Print Binding and Finishing Workers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for print binding and finishing workers in the U.S. is $42,290 ($20.33 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $42,290
- Mean annual wage
- $44,460
- Median hourly wage
- $20.33
- Employment
- 33,180
33,180 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $32,220 | $15.49 |
| 25th percentile | $36,910 | $17.75 |
| Median (50th) | $42,290 | $20.33 |
| 75th percentile | $49,130 | $23.62 |
| 90th percentile | $59,150 | $28.44 |
Highest-paying states for print binding and finishing workers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $108,080 | 200 |
| Mississippi | $91,850 | 110 |
| Alaska | $57,200 | 30 |
| Vermont | $48,930 | 80 |
| New Hampshire | $48,850 | 140 |
| North Dakota | $48,760 | 80 |
| Minnesota | $48,390 | 1,710 |
| Maine | $48,230 | 180 |
| Illinois | $47,880 | 1,540 |
| Connecticut | $47,750 | 490 |
Lowest-paying states
- New Mexico: $29,380 median annual wage
- Montana: $36,220 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $36,230 median annual wage
- Nebraska: $36,800 median annual wage
- Tennessee: $36,960 median annual wage
About this occupation
Bind books and other publications or finish printed products by hand or machine. May set up binding and finishing machines.
Typical tasks
- Prepare finished books for shipping by wrapping or packing books and stacking boxes on pallets.
- Form book bodies by folding and sewing printed sheets to form signatures and assembling signatures in numerical order.
- Bind new books, using hand tools such as bone folders, knives, hammers, or brass binding tools.
- Set up or operate machines that perform binding operations, such as pressing, folding, or trimming.
- Lubricate, clean, or make minor repairs to machine parts to keep machines in working condition.
- Stitch or glue endpapers, bindings, backings, or signatures, using sewing machines, glue machines, or glue and brushes.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 14.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 49.0% |
| Some college, no degree | 20.9% |
| Associate's degree | 3.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 8.6% |
| Master's degree | 3.3% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.8% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,650
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,450
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,570
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$53,750
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,220
- Machinists$58,750
- Production Workers, All Other$40,110
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$45,850
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.