Bookbinder

#29Declining

4/5

Key facts

−13.5%jobs, 2025 to 2035

United States

This job is declining in the United States. AI exposure: very low according to the ILO, low according to the BLS. Employment change in the United States by 2035: −13.5% (BLS). Future-proof jobs use similar skills: see "What next?".

The job

Print finishing and binding workers (ISCO 7323). Print finishing and binding workers bind books and other publications, and finish printed products by hand or machine.

Page built from official classifications (ILO, ESCO); figures cover all the jobs grouped here.

69 job titles linked to this page

Titles from the European ESCO classification. They are also used for search.

binder
binder machine operator
binder machine tender
binder operator
binder specialist
binder technician
bindery machine operator
bindery machine specialist
bindery machine technician
bindery operative
bindery operator
bindery specialist
bindery technician
bindery worker
binding machine operator
binding machine tender
binding operator
book conservator
book repairer
book restorer
book restorer and conservator
book-sewing machine operator
book-sewing machine specialist
book-sewing machine technician
book-sewing machine tender
bookbinder
bookbinding machine operator
complex folder/gluer operator
folder cutter operator
folder gluer specialist
folder guillotine operator
folder machine operator
folder machine tender
folder/cutter operator
folder/gluer specialist
folder/guillotine operator
folding machine specialist
folding machine technician
master book restorer
miniture folding operator
miniture folding specialist
miniture folding technician
paper binder
paper conservator
paper folder machine worker
paper folding machinist
paper stitcher
paper stitching machine operator
paper stitching machine specialist
paper stitching machine technician
perfect binder operator
perfect binder specialist
perfect binder technician
perfect bindery operator
perfect bindery specialist
perfect bindery technician
perfect binding operator
print folding operator
print folding specialist
print folding technician
printing folding machine operator
printing stitcher operator
rare book restorer
stitching machine operator
thread book sewing machine operator
thread book sewing machine specialist
thread book sewing machine technician
thread book-sewing machine operator
thread book-sewing machine tender

What next?

Future-proof jobs that draw on skills close to this one. They are leads to explore, not an assessment of your profile.

Indicative matches: at launch they will come from the skills listed in official occupational directories.

Gauges

Risk 4/5 · High

AI exposureLowBLS AI exposure category "low" (2026), higher than the ILO 2025 index (very low)

Employment outlookSharp declineBLS, 2025-2035 projections (Print binding and finishing workers; Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders; Office machine operators, except computer)

Hiring difficultyNot availableNo US indicator measures hiring difficulty job by job

PayLowBLS, 2025 median annual wage: $43,952

EntryQuickBLS, typical education needed for entry

No US indicator measures hiring difficulty job by job: this gauge stays empty. How countries are compared

Sources

AI exposure categories and employment projections, 2025-2035 (XLSX file)Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States · August 2026 · official statistics
Generative AI and Jobs: a refined global index of occupational exposureInternational Labour Organization and NASK · May 2025 · large survey
ESCO, European classification of skills, competences, qualifications and occupations (job titles and O*NET crosswalk)European Commission · version 1.2 · official statistics
Jobs in 2030: projections by occupational family (summary table)Dares and France Stratégie · March 2022 · official statistics
EURES report on labour shortages and surpluses 2025, annexEuropean Labour Authority · June 2026 · official statistics

Checked on 27 October 2026.