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Bindery operator: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$42,290median pay per year, or $20.33 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $32,220lowest 10% earn less
  2. $36,91025th percentile
  3. $42,290median
  4. $49,13075th percentile
  5. $59,150top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

A bindery operator, which BLS counts as a print binding and finishing worker, had a median pay of $42,290 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to fall 17.5% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-17.5%[2]
Openings per year
2,300[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do bindery operators make?

The median wage for Print Binding and Finishing Workers was $42,290 a year, or $20.33 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The median for all occupations was $50,980, so this job's median was lower[4]. The average (mean) wage was $44,460 a year, or $21.38 an hour[7].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $32,220 a year, and the 25th percentile was $36,910[3]. The 75th percentile was $49,130 and the 90th percentile was $59,150[3]. Hourly, the 10th percentile was $15.49 and the 90th was $28.44[8].

A percentile wage is a boundary. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9].

Measure Annual wage Hourly wage
10th percentile[3][8] $32,220 $15.49
25th percentile[3][8] $36,910 $17.75
Median[1] $42,290 $20.33
75th percentile[3][8] $49,130 $23.62
90th percentile[3][8] $59,150 $28.44

These figures cover workers paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits[10].

Pay by state and city

BLS published median wages for 49 states and the District of Columbia[11]. The District of Columbia was first at $108,080 a year, followed by Mississippi at $91,850 and Alaska at $57,200[11]. New Mexico was last in that list at $29,380[11]. The full table is below.

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, the highest medians were in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $49,420, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN at $49,250 and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC at $49,110[12].

About 33,180 people held these jobs in May 2025[13]. Wisconsin had the most, at 3,560, then Texas at 1,820, Minnesota at 1,710, Ohio at 1,700 and New Jersey at 1,640[14]. The metro area with the most jobs was New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, at 1,940 jobs and a median of $46,600[15]. Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI was next at 1,490 jobs[15].

Show median pay in 49 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
District of Columbia[11]$108,080200
Mississippi$91,850110
Alaska$57,20030
Vermont$48,93080
New Hampshire$48,850140
North Dakota$48,76080
Minnesota$48,3901,710
Maine$48,230180
Illinois$47,8801,540
Connecticut$47,750490
Massachusetts$46,630750
New Jersey$46,6001,640
Oregon$46,240240
Colorado$45,780370
California$45,3901,590
Washington$45,300460
Maryland$45,170560
Rhode Island$45,05040
New York$44,2101,150
Ohio$43,6801,700
Wisconsin$43,4003,560
Pennsylvania$43,0101,640
Virginia$42,780980
South Dakota$41,350110
West Virginia$41,340280
Hawaii$41,05080
Arkansas$41,040200
South Carolina$40,820340
Michigan$40,4601,320
Idaho$40,20030
Nevada$40,200350
Delaware$40,08040
Arizona$39,740240
Kentucky$39,620410
North Carolina$39,5801,070
Utah$39,570690
Georgia$39,310790
Alabama$39,270440
Iowa$38,790330
Florida$38,7301,320
Indiana$38,730970
Missouri$38,5701,010
Oklahoma$37,770140
Kansas$37,470660
Texas$37,3101,820
Tennessee$36,960730
Nebraska$36,800210
Louisiana$36,230180
Montana$36,22090
New Mexico$29,38080

How to become a bindery operator

BLS describes the typical path like this[6]:

In an O*NET survey of 24 workers, 88% said a high school diploma or the equivalent is required[16]. A survey this small gives only a rough picture.

The facts here do not say how many months the training takes, what it costs, or whether a certificate is required.

What bindery operators do

O*NET describes the work as binding books and other publications, or finishing printed products by hand or machine. Workers may also set up binding and finishing machines[17]. Common tasks include:

Workers report titles such as bindery operator, bindery worker, book binder and perfect binder operator[19].

Job outlook

BLS projects that employment will decline 17.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 32,300 to 26,600 jobs, a loss of 5,600[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same years[20]. These projection counts include self-employed workers, so they differ from the OEWS count of wage and salary jobs[13][2].

BLS still expects about 2,300 openings a year on average[5]. Openings include workers who retire or move to other occupations as well as new jobs[5]. Each year, 4.5% of workers leave the labor force and 5.3% move to a different occupation[21].

Is it a good fit?

The median pay of $42,290 is below the all-occupations median of $50,980[1][4]. The entry requirement is a high school diploma with on-the-job training, and no related experience is needed[6]. The outlook is weak, with a projected 17.5% decline compared with 3.5% growth for all occupations[2][20]. Even so, about 2,300 openings a year are projected[5]. Pay differs by state, so it is worth checking the state table below before comparing offers[11].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[22].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a bindery operator make an hour?
The median hourly wage for print binding and finishing workers was $20.33 in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $15.49 and the 90th was $28.44[8].
What education do you need to be a bindery operator?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent, no related experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
Is bindery work in demand?
BLS projects a 17.5% decline from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[2][20]. About 2,300 openings a year are projected[5].
What state has the most bindery jobs?
Wisconsin had the most print binding and finishing jobs, at 3,560 in May 2025[14].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Print Binding and Finishing Workers in the US was $42,290 per year and $20.33 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Print Binding and Finishing Workers is projected to decline 17.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 32,300 to 26,600 jobs (a change of -5,600). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Print Binding and Finishing Workers: 10th percentile $32,220, 25th percentile $36,910, 75th percentile $49,130, 90th percentile $59,150. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 2,300 openings for Print Binding and Finishing Workers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Print Binding and Finishing Workers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Print Binding and Finishing Workers was $44,460 per year and $21.38 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Print Binding and Finishing Workers: 10th percentile $15.49, 25th percentile $17.75, 75th percentile $23.62, 90th percentile $28.44. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Print Binding and Finishing Workers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Print Binding and Finishing Workers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $49,420; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $49,250; Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $49,110; Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $48,610; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $48,470; Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $48,450; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $48,180; Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $48,150. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 33,180 people were employed as Print Binding and Finishing Workers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Print Binding and Finishing Workers jobs: Wisconsin 3,560; Texas 1,820; Minnesota 1,710; Ohio 1,700; New Jersey 1,640. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Print Binding and Finishing Workers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 1,940 (median $46,600); Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI 1,490 (median $44,360); Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 1,290 (median $48,610); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 1,160 (median $49,250); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,000 (median $37,440); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 760 (median $46,110). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 51-5113.00 survey of workers (24 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 88% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET description of Print Binding and Finishing Workers. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET task list for Print Binding and Finishing Workers. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 51-5113.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Binder Operator, Bindery Operator, Bindery Technician, Bindery Worker, Book Binder, Custom Bookbinder, Perfect Binder Operator. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Print Binding and Finishing Workers: 4.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  22. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.