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Elementary librarian education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an elementary librarian. Elementary librarians usually study elementary education, library science, or education. 62% of elementary librarians hold a bachelor's degree, and 24% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 93 real elementary librarian resumes to see exactly what elementary librarian education sections show.
The most common colleges for elementary librarians are the University of North Texas and the University of North Texas.
There are also many online elementary librarian courses to help get the education required to be an elementary librarian.
What education do you need to become an elementary librarian?
What degree do you need to be an elementary librarian?
- Bachelor's, 62%
- Master's, 24%
- Associate, 8%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become an elementary librarian?
- Elementary Education, 24%
- Library Science, 20%
- Education, 15%
- Other Majors, 37%
Most common colleges for elementary librarians
| Elementary librarian common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of North Texas | 9.68% |
| Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | 9.68% |
| Sam Houston State University | 9.68% |
| Northern Arizona University | 6.45% |
| Indiana University South Bend | 6.45% |
Best majors for elementary librarians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elementary Education | 24.3% |
| 2 | Library Science | 20.3% |
| 3 | Education | 14.9% |
| 4 | Special Education | 4.1% |
| 5 | Business | 4.1% |
Best colleges for elementary librarians
The best colleges for elementary librarians are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
An elementary 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 elementary 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 elementary librarians.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
3. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
5. SUNY at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,099
Enrollment
21,404
6. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
7. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
8. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,853
Enrollment
14,759
9. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$52,930
Enrollment
5,030
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
20 best online courses for elementary librarians
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Top 10 most affordable universities for elementary librarians
The most affordable schools for elementary librarians are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and usf sarasota-manatee.
If the best universities for elementary 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 elementary 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. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
9. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
10. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for elementary librarians
The hardest universities for elementary librarians to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for elementary 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 elementary 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. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
8. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,380
9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
10. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for elementary librarians
The easiest schools for elementary librarians to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an elementary 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 elementary librarians.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
4. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
5. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
8. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
9. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
10. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
Average elementary librarian salary by education level
| Elementary librarian education level | Elementary librarian salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $62,826 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $50,757 |
| Doctorate Degree | $68,816 |
Elementary librarian education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025