340 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $14.45 | $16.81 | $17.94 | $22.71 | $25.23 | $20.12 | 1,820 | 0.13 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $30,060 | $34,970 | $37,310 | $47,240 | $52,480 | $41,840 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $18.27 | $20.70 | $23.26 | $28.41 | $29.68 | $24.19 | 1,710 | 0.58 | 2.71 |
| Annual | $38,000 | $43,060 | $48,390 | $59,100 | $61,730 | $50,310 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $14.85 | $17.63 | $21.00 | $23.82 | $26.28 | $20.75 | 1,700 | 0.31 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $30,880 | $36,670 | $43,680 | $49,540 | $54,660 | $43,160 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $15.49 | $17.41 | $22.41 | $28.11 | $29.57 | $22.49 | 1,640 | 0.38 | 1.80 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $36,210 | $46,600 | $58,460 | $61,500 | $46,780 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | Hourly | $16.48 | $21.96 | $27.11 | $27.46 | $31.48 | $25.08 | 40 | 0.15 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $34,280 | $45,680 | $56,380 | $57,110 | $65,470 | $52,170 | ||||
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | Hourly | $17.95 | $19.60 | $24.00 | $28.56 | $34.00 | $25.01 | 60 | 0.16 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $37,340 | $40,780 | $49,920 | $59,400 | $70,720 | $52,030 | ||||
| Portland-South Portland, ME | Hourly | $17.49 | $20.47 | $23.79 | $24.14 | $27.89 | $22.69 | 50 | 0.16 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $36,370 | $42,580 | $49,470 | $50,220 | $58,000 | $47,200 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $15.01 | $17.22 | $23.76 | $35.92 | $51.96 | $28.90 | 680 | 0.22 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $31,230 | $35,830 | $49,420 | $74,720 | $108,080 | $60,110 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $18.34 | $19.39 | $23.68 | $24.62 | $28.14 | $22.98 | 1,160 | 0.26 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $38,140 | $40,340 | $49,250 | $51,210 | $58,530 | $47,810 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.74 | $17.47 | $22.41 | $27.92 | $30.13 | $22.69 | 1,940 | 0.20 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $34,810 | $36,340 | $46,600 | $58,070 | $62,670 | $47,190 | ||||
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | Hourly | $17.91 | $18.46 | $21.33 | $24.61 | $28.39 | $21.80 | 1,490 | 1.82 | 8.51 |
| Annual | $37,240 | $38,390 | $44,360 | $51,180 | $59,040 | $45,350 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $19.17 | $22.00 | $23.37 | $28.92 | $29.83 | $24.90 | 1,290 | 0.66 | 3.09 |
| Annual | $39,880 | $45,750 | $48,610 | $60,160 | $62,040 | $51,780 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $18.34 | $19.39 | $23.68 | $24.62 | $28.14 | $22.98 | 1,160 | 0.26 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $38,140 | $40,340 | $49,250 | $51,210 | $58,530 | $47,810 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $14.45 | $17.20 | $18.00 | $23.67 | $28.01 | $21.14 | 1,000 | 0.25 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $30,060 | $35,770 | $37,440 | $49,240 | $58,260 | $43,980 | ||||
Top industries employing print binding and finishing workers
Printing and Related Support Activities employ 87.3% of print binding and finishing workers nationally (28,960 jobs) at a median $43,410 a year ($20.87 an hour), followed by Employment Services (3.2%) and Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (2.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Printing and Related Support Activities NAICS 323100 | 28,960 | 87.3% | $43,410 | $20.87 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 1,050 | 3.2% | $34,780 | $16.72 |
| Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services NAICS 541800 | 830 | 2.5% | $37,760 | $18.16 |
| Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers NAICS 513100 | 650 | 2.0% | $40,630 | $19.53 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 310 | 0.9% | $108,080 | $51.96 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (33,180). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $36,590 for print binding and finishing workers in May 2021 and $42,290 in May 2025, with employment of 40,810 and 33,180.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $36,590 | $17.59 | 40,810 |
| May 2022 | $36,970 | $17.77 | 39,030 |
| May 2023 | $38,100 | $18.32 | 38,880 |
| May 2024 | $39,820 | $19.14 | 36,470 |
| May 2025 | $42,290 | $20.33 | 33,180 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
50 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $51.96 | $108,080 | $64,440 | $115,420 | 200 | 0.28 | 1.33 |
| 2 | Mississippi profile | $44.16 | $91,850 | $37,150 | $108,080 | 110 | 0.10 | 0.46 |
| 3 | Alaska profile | $27.50 | $57,200 | $24,770 | $73,420 | 30 | 0.09 | 0.44 |
| 4 | Vermont profile | $23.53 | $48,930 | $42,710 | $55,840 | 80 | 0.25 | 1.17 |
| 5 | New Hampshire profile | $23.49 | $48,850 | $39,080 | $61,210 | 140 | 0.20 | 0.93 |
| 6 | North Dakota profile | $23.44 | $48,760 | $36,070 | $64,410 | 80 | 0.19 | 0.90 |
| 7 | Minnesota profile | $23.26 | $48,390 | $38,000 | $61,730 | 1,710 | 0.58 | 2.71 |
| 8 | Maine profile | $23.19 | $48,230 | $37,530 | $58,620 | 180 | 0.28 | 1.32 |
| 9 | Illinois profile | $23.02 | $47,880 | $37,780 | $57,500 | 1,540 | 0.25 | 1.18 |
| 10 | Connecticut profile | $22.96 | $47,750 | $36,250 | $61,550 | 490 | 0.29 | 1.36 |
| 11 | Massachusetts profile | $22.42 | $46,630 | $35,100 | $60,880 | 750 | 0.21 | 0.97 |
| 12 | New Jersey profile | $22.41 | $46,600 | $32,220 | $61,500 | 1,640 | 0.38 | 1.80 |
| 13 | Oregon profile | $22.23 | $46,240 | $37,820 | $58,780 | 240 | 0.12 | 0.56 |
| 14 | Colorado profile | $22.01 | $45,780 | $37,330 | $63,080 | 370 | 0.13 | 0.60 |
| 15 | California profile | $21.82 | $45,390 | $35,900 | $59,290 | 1,590 | 0.09 | 0.41 |
| 16 | Washington profile | $21.78 | $45,300 | $36,300 | $62,380 | 460 | 0.13 | 0.60 |
| 17 | Maryland profile | $21.72 | $45,170 | $32,890 | $62,730 | 560 | 0.20 | 0.95 |
| 18 | Rhode Island profile | $21.66 | $45,050 | $40,530 | $57,040 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.41 |
| 19 | New York profile | $21.26 | $44,210 | $35,560 | $60,040 | 1,150 | 0.12 | 0.55 |
| 20 | Ohio profile | $21.00 | $43,680 | $30,880 | $54,660 | 1,700 | 0.31 | 1.44 |
| 21 | Wisconsin profile | $20.87 | $43,400 | $36,200 | $58,800 | 3,560 | 1.21 | 5.67 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania profile | $20.68 | $43,010 | $35,750 | $55,730 | 1,640 | 0.27 | 1.27 |
| 23 | Virginia profile | $20.57 | $42,780 | $30,220 | $62,210 | 980 | 0.24 | 1.12 |
| 24 | South Dakota profile | $19.88 | $41,350 | $35,220 | $52,880 | 110 | 0.25 | 1.15 |
| 25 | West Virginia profile | $19.88 | $41,340 | $37,750 | $62,450 | 280 | 0.39 | 1.84 |
| 26 | Hawaii profile | $19.74 | $41,050 | $29,120 | $45,670 | 80 | 0.12 | 0.58 |
| 27 | Arkansas profile | $19.73 | $41,040 | $31,230 | $57,980 | 200 | 0.16 | 0.72 |
| 28 | South Carolina profile | $19.63 | $40,820 | $29,350 | $52,170 | 340 | 0.15 | 0.70 |
| 29 | Michigan profile | $19.45 | $40,460 | $33,280 | $55,310 | 1,320 | 0.30 | 1.40 |
| 30 | Idaho profile | $19.33 | $40,200 | $17,050 | $47,540 | 30 | 0.04 | 0.17 |
| 31 | Nevada profile | $19.33 | $40,200 | $34,590 | $56,160 | 350 | 0.22 | 1.05 |
| 32 | Delaware profile | $19.27 | $40,080 | $31,200 | $59,410 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.41 |
| 33 | Arizona profile | $19.11 | $39,740 | $34,780 | $55,250 | 240 | 0.08 | 0.35 |
| 34 | Kentucky profile | $19.05 | $39,620 | $23,720 | $59,830 | 410 | 0.21 | 0.96 |
| 35 | North Carolina profile | $19.03 | $39,580 | $33,790 | $54,910 | 1,070 | 0.22 | 1.02 |
| 36 | Utah profile | $19.03 | $39,570 | $34,790 | $52,010 | 690 | 0.40 | 1.86 |
| 37 | Georgia profile | $18.90 | $39,310 | $29,380 | $55,690 | 790 | 0.16 | 0.76 |
| 38 | Alabama profile | $18.88 | $39,270 | $26,490 | $46,790 | 440 | 0.21 | 0.98 |
| 39 | Iowa profile | $18.65 | $38,790 | $31,030 | $58,080 | 330 | 0.21 | 0.99 |
| 40 | Florida profile | $18.62 | $38,730 | $31,510 | $51,570 | 1,320 | 0.13 | 0.62 |
| 41 | Indiana profile | $18.62 | $38,730 | $32,080 | $51,240 | 970 | 0.30 | 1.43 |
| 42 | Missouri profile | $18.54 | $38,570 | $31,380 | $58,700 | 1,010 | 0.34 | 1.61 |
| 43 | Oklahoma profile | $18.16 | $37,770 | $28,170 | $43,450 | 140 | 0.08 | 0.37 |
| 44 | Kansas profile | $18.01 | $37,470 | $25,040 | $51,370 | 660 | 0.46 | 2.15 |
| 45 | Texas profile | $17.94 | $37,310 | $30,060 | $52,480 | 1,820 | 0.13 | 0.61 |
| 46 | Tennessee profile | $17.77 | $36,960 | $31,320 | $47,750 | 730 | 0.22 | 1.04 |
| 47 | Nebraska profile | $17.69 | $36,800 | $30,220 | $47,130 | 210 | 0.21 | 0.97 |
| 48 | Louisiana profile | $17.42 | $36,230 | $29,840 | $49,100 | 180 | 0.09 | 0.43 |
| 49 | Montana profile | $17.41 | $36,220 | $31,860 | $50,730 | 90 | 0.18 | 0.82 |
| 50 | New Mexico profile | $14.12 | $29,380 | $28,350 | $46,250 | 80 | 0.10 | 0.44 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-5110), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-5113 Print Binding and Finishing Workers.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-5113, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-5113.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.