SOC 25-4022 · May 2025
Librarian Salary
Librarians in the US earn a median of $68,270 a year ($35.02 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Librarian pay climbed from $61,920 in 2019 to $72,840 in 2025, a +17.6% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$68,270
Half of all Librarians in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+17.6% since 2019 · +5.3% YoY
Hourly
$35.02
Job growth 2025-35
+2.6%
US workers
133,790
BLS series
Annual median wage for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Librarians is $43,660 – $103,990.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$43,660
25th
$56,310
Median
$68,270
75th
$84,480
90th
$103,990
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Librarians. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $43,660 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $56,310 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $68,270 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $84,480 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $103,990 |
Geography
Librarian pay by state
Librarians earn the most in Washington ($100,030, +47% against the national median) and the least in West Virginia ($42,980). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 51 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$68,270
Highest-paying states for librarians
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $100,030 | +47% | 2,750 |
| D.C. | $96,550 | +41% | 960 |
| California | $89,790 | +32% | 10,180 |
| Maryland | $88,570 | +30% | 3,220 |
| Nevada | $84,540 | +24% | 610 |
| Connecticut | $79,210 | +16% | 2,550 |
| Alaska | $78,810 | +15% | 350 |
| New York | $78,590 | +15% | 11,870 |
| Massachusetts | $78,540 | +15% | 4,980 |
| New Jersey | $78,380 | +15% | 4,100 |
All 51 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $100,030 | 2,750 |
| D.C. | $96,550 | 960 |
| California | $89,790 | 10,180 |
| Maryland | $88,570 | 3,220 |
| Nevada | $84,540 | 610 |
| Connecticut | $79,210 | 2,550 |
| Alaska | $78,810 | 350 |
| New York | $78,590 | 11,870 |
| Massachusetts | $78,540 | 4,980 |
| New Jersey | $78,380 | 4,100 |
| Oregon | $78,070 | 1,690 |
| Delaware | $77,700 | 370 |
| Minnesota | $77,650 | 2,220 |
| Virginia | $77,430 | 4,590 |
| Georgia | $76,750 | 3,330 |
| Colorado | $76,480 | 1,990 |
| Rhode Island | $75,860 | 780 |
| Texas | $71,860 | 9,150 |
| Hawaii | $68,270 | 300 |
| Florida | $67,060 | 6,670 |
| Wisconsin | $66,870 | 2,450 |
| Kentucky | $65,200 | 1,980 |
| Alabama | $64,650 | 2,750 |
| Nebraska | $64,060 | 1,200 |
| Montana | $63,870 | 640 |
| New Hampshire | $63,580 | 1,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,880 | 5,050 |
| North Dakota | $62,830 | 570 |
| Illinois | $62,700 | 5,390 |
| South Carolina | $62,640 | 2,130 |
| New Mexico | $62,530 | 580 |
| Vermont | $62,360 | 600 |
| Tennessee | $62,090 | 2,540 |
| Kansas | $61,900 | 1,620 |
| North Carolina | $61,420 | 4,010 |
| Louisiana | $60,650 | 2,130 |
| Ohio | $60,630 | 4,820 |
| Arizona | $60,500 | 1,990 |
| Michigan | $60,010 | 3,940 |
| Maine | $59,540 | 780 |
| Missouri | $58,700 | 2,970 |
| Iowa | $58,440 | 1,770 |
| Oklahoma | $58,180 | 1,820 |
| Mississippi | $56,970 | 1,060 |
| Arkansas | $56,800 | 1,490 |
| Idaho | $54,130 | 650 |
| Utah | $53,730 | 1,630 |
| Indiana | $53,500 | 1,920 |
| South Dakota | $51,210 | 490 |
| Wyoming | $46,530 | 440 |
| West Virginia | $42,980 | 610 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Librarians
Librarians and media collections specialists (BLS SOC 25-4022) administer libraries, develop collections, manage research services, and instruct patrons in information literacy. Most positions require a master's degree in library science (MLIS) accredited by the ALA. Pay varies by employer: academic and corporate special-libraries typically pay above the OEWS median; small public libraries often pay below.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $43,660 – $103,990. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are Washington, D.C. and California. Pay in Washington runs 2.3 times the level in West Virginia, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as master's degree, and projects about 12,600 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 2.6% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Librarian salary in the US?
How much does a Librarian make an hour?
How much do Librarians make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Librarians the most?
Is the average Librarian salary higher than the median?
Is Librarian a growing career?
Open positions
Open Librarian roles hiring now
Browse current Librarian listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 25-4022. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.