Ever wondered just how much the world’s top-earning publishing companies rake in each year?

According to Publishers Weekly, global book sales were up in 2021 compared to the previous year, especially for print books, which saw unit sales rise by 8.9% over 2020.

Of course, some publishers did better than others, and it’s probably no surprise that the top-earning publishers of 2021 include the Big Five and other huge media players from around the world.

In this post, we’ll share the 15 top publishing companies in terms of their reported revenue for 2021.

Top Publishers Based on Annual Revenue

Here are the 15 top-grossing publishers based on their reported annual revenues.

1. RELX ($7.2 Billion)

Previously known as Reed Elsevier, RELX came into being in 1992 following a merger between Reed International (a British trade book and magazine publisher) and Elsevier (a Netherlands-based scientific publisher).

The group’s companies publish scientific, technical, and medical material, as well as legal textbooks. They also organize exhibitions and provide decision-making and analytical tools, including the legal database LexisNexis.

RELX is currently the world’s biggest publisher in terms of annual revenue.

2. Thomson Reuters ($6.3 Billion)

Thomson Reuters is a Canadian legal publisher based in Ontario. They provide specialized, authoritative sources for legal professionals, including lawyers, law enforcement personnel, and education professionals.

In addition to law books, Thomson Reuters also provides legal software, legal treatises, and business information services.

3. Pearson ($4.3 Billion)

Pearson is a British educational publisher that also provides assessment services to schools, corporations, and students directly.

Pearson produces high-quality digital content and learning experiences that help users build their skills.

Their nonfiction books cover business, finance, management, strategy, entrepreneurship, personal development, popular psychology, and careers.

4. Penguin Random House ($4.3 Billion)

Penguin Random House is the top-earning publisher among the “Big Five.” The multinational conglomerate was formed in 2013, when Penguin Group merged with Random House.

Home to over 300 independent imprints, PRH publishes adult and children’s fiction, as well as nonfiction print and digital trade books.

5. Hachette Book Group ($2.8 Billion)

Hachette Book Group is owned by Hachette Livre, the largest publisher in France, and the third largest trade and educational publisher in the world.

Also one of the Big Five publishing companies, HBG publishes around 1,400 titles each year, including books for adults and young readers.

6. HarperCollins ($1.985 Billion)

HarperCollins was founded in 1817 as J. and J. Harper. After several mergers and acquisitions, today HarperCollins is one of the BigFive and has 120 branded imprints around the world.

The company publishes approximately 10,000 new books each year across dozens of genres. HC authors include winners of the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Newbery and Caldecott Medals, and the Man Booker Prize.

7. John Wiley & Sons ($1.9 Bilion)

John Wiley & Sons (more commonly known as Wiley) was founded in 1807 with a focus on academic publishing and instructional materials.

When the company originally opened in Manhattan, it published 19th century American literary figures such as James Fenimore Cooper, Washington Irving, Herman Melville, and Edgar Allan Poe, in addition to a variety of nonfiction titles.

Wiley’s professional development brands include For Dummies, Pfeiffer, Fisher Investments, and Bloomberg Press.

8. Springer Nature ($1.72 Billion)

Springer Nature is a German-British academic publisher. Its current structure was the result of a 2015 merger of Nature Publishing Group, Macmillan Education, and Springer Science+Business Media.

Today, Springer takes pride in providing the best possible service to the research community, as well as helping authors and researchers share their discoveries.

9. McGraw Hill Education ($1.54 Billion)

McGraw Hill is one of the “big three” educational publishers that provides educational content, software, and services.

The company was founded in 1888 and today has four divisions dedicated to K-12 and adult learning, post-secondary education, post-graduate and professional learners, and foreign institutions.

10. Macmillan Publishers ($1.4 Billion)

Macmillan is a British global trade publisher, also considered one of the “Big Five” English language publishers.

Some of Macmillan’s first authors included Thomas Hughes, Lewis Carroll, Alfred Tennyson, and Rudyard Kipling.

Today Macmillan publishes a broad range of award-winning books for children and adults in all categories and formats. 

11. Scholastic ($1.3 Billion)

As a trade publisher, Scholastic published its first collection in 1926 and since then has continued to release award-winning and bestselling books.

Their titles range from beautifully illustrated books for small children to gripping novels that captivate global audiences.

Scholastic publishes over 600 new titles each year and has 14 distinct imprints, so there’s something for every type of reader.

12. Kodansha ($1.3 Billion)

Kodansha was founded in 1909 in Japan. It’s Japan’s largest publishing company, best known for producing manga and literary magazines.

Today Kodansha offers a great deal of variety within the popular manga genre, serving fans in more than 40 countries with titles such as Akira, Attack on Titan, and Sailor Moon.

13. Cengage ($1.23 Billion)

Cengage is an American educational publisher for the higher education, K-12, professional, and library markets.

Founded in 2007, Cengage operates in over 20 countries. In 2017, the company launched Cengage Unlimited, a paid subscription service that grants students access to Cengage’s entire digital higher education catalog.

14. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt ($1.05 Billion)

Founded in 1995, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (formerly Riverdeep Interactive Learning) publishes online educational material.

In addition, the company also provides professional development for teachers via learning courses, coaching, and consulting focused on student outcomes.

15. Simon & Schuster ($993 Million)

Simon & Schuster was founded in 1924 by Richard Simon and Max Schuster, when the two realized there were no books of New York Times crossword puzzles available.

By the 1930s, the company had transitioned from a crossword publisher and “fad” publisher to a traditional publishing house, releasing reprints of classics such as Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, and Robinson Crusoe.

As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest publisher in the United States, churning out 2,000 titles each year across 35 imprints. In late 2021, the US Department of Justice blocked Penguin Random House’s proposed acquisition of Simon & Schuster, arguing that the move would give too much influence to a single publisher.

Working with Big Publishers

Perhaps not surprisingly, all of the publishers listed in this post require a literary agent to submit a manuscript or proposal on the author’s behalf.

If you aren’t already represented, learn how you can find a literary agent who can find a home for your manuscript and get you closer to a deal with a major publisher.

Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!

 

If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:

• List of 100+ Reputable Book Publishing Companies
• 97 Self-Publishing Companies That Can Help Get Your Book Published
• What Is Independent Publishing? The Pros and Cons of Indie Publishers
• Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing: Pros, Cons, and Tips for Success