College librarian demographics and statistics in the US
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College librarian demographics by:
College librarian gender statistics
66.1% of college librarians are women and 33.9% of college librarians are men.
- Female, 66.1%
- Male, 33.9%
College librarian gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 66.1% |
| Male | 33.9% |
College librarian gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$54,162
Female income
$49,819
College librarian gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in college librarian positions over time. Currently, 66.1% of college librarians are female.
College librarian gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 26.81% | 73.19% |
| 2011 | 26.72% | 73.28% |
| 2012 | 29.83% | 70.17% |
| 2013 | 29.34% | 70.66% |
| 2014 | 27.77% | 72.23% |
| 2015 | 30.30% | 69.70% |
| 2016 | 30.18% | 69.82% |
| 2017 | 33.54% | 66.46% |
| 2018 | 31.02% | 68.98% |
| 2019 | 29.27% | 70.73% |
| 2020 | 31.72% | 68.28% |
| 2021 | 33.90% | 66.10% |
College librarian related jobs gender ratio
We compared college librarians with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, technician's helper and exhibit technician have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary Librarian | 8% | 92% |
| Children's Librarian | 11% | 89% |
| High School Librarian | 15% | 85% |
| College Librarian | 34% | 66% |
| Art Preparator | 78% | 22% |
| Exhibit Technician | 80% | 20% |
| Technician's Helper | 88% | 12% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
College librarian demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among college librarians is White, which makes up 77.2% of all college librarians. Comparatively, 7.7% of college librarians are Hispanic or Latino and 6.3% of college librarians are Black or African American.
- White, 77.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.7%
- Black or African American, 6.3%
- Asian, 4.8%
- Unknown, 3.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
College librarian race
| College librarian race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 77.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.7% |
| Black or African American | 6.3% |
| Asian | 4.8% |
| Unknown | 3.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
College librarian race and ethnicity over time
See how college librarian racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
College librarian race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 81.22% | 6.29% | 4.80% | 5.33% |
| 2011 | 81.16% | 6.98% | 4.90% | 5.27% |
| 2012 | 80.14% | 6.37% | 5.33% | 6.10% |
| 2013 | 80.84% | 7.08% | 4.12% | 5.83% |
| 2014 | 80.38% | 6.67% | 4.61% | 6.22% |
| 2015 | 78.75% | 7.24% | 5.01% | 6.56% |
| 2016 | 79.17% | 6.81% | 5.25% | 6.66% |
| 2017 | 79.13% | 7.13% | 4.93% | 6.36% |
| 2018 | 79.75% | 6.52% | 4.09% | 7.77% |
| 2019 | 81.49% | 5.95% | 3.70% | 6.71% |
| 2020 | 78.25% | 6.39% | 4.23% | 7.19% |
| 2021 | 77.24% | 6.32% | 4.83% | 7.69% |
College librarian wage gap by race
According to our data, asian college librarians have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown college librarians have the lowest average salary at $51,673.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $51,673 |
| White | $53,347 |
| Black or African American | $54,513 |
| Asian | $56,569 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $54,830 |
Average college librarian age
See how the average age of college librarians varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
College librarian age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 43.5 | 51.5 |
| White | 47 | 48 |
| Black or African American | 50.5 | 48 |
| Asian | 51 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 41 | 48 |
College librarian age breakdown
The average age of college librarians is 40+ years years old, representing 75% of the college librarian population.
College librarian age breakdown
| College Librarian Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 75% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 4% |
College librarian educational attainment
The most common degree for college librarians is bachelor's degree, with 54% of college librarians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 32% and master's degree degree at 8%.
- Bachelor's, 54%
- Master's, 32%
- High School Diploma, 8%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 3%
College librarians by degree level
| College librarian degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 54% |
| Master's | 32% |
| High School Diploma | 8% |
| Diploma | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
College librarian jobs you might like
College librarian wage gap by degree level
According to the data, college librarians with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $68,928 annually. With a Master's degree, college librarians earn a median annual income of $63,105 compared to $51,317 for college librarians with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $63,105 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $51,317 |
| Doctorate Degree | $68,928 |
College librarian employment statistics
Company size where college librarians work
Below, you can see the size of companies where college librarians work.
College librarian jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 17% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 33% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 17% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 17% |
| > 10,000 employees | 8% |
College librarian turnover and employment statistics
College librarian unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for college librarians between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
College librarian unemployment rate by year
| Year | College librarian unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.14% |
| 2011 | 2.36% |
| 2012 | 2.44% |
| 2013 | 2.38% |
| 2014 | 2.56% |
| 2015 | 2.47% |
| 2016 | 1.99% |
| 2017 | 1.38% |
| 2018 | 1.39% |
| 2019 | 1.46% |
| 2020 | 1.74% |
| 2021 | 1.46% |
Average college librarian tenure
The average college librarian stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 69 college librarians resumes in Zippia's database.
College librarian tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 26% |
| 1-2 years | 38% |
| 3-4 years | 8% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
College librarian LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of college librarians that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Substitute Teacher's Assistant | 6.04% | 54,611 |
| Practicum Student | 9.52% | 9,737 |
| Piano Teacher | 12.94% | 52,993 |
| Director Of Exhibits | 13.30% | 5,837 |
| Book Shelver | 13.69% | 186 |
| College Librarian | 16.19% | - |
| Instructional Technology Specialist | 16.25% | 61,365 |
Similar college librarian jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Substitute Teacher's Assistant | 6.04% | 54,611 |
| Practicum Student | 9.52% | 9,737 |
| Piano Teacher | 12.94% | 52,993 |
| Director Of Exhibits | 13.30% | 5,837 |
| Book Shelver | 13.69% | 186 |
| Instructional Technology Specialist | 16.25% | 61,365 |
Foreign languages spoken by college librarians
The most common foreign language among college librarians is Chinese at 30.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Filipino at 20.0% and Spanish is the third-most popular at 20.0%.
- Chinese, 30.0%
- Filipino, 20.0%
- Spanish, 20.0%
- Mandarin, 10.0%
- Hindi, 10.0%
- Other, 10.0%
College librarian languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 30.0% |
| Filipino | 20.0% |
| Spanish | 20.0% |
| Mandarin | 10.0% |
| Hindi | 10.0% |
| Other | 10.0% |