Over 30 Years, 40% of Publishing Jobs Disappeared. What Happened?

After a year when publishing industry layoffs have frequently been in the headlines, it will surprise no one that the total number of jobs in the industry is in decline. But in an era marked by corporate consolidation, increased competition for consumer attention, and the emergence of alternative publishing models, the most recent government data suggests the loss of publishing jobs over the past three decades has been dramatic.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of people employed in book publishing in the United States fell to 54,822 in 2023, down from 91,100 in 1997. If accurate, that represents a loss of about 40% of traditional publishing jobs in less than 30 years.