Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary in the U.S.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in the U.S. earn a median of $68,270 a year ($32.82 an hour), based on BLS data for 133,790 workers.
Pay ranges from $43,660 for the lowest-paid 10% to $103,990 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $72,840, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for librarians and media collections specialists in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $43,660 | $20.99 |
| 25th percentile | $56,310 | $27.07 |
| Median | $68,270 | $32.82 |
| 75th percentile | $84,480 | $40.62 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $103,990 | $50.00 |
| Average (mean) | $72,840 | $35.02 |
Half of librarians and media collections specialists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,689.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,844.58 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,625.77 |
| Weekly | $1,312.88 |
| Hourly | $32.82 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $100,030 | 2,750 |
| District of Columbia | $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 |
| Puerto Rico | $51,610 | 1,310 |
| South Dakota | $51,210 | 490 |
| Wyoming | $46,530 | 440 |
| West Virginia | $42,980 | 610 |
Best-paying metro areas for librarians and media collections specialists
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | $106,550 | 90 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $105,240 | 90 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $103,240 | 700 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $101,780 | 1,590 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $101,490 | 1,940 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $100,240 | 110 |
| Merced, CA | $98,630 | 50 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $97,510 | 3,270 |
| Yakima, WA | $96,250 | 80 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $95,480 | 3,630 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $94,380 | 130 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $92,610 | 130 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $92,140 | 110 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $91,090 | 40 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $87,490 | 100 |
Metro areas with the most librarians and media collections specialists
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 10,690 | $81,670 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 3,740 | $66,250 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 3,660 | $79,450 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 3,630 | $95,480 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,270 | $97,510 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,550 | $74,340 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2,430 | $77,330 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,940 | $101,490 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,880 | $75,280 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,810 | $78,460 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 1,660 | $70,090 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,590 | $101,780 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 1,540 | $83,090 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,520 | $60,060 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,390 | $80,800 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Library Technician | $44,580 | $21.43 |
| Museum Technicians and Conservators | $51,440 | $24.73 |
| Curator | $63,420 | $30.49 |
| Archivist | $64,550 | $31.03 |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | $36,780 | — |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,970 | — |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $72,040 | — |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $64,370 | — |
| Substitute Teachers, Short-Term | $41,670 | $20.03 |
| Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education | $38,140 | $18.34 |
| Self-Enrichment Teacher | $46,800 | $22.50 |
| Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School | $65,120 | — |
| Instructional Coordinator | $77,440 | $37.23 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $107,310 | — |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 25-4022. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a librarians and media collections specialists make in the U.S.?
The median salary for librarians and media collections specialists in the U.S. is $68,270 a year, or $32.82 an hour. Pay ranges from $43,660 for the lowest-paid 10% to $103,990 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid librarians and media collections specialists make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of librarians and media collections specialists in the U.S. earn at least $103,990 a year. The top 25% earn $84,480 or more.
What is the starting pay for librarians and media collections specialists in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $43,660 a year, and a quarter of librarians and media collections specialists earn $56,310 or less.
How many librarians and media collections specialists work in the U.S.?
About 133,790 librarians and media collections specialists are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.