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Circulation librarian education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a circulation librarian. Circulation librarians usually study library science, psychology, or english. 60% of circulation librarians hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 235 real circulation librarian resumes to see exactly what circulation librarian education sections show.

The most common colleges for circulation librarians are the Warren Wilson College and the Warren Wilson College.

There are also many online circulation librarian courses to help get the education required to be a circulation librarian.

What education do you need to become a circulation librarian?

What degree do you need to be a circulation librarian?

The most common degree for circulation librarians is bachelor's degree, with 60% of circulation librarians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 18% and associate degree degree at 15%.
  • Bachelor's, 60%
  • Associate, 18%
  • Master's, 15%
  • Diploma, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a circulation librarian?

You should major in library science to become a circulation librarian. 11% of circulation librarians major in library science. Other common majors for a circulation librarian include psychology and english.

Most common colleges for circulation librarians

Circulation librarians often get their degrees at Warren Wilson College, Cornell College, and University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. Here are the most common colleges for circulation librarians in the US based on their resumes.
Circulation librarian common collegePercentages
Warren Wilson College8.57%
Cornell College8.57%
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point8.57%
Saint Anselm College5.71%
Louisiana Tech University5.71%

Best majors for circulation librarians

RankMajorPercentages
1Library Science10.6%
2Psychology8.1%
3English8.1%
4Business7.3%
5Liberal Arts6.5%

Best colleges for circulation librarians

The best colleges for circulation librarians are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and New York University.

A circulation librarian with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for circulation librarians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become circulation librarians.

1. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,226

Enrollment

31,568

2. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$10,595

Enrollment

30,184

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

4. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

5. SUNY at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,099

Enrollment

21,404

6. Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,853

Enrollment

14,759

7. University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,267

Enrollment

23,410

8. Louisiana State University and A&M College

Baton Rouge, LA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,950

Enrollment

23,468

9. Washington Adventist Hospital

Takoma Park, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$23,900

Enrollment

836

10. Georgia State University

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,112

Enrollment

26,489

20 best online courses for circulation librarians

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Top 10 most affordable universities for circulation librarians

The most affordable schools for circulation librarians are Baruch College of the City University of New York, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for circulation librarians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for circulation librarians.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

3. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Cost of attendance

25,275

5. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

6. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

7. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

8. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

9. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

10. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for circulation librarians

The hardest universities for circulation librarians to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and New York University.

Some great schools for circulation librarians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for circulation librarians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

4. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

14%

SAT average

1,423

5. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

6. Amherst College

Amherst, MA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,449

7. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

8. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, PA • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,465

9. Hamilton College

Clinton, NY • Private

Admissions rate

21%

SAT average

1,446

10. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for circulation librarians

The easiest schools for circulation librarians to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, d'youville college, and nyack college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a circulation librarian without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for circulation librarians.

1. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

2. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

3. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

4. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

5. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

6. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

7. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

8. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

9. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

10. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

Average circulation librarian salary by education level

Circulation librarians with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $63,681 annually. With a Master's degree, circulation librarians earn a median annual income of $58,777 compared to $48,716 for circulation librarians with an Bachelor's degree.
Circulation librarian education levelCirculation librarian salary
Master's Degree$58,777
Bachelor's Degree$48,716
Doctorate Degree$63,681

Circulation librarian education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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