How much does a librarian make?

The median librarian salary in the United States is $68,270 per year ($32.82/hour). Salaries range from $43,660 (10th percentile) to $103,990 (90th percentile). There are 133,790 librarian jobs in the U.S. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS.

Which state pays librarians the most?

The highest paying state for librarians is Washington at $100,030 median salary.

Is librarian a good career?

Librarian employment is projected to grow 1.7% from 2024 to 2034 (slower than average). There are approximately 13,500 job openings per year. Typical education required: Master's degree.

What interview questions are asked for librarian roles?

Common librarian interview questions include: "Walk me through how you'd handle a difficult reference interview.", "Explain your cataloging philosophy — MARC vs BIBFRAME.", "How would you handle a challenged book request from a patron?". Interview format at top employers ranges from behavioral panels (STAR method) to technical case rounds — for example New York Public Library (NYPL) + Brooklyn Public + Queens Public typically uses 3-4 rounds over 6-10 weeks.

What is the career ladder for librarians?

The typical librarian career ladder: Library Assistant / Paraprofessional (0-2 (pre-MLIS or MLIS in progress) yrs, $32-42k ($14-20/hr) — below BLS p10 (this is not the professional librarian role)) → Entry-level Librarian (MLIS, 0-3 yrs) (0-3 yrs, $44-58k — BLS p10 to below-median (public + entry academic)) → Mid-career Librarian / Subject Specialist / Reference Coordinator (3-8 yrs, $58-80k — near BLS p50 (academic subject librarians, mid-career public, corporate reference)) → Department Head / Branch Manager / Head of Collections (8-15 yrs, $78-104k — BLS p75 to p90 (public branch managers, academic dept heads, law firm research managers)).

What certifications should librarians get?

Top-ROI certifications for librarians: ALA-accredited MLIS (Master of Library and Information Science) ($25-70k for a 2-year program (in-state public ~$25-40k; private ~$50-70k)); AHIP (Academy of Health Information Professionals) — Medical Library Association ($140-190 for MLA members); DAS (Digital Archives Specialist) — Society of American Archivists ($1,200-1,800 total for the certificate track).

How do you negotiate a librarian salary?

Anchor on documented market data (BLS median $68,270, p75 $84,480), specific outcomes you've delivered, and the specific band for your years of experience. I hold an ALA-accredited MLIS plus a subject Master's in Business Administration, six years of embedded liaison work at [R1 university library] including a Wiley transformative agreement I negotiated saving $145k, 38 in...

Librarian Salary

Bureau of Labor Statistics title: Librarians and Media Collections Specialists

The median librarian salary in the United States is $68,270 per year ($32.82/hour). Salaries range from $43,660 at the entry level to $103,990+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 133,790 librarian jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 1.7% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Median Salary

$68,270

per year

Hourly Rate

$32.82

per hour

Employment

133,790

jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile

$43,660

25th percentile

$56,310

Median

$68,270

75th percentile

$84,480

90th percentile

$103,990

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+1.7%

Slower than average

Annual Openings

13,500

jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

Master's degree

Librarian Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for librarians.

Librarians and media collections specialists staff public library systems (NYPL, LAPL, Chicago Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library), academic libraries (Michigan, UC system, Ivies, big-ten research libraries), K-12 school libraries, and corporate/law-firm libraries (BigLaw firms, pharma, consulting). Compensation is credentialed — an ALA-accredited MLIS (Master of Library and Information Science) is the entry ticket for professional librarian roles. BLS median $68,270 with p10 $43,660 and p90 $103,990 across 133,790 jobs. Entry $44-55k for a new MLIS at a public system; established $60-80k at a mid-career reference or subject librarian; senior $85-104k+ at head of collections, law-firm research director, or academic subject-specialist librarian at a top-tier research university.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Reference interviewing

Ability to translate a vague patron question ('I need to research something for my kid's project') into a discoverable query. RUSA (Reference and User Services Association) publishes the professional guidelines; every reference librarian trains against them.

Cataloging & metadata (MARC, RDA, Dublin Core, BIBFRAME)

MARC21 remains the operational standard at most public and academic libraries; RDA (Resource Description and Access) is the current cataloging rules; BIBFRAME is the linked-data replacement in slow rollout at the Library of Congress and major research libraries.

Collection development

Selecting, weeding, and licensing print + digital collections. Public libraries balance patron demand (holds counts, circulation stats) against professional selection judgment; academic libraries balance faculty requests, subject depth, and journal package negotiation.

Database instruction & information literacy

Teaching patrons to search Westlaw and Lexis (law firm), PubMed and Embase (medical/academic), SciFinder (chemistry), Bloomberg terminal (business), or general databases like ProQuest and EBSCO. Sessions run 45-90 minutes and require live-search fluency.

Digital collections & institutional repositories

Managing digitized special collections, digital preservation (LOCKSS, Preservica), and institutional repositories (DSpace, Islandora). Increasingly the growth area in academic librarianship.

Programming & community engagement

Storytime, adult literacy, ESL classes, coding clubs, resume-writing workshops. Public librarians spend 20-40% of their time on programming; measured by attendance and impact reports for board funding.

Budgeting & vendor negotiation

Journal package negotiation (Elsevier ScienceDirect, Wiley, Springer Nature bundles run $500k-$3M/year at big research libraries), database renewals, and print acquisition budgets. Big-Deal cancellations are a live, contested issue at every research library.

How to Become a Librarian

1
Earn an ALA-accredited MLIS (Master of Library and Information Science)
$25-70k for a 2-year program depending on in-state vs private. Top programs: Illinois, UNC Chapel Hill, Michigan, Syracuse, UCLA, Simmons, San Jose State (largest by enrollment, fully online). Most students work part-time in a library while enrolled.
2
Get a library job during the MLIS — page, circulation clerk, library assistant
$14-22/hr paraprofessional roles. Every hiring manager screens for prior library experience. Working 15-20 hrs/wk at a public branch or academic library during the MLIS is expected.
3
Apply for entry-level professional librarian roles at graduation
$44-55k at a public system (BLS p10-p25); $50-62k at an academic reference or cataloging role; $65-85k at a corporate or law-firm library. Public library hiring is credential-first; academic is subject-expertise-first; law-firm is often JD-preferred or JD-required.
4
Specialize (subject librarian, digital, medical, law, archives, youth services)
$60-90k at 5-10 years experience. Medical librarians (AHIP certified), law librarians (JD + MLIS), and business librarians at business schools command premium. Archives and rare-book librarians run lower but with deep job satisfaction.
5
Advance to head of department, director, or dean of libraries
$85-140k+ at 10-20 years. Dean-level roles at Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member institutions run $200-400k with executive-suite benefits. City library directors of major systems run $150-280k with a Board of Trustees relationship to manage.

Career Progression

Library Assistant / Paraprofessional

0-2 (pre-MLIS or MLIS in progress) yrs$32-42k ($14-20/hr) — below BLS p10 (this is not the professional librarian role)

•Circulation desk, patron account management, holds and reserves processing
•Copy cataloging of trade books using existing MARC records
•Shelving, weeding, inventory, and stack maintenance
•Basic reference — directional, ready-reference; escalate research questions to a librarian

Next: Professional librarian after MLIS completion — typically 18-30 months.

Entry-level Librarian (MLIS, 0-3 yrs)

0-3 yrs$44-58k — BLS p10 to below-median (public + entry academic)

•Reference desk, patron consultation, and information-literacy instruction
•Original + copy cataloging in MARC21 / RDA
•Programming ownership (storytime, adult programs, one-shot instruction sessions)
•Collection development for a small subject area or age group

Next: Mid-career subject or department librarian after 3-6 years.

Mid-career Librarian / Subject Specialist / Reference Coordinator

3-8 yrs$58-80k — near BLS p50 (academic subject librarians, mid-career public, corporate reference)

•Own a subject collection (STEM, business, humanities) or age group (teen, adult, senior)
•Lead information-literacy program for a department or school within the institution
•Vendor negotiation on database renewals and journal packages
•Mentor entry-level librarians and paraprofessionals

Next: Department head or director path at 8-12 years.

Department Head / Branch Manager / Head of Collections

8-15 yrs$78-104k — BLS p75 to p90 (public branch managers, academic dept heads, law firm research managers)

•Lead a 4-15 person team (librarians + paraprofessionals) in a subject department or a branch location
•Own department budget ($200k-$3M annually depending on institution)
•Represent the department in institutional strategy, journal-package negotiations, and grant applications
•Hiring, performance management, and career development for direct reports

Next: Director / Dean at 12-20 years.

Library Director / Dean of Libraries

12+ yrs$104-280k+ salary (moves off BLS occupation into 11-9033 / 11-9111 for academic dean roles)

•Full P&L for the library system ($5M-$85M+ operating budget at major systems)
•Board of Trustees relationship (public), Provost / President relationship (academic), Managing Partner (law firm)
•Strategic technology and collection modernization (institutional repository, digital collections, AI/discovery tools)
•External advocacy — state library funding, ALA / ARL national policy participation, donor cultivation

Next: State Librarian, ARL leadership, or Library of Congress senior roles.

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 16 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through how you'd handle a difficult reference interview.situational

Structure the answer around the RUSA reference-interview framework. Open with an approachable posture (don't rush the patron). Restate their question back to confirm ('So you're researching the environmental impact of local fracking regulations, for a public-comment period ending Friday?'). Ask open-ended follow-ups to narrow scope: format (article, book, statute), depth (executive summary vs deep primary sources), and deadline. Recommend a specific starting point — a database, a subject headings list, a call-number range in the stacks. Follow up before they leave. The classic failure mode is answering the surface question ('Can I get books about the environment?') without uncovering the actual need underneath.

Q2. Explain your cataloging philosophy — MARC vs BIBFRAME.technical

MARC21 remains the operational standard at every OCLC-participating library — it's what OCLC WorldCat, Alma, Sierra, Koha, and every ILS reads. BIBFRAME is the Library of Congress-led linked-data successor, in rollout since 2016 but still not production-primary at most institutions. My cataloging is MARC21 with RDA descriptive rules, subject headings from LCSH (Library of Congress Subject Headings) or MeSH (medical), classification typically LC or Dewey depending on the library. I follow the BIBFRAME transition work through the Library of Congress documentation and the PCC (Program for Cooperative Cataloging) updates, but production work is still MARC. Hiring managers ask this to test whether you're conversant with the field's direction, not just current tooling.

Q3. How would you handle a challenged book request from a patron?situational

Follow the institution's Materials Reconsideration policy, and if it doesn't have one, that's the first thing to fix. Take the request in writing. Route it to the collection-development committee or department head — never make a unilateral removal decision. The library follows the ALA Library Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read Statement; challenges are reviewed against the selection criteria the book was originally acquired against (relevance to community, professional reviews, curriculum ties, patron demand). Communicate the outcome in writing to the patron with the specific criteria you evaluated. Book challenges have doubled in the last three years per ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom — every librarian will face one.

Q4. How do you evaluate whether to renew a $340k Elsevier ScienceDirect package?case

Four data points: (1) usage data from Elsevier's LibConnect and your local link-resolver — cost-per-download and unique-title usage across the departments that consume it, (2) faculty need — cite counts, dissertation citations, department curriculum ties, (3) alternate access — open-access percentage, interlibrary loan demand, transformative agreement participation (California and MIT have publicly walked away from ScienceDirect Big Deals), (4) budget context — if the print monograph budget dropped 40% in 4 years to hold journal packages, that's a systemic conversation. A ScienceDirect cancellation is a 12-18 month project including faculty consultation, alternative-access sourcing, and communication. Hiring managers at academic libraries ask this to see if you understand journal-package economics at the collection level.

Q5. Why librarianship instead of a related field (education, research, information science industry)?closer

The honest answer that resonates: you care about the intersection of information access and public service, not just information as a technical problem. You want a career where every day is a different reference question, a different community program, or a different collection challenge — not a career where you build one product or one research agenda for five years. If you're targeting public, mention the community-engagement piece; if academic, mention the subject-depth piece; if law-firm, mention the research-turnaround and revenue-attorney-supported piece. Avoid saying 'I love books' — every hiring manager has heard it and it doesn't distinguish you from the 200 other MLIS graduates applying.

Resume Template — Entry-level Librarian (MLIS, 0-3 yrs)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Entry-level Librarian (MLIS, 0-3 yrs)

▸Reference librarian at [mid-size public library / academic branch] serving a 240,000-patron community; 400+ reference questions per month.
▸Led weekly information-literacy sessions for 15-40 students; measured post-session query success rates and iterated content.
▸Cataloged 1,800 original MARC records in RDA against LCSH; copy cataloged 8,400 additional trade titles through OCLC.
▸MLIS from [ALA-accredited program], BA in [subject]. $52,400 salary + full benefits + tuition assistance for continuing certification.

What Gets You Rejected

✗No ALA-accredited MLIS — disqualifying for professional librarian roles at every public system and academic library. Some corporate/law-firm libraries hire on JD or subject-Master's alone, but this is the exception.
✗Cannot demonstrate reference-interview skills in a live scenario during the interview — this is the daily work and hiring managers screen for it directly.
✗Weak fluency in MARC / RDA cataloging basics — even non-cataloging librarians are expected to read a MARC record and understand subject-heading structure.
✗Dismissive of the community/service aspect in public library interviews — screens out of every public system.
✗Rigid on print vs digital collections — the field has moved to hybrid; librarians who hold onto 'real books only' get screened out of academic and corporate roles fast.

Salary Negotiation Levers

✓Subject specialization — STEM, business, health-science, law, and data-services librarians command 15-30% premium over generalist reference roles at academic institutions.
✓Second Master's or JD — a Master's in a subject field on top of the MLIS unlocks the subject-librarian premium at research universities. A JD + MLIS is the standard credential for law-firm libraries and pays $85-140k+ starting.
✓Geographic differential — NYC, SF, LA, Boston, DC, Seattle metro academic and public libraries pay 15-30% above BLS median for the same role.
✓Certifications — AHIP (Academy of Health Information Professionals) for medical librarians, DAS (Digital Archives Specialist) for archivists — direct wage impact and preferred placement on hiring shortlists.
✓Union-covered positions (NYPL, Chicago Public, Boston Public, most state university systems) have transparent step-and-column pay scales — negotiate step placement at hire, not just base.
✓Tuition benefits — most academic libraries pay 50-100% of family tuition, worth $10-40k/year and often ignored during salary negotiation.
✓Sabbaticals and research leave — tenure-track academic librarian roles include research time and sabbatical eligibility; ensure the tenure-track path is confirmed in writing at hire.

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Librarian Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) →

Salary Map — Click a state for details

$43K

$100K■ No data

Top Paying States

Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.

State	Median	vs. National	Employment
Washington	$100,030	+46.5%	2,750
District of Columbia	$96,550	+41.4%	960
California	$89,790	+31.5%	10,180
Maryland	$88,570	+29.7%	3,220
Nevada	$84,540	+23.8%	610
Connecticut	$79,210	+16.0%	2,550
Alaska	$78,810	+15.4%	350
New York	$78,590	+15.1%	11,870
Massachusetts	$78,540	+15.0%	4,980
New Jersey	$78,380	+14.8%	4,100

Showing 1–10 of 51

Librarian Salary by Metro Area

Metro Area	Median	vs. National
Naples-Marco Island, FL	$106,550	+56.1%
Kennewick-Richland, WA	$105,240	+54.2%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$103,240	+51.2%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$101,780	+49.1%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$101,490	+48.7%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA	$100,240	+46.8%
Merced, CA	$98,630	+44.5%
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$97,510	+42.8%
Yakima, WA	$96,250	+41.0%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$95,480	+39.9%

Showing 1–10 of 360

Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.

How does this compare to pro athletes?

A librarian earning $68,270/year would need 873 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 937 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.

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📈 See how librarian salaries have changed over the past decade.

View Librarian salary trend (2011–2024) →