# Print Binding and Finishing Workers

US SOC code 51-5113. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/51-5113

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **33,180** US print binding and finishing workers, with median pay of **$42,290** a year. The earliest figure here is [a Census count](https://www.census.gov/library/publications/1914/dec/vol-4-occupations.html) of **31,409** from 1913, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for print binding and finishing workers: Hot-melt perfect binding, high-speed web lines, and offset finishing, 1960 to 2000. Hot-melt lines required significantly fewer workers per volume produced than earlier sewing-based methods, driving the first sustained employment decline in the trade.

Figures: Official statistic (latest count and pay); Researched context (earliest figure).

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to decline 17.5% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=51-5113&ioType=o) (Official statistic).

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35.

## Print Binding and Finishing Workers employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1820
- Latest US employment: 33,180 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [3]
- Latest US median pay: $42,290 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Outlook: -17.5% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [13]

### All 19 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1845 | n/a | $130 (average) (estimate) | Est., American Bookbinders Museum [4] |
| 1913 | 31,409 | n/a | Decennial Census 1910 [1] |
| 1957 | 58,344 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Wikipedia [2] |
| 2010 | 54,230 | $28,920 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [3] |
| 2011 | 53,980 | $29,420 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [3] |
| 2012 | 52,960 | $29,750 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [3] |
| 2013 | 52,000 | $29,480 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [3] |
| 2014 | 51,430 | $29,500 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [3] |
| 2015 | 52,380 | $30,260 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [3] |
| 2016 | 52,730 | $31,410 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [3] |
| 2017 | 48,680 | $32,040 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [3] |
| 2018 | 45,690 | $32,890 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [3] |
| 2019 | 45,600 | $33,040 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [3] |
| 2020 | 42,450 | $34,260 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [3] |
| 2021 | 40,810 | $36,590 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [3] |
| 2022 | 39,030 | $36,970 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [3] |
| 2023 | 38,880 | $38,100 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [3] |
| 2024 | 36,470 | $39,820 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [3] |
| 2025 | 33,180 | $42,290 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [3] |

## Sources (52)

### Employment series

1. [U.S. Census Bureau, 1910 Census Volume IV: Population, Occupation Statistics -- bookbinders by sex (18,449 women + 12,960 men = 31,409)](https://www.census.gov/library/publications/1914/dec/vol-4-occupations.html), U.S. Census Bureau
2. [Wikipedia -- International Brotherhood of Bookbinders (IBB membership 58,344 in 1957; AFL-CIO affiliation 1955)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Brotherhood_of_Bookbinders), Wikipedia (citing IBB historical records)
3. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

4. [American Bookbinders Museum, San Francisco -- "Bookbinding and the Working Woman" (NYC bindery workers 1845 earning $1.50-$6/wk, avg $2.50)](https://bookbindersmuseum.org/bookbinding-and-the-working-woman/), American Bookbinders Museum
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

6. [American Bookbinders Museum, San Francisco -- Historical Bindery Equipment collection (Smyth #3 Book-Sewing Machine ca. 1880s, Palmer & Rey Guillotine ca. 1880s, context for pre-mechanization hand tools)](https://bookbindersmuseum.org/collections/equipment/), American Bookbinders Museum
7. [Grolier Club / Second Printing Revolution -- "Bookbinding" (mechanization from hand craft to industrial era)](https://grolierclub.omeka.net/exhibits/show/second-printing-revolution/bookbinding), Grolier Club
8. [Advantage Book Binding & Post Press Services -- "Things You Didn't Know About the History of Book Binding" (Smyth sewing machine 1868 patent history)](https://www.advantagebookbinding.com/blog/book-binding/things-didnt-know-history-book-binding/), Advantage Book Binding
9. [Wikipedia -- International Brotherhood of Bookbinders (founded 1892, 58,344 members 1957)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Brotherhood_of_Bookbinders), Wikipedia
10. [Wikipedia -- Graphic Arts International Union (IBB merged 1972 to form GAIU; GAIU merged 1983 to form GCIU)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphic_Arts_International_Union), Wikipedia
11. [Smithers -- "Printing Industry Shrinks Nearly 15% to 2022" (long-run printing employment decline, 57% loss since 2001)](https://www.smithers.com/resources/2023/august/printing-industry-shrinks-nearly-15-percent-2022), Smithers
12. [O\*NET 51-5113.00 -- BLS OEWS 2024 (employment 35,800; 85.6% in printing and related support activities NAICS 323)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-5113.00), O\*NET / BLS

### Forecasts and exposure studies

13. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 51-5113 Print binding and finishing workers (2025: 32.3 thousand; 2035: 26.6 thousand; -17.5%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=51-5113&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Historical notes

14. [American Bookbinders Museum, San Francisco -- "Bookbinding and the Working Woman" (Philadelphia 1835 minimum $3/week; working conditions)](https://bookbindersmuseum.org/bookbinding-and-the-working-woman/), American Bookbinders Museum
15. [Advantage Book Binding & Post Press Services -- "Things You Didn't Know About the History of Book Binding" (Smyth book-sewing machine 1868)](https://www.advantagebookbinding.com/blog/book-binding/things-didnt-know-history-book-binding/), Advantage Book Binding
16. [Wikipedia -- International Brotherhood of Bookbinders (founded May 5, 1892, AFL charter 1898)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Brotherhood_of_Bookbinders), Wikipedia
17. [Wikipedia -- Graphic Arts International Union (IBB merged September 4, 1972; GAIU 115,000 members 1981)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphic_Arts_International_Union), Wikipedia
18. [Smithers -- "Printing Industry Shrinks Nearly 15% to 2022" (industry employment down 57% since 2001, digital displacement)](https://www.smithers.com/resources/2023/august/printing-industry-shrinks-nearly-15-percent-2022), Smithers

### Predecessors & successors

19. [Grolier Club / Second Printing Revolution -- "Bookbinding" (transition from hand craft to factory bindery)](https://grolierclub.omeka.net/exhibits/show/second-printing-revolution/bookbinding), Grolier Club
20. [Wikipedia -- International Brotherhood of Bookbinders (split from International Typographical Union in 1892)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Brotherhood_of_Bookbinders), Wikipedia

### Present-day analysis

- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-21
- [O\*NET 30.3 — US Department of Labor](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), accessed 2026-05-21

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.