Librarian earn $68,270 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $56,310 and $84,480. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
Administer and maintain libraries or collections of information, for public or private access through reference or borrowing. Work in a variety of settings, such as educational institutions, museums, and corporations, and with various types of informational materials, such as books, periodicals, recordings, films, and databases. Tasks may include acquiring, cataloging, and circulating library materials, and user services such as locating and organizing information, providing instruction on how to access information, and setting up and operating a library's media equipment.
Also known as:
Librarian earn $68,270 nationally, near the national median for college graduates. The middle 50% of earners fall between $56,310 and $84,480. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and location.
Near the national median for college graduates.
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
O*NET data identifies 5 core activities and 5 measurable skills for Librarian roles. Use this section to judge whether the day-to-day reality aligns with what you actually want to spend time doing.
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Low time pressure. Work pace is typically steady and self-directed.
The BLS projects +1.7% employment change for Librarian through 2034, below the national average of +5%. About 13,500 openings per year keep the field accessible to new entrants.
Slower than average.
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
Total US employment as of BLS May 2024.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024.
The five states below employ the most Librarian professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $68,270 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 11,020 | $77,080 | +12.9% |
| 2 | California | 10,030 | $86,590 | +26.8% |
| 3 | Texas | 9,430 | $64,910 | -4.9% |
| 4 | Florida | 5,960 | $59,890 | -12.3% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 5,420 | $60,120 | -11.9% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
Most Librarian positions require a master's degree to qualify. The 3 programs below are the most common academic pathways into this field, ranked by how many graduates they produce each year.
Extensive education (usually a master's or doctoral degree) plus years of field experience is required to qualify for most positions.
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teaching Specific Subjects | 40,101 | $51,389 | 1,276 |
| 2 | Educational Assessment | 8,912 | $55,308 | 385 |
| 3 | Library Science and Administration | 6,224 | $36,949 | 84 |
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 93 | $12,548 | $82,511 |
| 2 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | 93 | $12,470 | $84,943 |
| 3 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 4 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | 92 | $14,251 | $80,735 |
| 5 | Rice University Houston, TX | 91 | $13,370 | $89,718 |
| 6 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | 91 | $13,138 | $83,648 |
Once you've sized up Librarian, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
See if the degree that leads to Librarian pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
The data on Librarian shows 1 measurable strengths and 2 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
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Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
Only 95 of 385 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
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