25 Series · SOC 25-4022

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$68,270
Median / year
+6.1%
2024→2025
$103,990
Top 10% earn
+1.7%
Growth '24–'34
133,790
Estimated US jobs

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists earn a median of $68,270 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $68,270, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $43,660 (10th percentile) to $103,990 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 133,790 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Washington ($100,030).

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The pay verdict

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists earn a median of $68,270, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 60% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Educational Instruction and Library, it ranks #41 of 64 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 1.7% by 2034.

$68,270
Median annual wage
Top 40%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#41 of 64
in Educational Instruction and Library
2.4×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Washington at $100,030. Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists moved from $59,500 in May 2019 to $68,270 in May 2025 (+14.7%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Librarians and Media Collections Specialists sits -9.7 pp behind that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists (SOC 25-4022) has a national median of $68,270 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $43,660 to $103,990, and the published mean is $72,840. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 133,790 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 52 state or territory areas and 493 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $64,320 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $68,270 in May 2025, a rise of $3,950 (+6.1%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +1.7% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as about as fast as average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 13,500 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Master's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Educational Instruction and Library Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Washington pays the highest state median at $100,030, which is +47% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Naples-Marco Island, FL at $106,550. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 133,790 jobs Median $68,270/yr

Median Salary

$68,270

per year

Median Hourly

$32.82/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$72,840

average

Employment

133,790

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$68,270 Top 40% higher than 60% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 (this entry) 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$68,270 · 60th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 25-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Librarians and Media Collections Specialists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 25-series occupations with growth data, Librarians and Media Collections Specialists sits on the slower-growing side at +1.7% growth and $68,270 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $20000$40000$60000$80000$100000$120000 -5%0%5%10%15%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Teaching Assistants,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.5% · Median annual wage: $36780Elementary School Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2% · Median annual wage: $63970Secondary School Tea… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.6% · Median annual wage: $72040Middle School Teache… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -2% · Median annual wage: $64370Substitute Teachers,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.6% · Median annual wage: $41670Preschool Teachers, … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.1% · Median annual wage: $38140Self-Enrichment Teac… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.7% · Median annual wage: $46800Special Education Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.8% · Median annual wage: $65120Instructional Coordi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.3% · Median annual wage: $77440Health Specialties T… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 17.3% · Median annual wage: $107310Tutors - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.6% · Median annual wage: $43350Teaching Assistants,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.1% · Median annual wage: $42910Special Education Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.6% · Median annual wage: $74260Postsecondary Teache… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.8% · Median annual wage: $77640Librarians and Media… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.7% · Median annual wage: $68270Educational Instruct… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.5% · Median annual wage: $50890Career/Technical Edu… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.7% · Median annual wage: $63820Teachers and Instruc… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.1% · Median annual wage: $66140Career/Technical Edu… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.8% · Median annual wage: $66270Kindergarten Teacher… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.6% · Median annual wage: $62680Special Education Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.9% · Median annual wage: $66810Art, Drama, and Musi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.7% · Median annual wage: $78620Business Teachers, P… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.7% · Median annual wage: $99080Nursing Instructors … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 16.8% · Median annual wage: $80250
Among 24 25-series occupations with growth data, Librarians and Media Collections Specialists sits on the slower-growing side at +1.7% growth and $68,270 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Teaching Assistants,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.5%, Median annual wage $36780
  • Elementary School Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2%, Median annual wage $63970
  • Secondary School Tea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $72040
  • Middle School Teache…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -2%, Median annual wage $64370
  • Substitute Teachers,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.6%, Median annual wage $41670
  • Preschool Teachers, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $38140
  • Self-Enrichment Teac…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $46800
  • Special Education Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.8%, Median annual wage $65120
  • Instructional Coordi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.3%, Median annual wage $77440
  • Health Specialties T…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 17.3%, Median annual wage $107310
  • Tutors: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.6%, Median annual wage $43350
  • Teaching Assistants,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.1%, Median annual wage $42910
  • Special Education Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $74260
  • Postsecondary Teache…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.8%, Median annual wage $77640
  • Librarians and Media…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $68270
  • Educational Instruct…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.5%, Median annual wage $50890
  • Career/Technical Edu…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.7%, Median annual wage $63820
  • Teachers and Instruc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $66140
  • Career/Technical Edu…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.8%, Median annual wage $66270
  • Kindergarten Teacher…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.6%, Median annual wage $62680
  • Special Education Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.9%, Median annual wage $66810
  • Art, Drama, and Musi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $78620
  • Business Teachers, P…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.7%, Median annual wage $99080
  • Nursing Instructors …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 16.8%, Median annual wage $80250

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+1.7%

About as fast as average

Annual Openings

13,500

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+2,400

142,100 (2024) → 144,500 (2034)

Typical Education

Master's degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Educational Instruction and Library Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

0.3/100K

Injury Rate

0.8/100

Danger Index

3.4/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 3.9
Active Listening 3.9
Speaking 3.9
Writing 3.6
Critical Thinking 3.6
Monitoring 3.4
Service Orientation 3.4
Active Learning 3.3
Social Perceptiveness 3.3
Instructing 3.1

Knowledge Areas

Customer and Personal Service 4.6
English Language 4.4
Computers and Electronics 4.0
Education and Training 4.0
Administrative 3.8
Communications and Media 3.3
Administration and Management 3.3
Psychology 2.7
Mathematics 2.6
Public Safety and Security 2.6

Key Tasks

  • Check books in and out of the library.
  • Teach library patrons basic computer skills, such as searching computerized databases.
  • Review and evaluate materials, using book reviews, catalogs, faculty recommendations, and current holdings to select and order print, audio-visual, and electronic resources.
  • Search standard reference materials, including online sources and the Internet, to answer patrons' reference questions.
  • Keep up-to-date records of circulation and materials, maintain inventory, and correct cataloging errors.
  • Analyze patrons' requests to determine needed information and assist in furnishing or locating that information.
  • Supervise daily library operations, budgeting, planning, and personnel activities, such as hiring, training, scheduling, and performance evaluations.
  • Plan and teach classes on topics such as information literacy, library instruction, and technology use.
  • Confer with colleagues, faculty, and community members and organizations to conduct informational programs, make collection decisions, and determine library services to offer.
  • Code, classify, and catalog books, publications, films, audio-visual aids, and other library materials, based on subject matter or standard library classification systems.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$43,660
25th$56,310
Median$68,270
75th$84,480
90th$103,990

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$20.99
25th$27.07
Median$32.82
75th$40.62
90th$50.00

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay history, 2019–2025

Published national median across 7 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$58,000$60,000$62,000$64,000$66,000$68,000$70,000 2019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2019: $59,500National median - 2020: $60,820National median - 2021: $61,190National median - 2022: $61,660National median - 2023: $64,370National median - 2024: $64,320National median - 2025: $68,270$68,270
National median annual wage for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists, May 2019 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2019 $59,500
2020 $60,820
2021 $61,190
2022 $61,660
2023 $64,370
2024 $64,320
2025 $68,270

2019 median

$59,500

2025 median

$68,270

2019–2025 change

+$8,770 (+14.7%)

Avg/year

+2.3%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2019 $59,500 First banked release 135,690
May 2020 $60,820 +2.2% 135,070
May 2021 $61,190 +0.6% 127,790
May 2022 $61,660 +0.8% 131,680
May 2023 $64,370 +4.4% 133,760
May 2024 $64,320 -0.1% 131,830
May 2025 $68,270 +6.1% 133,790

Across the 7 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $59,500 in May 2019 to $68,270 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +2.3% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 135,690 in May 2019 to 133,790 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in.

Salary by State

View all 52 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Washington $100,030 +47% above national
2 District of Columbia $96,550 +41% above national
3 California $89,790 +32% above national
4 Maryland $88,570 +30% above national
5 Nevada $84,540 +24% above national
6 Connecticut $79,210 +16% above national
7 Alaska $78,810 +15% above national
8 New York $78,590 +15% above national
9 Massachusetts $78,540 +15% above national
10 New Jersey $78,380 +15% above national
11 Oregon $78,070 +14% above national
12 Delaware $77,700 +14% above national
13 Minnesota $77,650 +14% above national
14 Virginia $77,430 +13% above national
15 Georgia $76,750 +12% above national
16 Colorado $76,480 +12% above national
17 Rhode Island $75,860 +11% above national
18 Texas $71,860 +5% above national
19 Hawaii $68,270 same as national
20 Florida $67,060 2% below national
21 Wisconsin $66,870 2% below national
22 Kentucky $65,200 4% below national
23 Alabama $64,650 5% below national
24 Nebraska $64,060 6% below national
25 Montana $63,870 6% below national
26 New Hampshire $63,580 7% below national
27 Pennsylvania $62,880 8% below national
28 North Dakota $62,830 8% below national
29 Illinois $62,700 8% below national
30 South Carolina $62,640 8% below national
31 New Mexico $62,530 8% below national
32 Vermont $62,360 9% below national
33 Tennessee $62,090 9% below national
34 Kansas $61,900 9% below national
35 North Carolina $61,420 10% below national
36 Louisiana $60,650 11% below national
37 Ohio $60,630 11% below national
38 Arizona $60,500 11% below national
39 Michigan $60,010 12% below national
40 Maine $59,540 13% below national
41 Missouri $58,700 14% below national
42 Iowa $58,440 14% below national
43 Oklahoma $58,180 15% below national
44 Mississippi $56,970 17% below national
45 Arkansas $56,800 17% below national
46 Idaho $54,130 21% below national
47 Utah $53,730 21% below national
48 Indiana $53,500 22% below national
49 Puerto Rico $51,610 24% below national
50 South Dakota $51,210 25% below national
51 Wyoming $46,530 32% below national
52 West Virginia $42,980 37% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 359 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Naples-Marco Island, FL $106,550 +56% above national
2 Kennewick-Richland, WA $105,240 +54% above national
3 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $103,240 +51% above national
4 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $101,780 +49% above national
5 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $101,490 +49% above national
6 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $100,240 +47% above national
7 Merced, CA $98,630 +44% above national
8 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $97,510 +43% above national
9 Yakima, WA $96,250 +41% above national
10 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $95,480 +40% above national
11 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $94,380 +38% above national
12 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $92,610 +36% above national
13 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $92,140 +35% above national
14 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $91,090 +33% above national
15 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $87,490 +28% above national
16 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $85,730 +26% above national
17 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $84,810 +24% above national
18 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $84,540 +24% above national
19 Charlottesville, VA $84,430 +24% above national
20 Odessa, TX $84,260 +23% above national
21 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $83,890 +23% above national
22 Bellingham, WA $83,810 +23% above national
23 Ann Arbor, MI $83,200 +22% above national
24 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $83,090 +22% above national
25 Bend, OR $82,430 +21% above national
26 New Haven, CT $82,420 +21% above national
27 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $82,280 +21% above national
28 Laredo, TX $82,130 +20% above national
29 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $82,130 +20% above national
30 Anchorage, AK $82,110 +20% above national
31 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $81,890 +20% above national
32 Lincoln, NE $81,810 +20% above national
33 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $81,670 +20% above national
34 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $81,610 +20% above national
35 Boulder, CO $81,550 +19% above national
36 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $81,470 +19% above national
37 Modesto, CA $80,860 +18% above national
38 Chico, CA $80,840 +18% above national
39 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $80,800 +18% above national
40 Fresno, CA $80,450 +18% above national
41 Rochester, MN $80,250 +18% above national
42 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $79,880 +17% above national
43 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $79,660 +17% above national
44 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $79,620 +17% above national
45 Salisbury, MD $79,520 +16% above national
46 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $79,450 +16% above national
47 Mankato, MN $79,420 +16% above national
48 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $79,290 +16% above national
49 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $78,780 +15% above national
50 Tyler, TX $78,500 +15% above national
51 Napa, CA $78,490 +15% above national
52 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $78,460 +15% above national
53 Ithaca, NY $78,460 +15% above national
54 Albany, OR $78,330 +15% above national
55 Bozeman, MT $78,160 +14% above national
56 El Centro, CA $78,110 +14% above national
57 Madison, WI $78,050 +14% above national
58 Eugene-Springfield, OR $77,950 +14% above national
59 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $77,930 +14% above national
60 Vallejo, CA $77,860 +14% above national
61 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $77,800 +14% above national
62 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $77,760 +14% above national
63 Iowa City, IA $77,680 +14% above national
64 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $77,640 +14% above national
65 State College, PA $77,560 +14% above national
66 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $77,520 +14% above national
67 Gainesville, GA $77,460 +13% above national
68 Richmond, VA $77,430 +13% above national
69 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $77,330 +13% above national
70 Salem, OR $77,320 +13% above national
71 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $77,030 +13% above national
72 Redding, CA $76,970 +13% above national
73 Elizabethtown, KY $76,920 +13% above national
74 Reno, NV $76,840 +13% above national
75 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $76,720 +12% above national
76 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $76,680 +12% above national
77 Savannah, GA $76,660 +12% above national
78 Harrisonburg, VA $76,240 +12% above national
79 Clarksville, TN-KY $76,110 +11% above national
80 Salinas, CA $76,080 +11% above national
81 Corvallis, OR $76,030 +11% above national
82 Dalton, GA $76,000 +11% above national
83 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $75,960 +11% above national
84 Warner Robins, GA $75,910 +11% above national
85 Dover, DE $75,880 +11% above national
86 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $75,730 +11% above national
87 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $75,280 +10% above national
88 Winchester, VA-WV $75,250 +10% above national
89 Worcester, MA $75,160 +10% above national
90 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $74,980 +10% above national
91 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $74,930 +10% above national
92 Kingston, NY $74,890 +10% above national
93 Wausau, WI $74,780 +10% above national
94 Stockton-Lodi, CA $74,760 +10% above national
95 Binghamton, NY $74,720 +9% above national
96 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $74,340 +9% above national
97 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $74,240 +9% above national
98 Lexington Park, MD $74,010 +8% above national
99 Elmira, NY $73,850 +8% above national
100 Vineland, NJ $73,540 +8% above national
101 El Paso, TX $73,160 +7% above national
102 Bismarck, ND $73,120 +7% above national
103 Grand Forks, ND-MN $72,990 +7% above national
104 Owensboro, KY $72,490 +6% above national
105 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $72,270 +6% above national
106 Green Bay, WI $72,020 +5% above national
107 Syracuse, NY $71,850 +5% above national
108 College Station-Bryan, TX $71,780 +5% above national
109 Columbus, GA-AL $71,690 +5% above national
110 Springfield, MA $71,430 +5% above national
111 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $71,260 +4% above national
112 Omaha, NE-IA $71,050 +4% above national
113 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $71,030 +4% above national
114 Urban Honolulu, HI $71,000 +4% above national
115 Valdosta, GA $70,840 +4% above national
116 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $70,090 +3% above national
117 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $69,870 +2% above national
118 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $69,850 +2% above national
119 Kenosha, WI $69,640 +2% above national
120 Roanoke, VA $69,210 +1% above national
121 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $68,980 +1% above national
122 Champaign-Urbana, IL $68,910 +1% above national
123 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $68,800 +1% above national
124 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $68,800 +1% above national
125 Albany, GA $68,660 +1% above national
126 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $68,430 same as national
127 Decatur, AL $68,220 same as national
128 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $68,210 same as national
129 Mobile, AL $68,200 same as national
130 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $68,100 same as national
131 Visalia, CA $67,970 same as national
132 Jacksonville, FL $67,840 1% below national
133 Billings, MT $67,760 1% below national
134 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $67,550 1% below national
135 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $67,250 1% below national
136 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $67,090 2% below national
137 Gainesville, FL $67,060 2% below national
138 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $67,040 2% below national
139 Barnstable Town, MA $66,940 2% below national
140 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $66,870 2% below national
141 Huntsville, AL $66,750 2% below national
142 Midland, TX $66,720 2% below national
143 Killeen-Temple, TX $66,400 3% below national
144 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $66,250 3% below national
145 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $66,190 3% below national
146 Bloomington, IL $66,180 3% below national
147 Las Cruces, NM $66,170 3% below national
148 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $66,020 3% below national
149 Helena, MT $65,870 4% below national
150 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $65,820 4% below national
151 Bloomington, IN $65,720 4% below national
152 Amarillo, TX $65,620 4% below national
153 Raleigh-Cary, NC $65,550 4% below national
154 Anniston-Oxford, AL $65,540 4% below national
155 Birmingham, AL $65,450 4% below national
156 Duluth, MN-WI $65,340 4% below national
157 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $65,300 4% below national
158 Reading, PA $65,290 4% below national
159 Bowling Green, KY $65,280 4% below national
160 Sheboygan, WI $65,250 4% below national
161 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $65,180 5% below national
162 Columbus, OH $65,120 5% below national
163 Fond du Lac, WI $65,120 5% below national
164 Minot, ND $65,090 5% below national
165 Lawrence, KS $64,990 5% below national
166 Wichita, KS $64,990 5% below national
167 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $64,970 5% below national
168 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $64,830 5% below national
169 Lubbock, TX $64,820 5% below national
170 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $64,710 5% below national
171 Logan, UT-ID $64,560 5% below national
172 Athens-Clarke County, GA $64,550 5% below national
173 Portland-South Portland, ME $64,550 5% below national
174 Santa Fe, NM $64,500 6% below national
175 St. Louis, MO-IL $64,350 6% below national
176 Auburn-Opelika, AL $64,240 6% below national
177 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $64,240 6% below national
178 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $64,240 6% below national
179 Kansas City, MO-KS $64,180 6% below national
180 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $64,070 6% below national
181 Monroe, MI $64,060 6% below national
182 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $64,050 6% below national
183 Grand Junction, CO $63,980 6% below national
184 Williamsport, PA $63,960 6% below national
185 Corpus Christi, TX $63,940 6% below national
186 Eau Claire, WI $63,920 6% below national
187 Utica-Rome, NY $63,890 6% below national
188 Tuscaloosa, AL $63,800 7% below national
189 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $63,750 7% below national
190 Tallahassee, FL $63,620 7% below national
191 Cedar Rapids, IA $63,550 7% below national
192 Knoxville, TN $63,500 7% below national
193 Rochester, NY $63,490 7% below national
194 Waco, TX $63,290 7% below national
195 Pueblo, CO $63,240 7% below national
196 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $63,180 7% below national
197 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $63,170 7% below national
198 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $63,100 8% below national
199 Dothan, AL $63,040 8% below national
200 Wilmington, NC $63,030 8% below national
201 Spartanburg, SC $62,940 8% below national
202 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $62,900 8% below national
203 Lexington-Fayette, KY $62,900 8% below national
204 Paducah, KY-IL $62,900 8% below national
205 Manchester-Nashua, NH $62,860 8% below national
206 Fargo, ND-MN $62,830 8% below national
207 Fort Smith, AR-OK $62,770 8% below national
208 Montgomery, AL $62,730 8% below national
209 Appleton, WI $62,670 8% below national
210 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $62,630 8% below national
211 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $62,570 8% below national
212 Cheyenne, WY $62,570 8% below national
213 Albuquerque, NM $62,530 8% below national
214 Greeley, CO $62,400 9% below national
215 Cleveland, TN $62,390 9% below national
216 Lawton, OK $62,320 9% below national
217 Bay City, MI $62,190 9% below national
218 Chattanooga, TN-GA $62,150 9% below national
219 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $62,150 9% below national
220 Bangor, ME $62,090 9% below national
221 Hot Springs, AR $62,060 9% below national
222 Cleveland, OH $61,970 9% below national
223 Florence, SC $61,970 9% below national
224 Toledo, OH $61,950 9% below national
225 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $61,920 9% below national
226 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $61,900 9% below national
227 Springfield, IL $61,790 9% below national
228 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $61,720 10% below national
229 Rome, GA $61,560 10% below national
230 Janesville-Beloit, WI $61,520 10% below national
231 Port St. Lucie, FL $61,460 10% below national
232 Colorado Springs, CO $61,370 10% below national
233 Gadsden, AL $61,330 10% below national
234 Columbia, SC $61,290 10% below national
235 Oklahoma City, OK $61,290 10% below national
236 Burlington, NC $61,210 10% below national
237 Morgantown, WV $61,110 10% below national
238 Monroe, LA $61,090 11% below national
239 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $61,070 11% below national
240 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $61,000 11% below national
241 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $60,980 11% below national
242 Topeka, KS $60,980 11% below national
243 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $60,890 11% below national
244 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $60,800 11% below national
245 Medford, OR $60,770 11% below national
246 Pittsburgh, PA $60,760 11% below national
247 Johnson City, TN $60,650 11% below national
248 Rockford, IL $60,630 11% below national
249 Ames, IA $60,610 11% below national
250 Columbia, MO $60,570 11% below national
251 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $60,570 11% below national
252 Midland, MI $60,530 11% below national
253 Tucson, AZ $60,500 11% below national
254 Longview, TX $60,480 11% below national
255 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $60,460 11% below national
256 Gettysburg, PA $60,440 11% below national
257 Winston-Salem, NC $60,440 11% below national
258 San Angelo, TX $60,430 11% below national
259 Baton Rouge, LA $60,420 11% below national
260 Kokomo, IN $60,400 12% below national
261 Manhattan, KS $60,370 12% below national
262 St. Cloud, MN $60,330 12% below national
263 Lancaster, PA $60,240 12% below national
264 Ocala, FL $60,210 12% below national
265 Greensboro-High Point, NC $60,090 12% below national
266 Aguadilla, PR $60,070 12% below national
267 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $60,060 12% below national
268 Boise City, ID $60,030 12% below national
269 Rapid City, SD $59,990 12% below national
270 Great Falls, MT $59,800 12% below national
271 Flint, MI $59,640 13% below national
272 Sumter, SC $59,520 13% below national
273 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $59,500 13% below national
274 Fayetteville, NC $59,440 13% below national
275 Jonesboro, AR $59,260 13% below national
276 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $59,180 13% below national
277 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $59,070 13% below national
278 Lafayette, LA $58,920 14% below national
279 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $58,890 14% below national
280 Asheville, NC $58,870 14% below national
281 Mansfield, OH $58,860 14% below national
282 Jackson, MI $58,780 14% below national
283 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $58,730 14% below national
284 Pittsfield, MA $58,710 14% below national
285 Battle Creek, MI $58,610 14% below national
286 Missoula, MT $58,570 14% below national
287 Decatur, IL $58,550 14% below national
288 Glens Falls, NY $58,430 14% below national
289 Lynchburg, VA $58,390 14% below national
290 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $58,370 15% below national
291 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $58,310 15% below national
292 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $58,210 15% below national
293 Tulsa, OK $58,040 15% below national
294 Evansville, IN $57,930 15% below national
295 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $57,920 15% below national
296 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $57,900 15% below national
297 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $57,780 15% below national
298 Yuma, AZ $57,650 16% below national
299 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $57,630 16% below national
300 Jackson, TN $57,560 16% below national
301 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $57,410 16% below national
302 Flagstaff, AZ $57,220 16% below national
303 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $57,220 16% below national
304 Greenville, NC $57,050 16% below national
305 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $57,020 16% below national
306 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $56,850 17% below national
307 Macon-Bibb County, GA $56,850 17% below national
308 Springfield, MO $56,840 17% below national
309 Springfield, OH $56,720 17% below national
310 Texarkana, TX-AR $56,650 17% below national
311 Jackson, MS $56,540 17% below national
312 Kankakee, IL $56,090 18% below national
313 Sandusky, OH $56,070 18% below national
314 Saginaw, MI $56,050 18% below national
315 Joplin, MO-KS $55,700 18% below national
316 Youngstown-Warren, OH $55,430 19% below national
317 Morristown, TN $55,160 19% below national
318 Abilene, TX $54,110 21% below national
319 Lake Charles, LA $53,940 21% below national
320 Jefferson City, MO $53,370 22% below national
321 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $52,850 23% below national
322 Jacksonville, NC $51,460 25% below national
323 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $51,400 25% below national
324 Erie, PA $51,300 25% below national
325 Akron, OH $51,260 25% below national
326 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $51,210 25% below national
327 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $50,870 25% below national
328 Terre Haute, IN $50,840 26% below national
329 Idaho Falls, ID $50,810 26% below national
330 Mayaguez, PR $50,770 26% below national
331 Charleston, WV $50,740 26% below national
332 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $50,700 26% below national
333 Arecibo, PR $50,300 26% below national
334 Muncie, IN $50,280 26% below national
335 Ponce, PR $50,260 26% below national
336 Canton-Massillon, OH $50,220 26% below national
337 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $50,150 27% below national
338 Niles, MI $50,120 27% below national
339 Alexandria, LA $49,860 27% below national
340 Goldsboro, NC $49,780 27% below national
341 Traverse City, MI $49,680 27% below national
342 Peoria, IL $49,580 27% below national
343 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $49,400 28% below national
344 Fort Wayne, IN $48,690 29% below national
345 Homosassa Springs, FL $48,360 29% below national
346 Wichita Falls, TX $48,230 29% below national
347 York-Hanover, PA $47,840 30% below national
348 St. George, UT $47,800 30% below national
349 St. Joseph, MO-KS $47,670 30% below national
350 Lebanon, PA $47,450 30% below national
351 Rocky Mount, NC $46,550 32% below national
352 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ $46,550 32% below national
353 Ogden, UT $46,380 32% below national
354 Lima, OH $46,180 32% below national
355 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $45,130 34% below national
356 Wheeling, WV-OH $43,560 36% below national
357 Chambersburg, PA $42,800 37% below national
358 Johnstown, PA $42,400 38% below national
359 Hattiesburg, MS $39,720 42% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 25 (Educational Instruction and Library Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 63 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Educational Instruction and Library Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($68,270 here) and reported employment (133,790 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Librarians and Media Collections Specialists make?
The median annual salary for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists is $68,270 ($32.82/hour). The salary range spans from $43,660 at the 10th percentile to $103,990 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $68,270, Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay is higher than 60% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Librarians and Media Collections Specialists the most?
Washington pays the highest median salary for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists at $100,030/year, which is +47% above the national median.
What education do Librarians and Media Collections Specialists need?
BLS assigns Librarians and Media Collections Specialists to Master's degree for typical education needed for entry.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in this release. WageDex shows the Educational Instruction and Library Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Librarians and Media Collections Specialists a good career?
Employment for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists is projected to grow 1.7% from 2024 to 2034, which is about as fast as average. About 13,500 openings are projected each year.
How does Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay vary by state?
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Washington at $100,030/year, while West Virginia pays the least at $42,980/year. BLS data covers 52 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Naples-Marco Island, FL at $106,550/year. BLS reports a median for 359 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $84,480/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Washington leads at $100,030/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.