Over a half-dozen intricate steps go into binding a hardcover book. This makes book binders invaluable employees in producing books, magazines, binders and other publications. Most of these workers use special machines to bind books, though precise measurements necessitate proper sewing, stitching and gluing techniques. Book binders usually have high school degrees and four or five years of training. They typically get paid by the hour.
Average Wages and Benefits
Book binders earned average hourly rates of $14.81, or about $30,800 annually, according to May 2010 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There wages are highly contingent upon experience, the size and labor budgets of their companies and the geographical areas where they work. Like other business employees, they may receive benefits like hospital and life insurance, paid vacations and holidays, sick leave and retirement savings plans.
Average Wages by Industry
Book binders' salaries can vary significantly by industry. For example, those working for the federal government earned average wages of $33.84 per hour or $70,390 annually, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Incomes dropped significantly for the second-highest earners, local government employees, who earned $19.18 per hour or $39,880 per year. State government workers earned average hourly rates of $18.06 or $37,570 per year. Book binders in the newspaper, periodical, book and directory publishing industry earned wages closer to the national average at $13.85 per hour or $28,810 per year.
Salary by State
Book binders' wages also vary according to state. For example, those in the District of Columbia earned hourly rates of $29.39 or $61,140 per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics' data. They also earned relatively high wages in Illinois at $18.65 per hour or $38,800 per year. These workers earned wages slightly above the national average in Wisconsin at $15.40 per hour or $32,030 per year. And those in California and Texas earned below-average hourly rates at $13,87 and $13.24 or $28,840 and $27,540 per year, respectively.
Job Outlook
Jobs for book binders are expected to decline by 19 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to a December 2009 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Fewer jobs in this field will be directly related to increases in electronic publishing, especially for corporate publications like annual reports. Automation has made book binding much easier for corporations and publishers, which also contribute to employment losses for book-binding professionals.
Tags: Book binders, Bureau Labor, Bureau Labor Statistics, hour year, hourly rates, Labor Statistics
