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Librarian salary
Average librarian salary
$53,096
Understanding Librarian Salaries
The average librarian salary in the United States is approximately $53,096 annually, translating to about $26 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on location, years of experience, and specific job roles within the library sector. For instance, librarians in urban areas typically earn more than those in rural settings due to the higher cost of living and demand for services.
State Variations
States like California and New York offer some of the highest salaries for librarians, often exceeding $60,000 annually. In contrast, states with lower living costs may offer salaries closer to the national average. Understanding these differences can help prospective librarians make informed decisions about their career paths.
Job Opportunities
Career opportunities for librarians are diverse, ranging from public library positions to specialized roles in academic and research libraries. With technological advancements increasing the need for information management, the demand for qualified librarians is expected to grow. Explore various job listings and salary estimates to find the right fit for your skills and aspirations.
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Where can a Librarian earn more?
Librarian salary estimates from across the web
Average librarian salary by state
The average librarian salary in Alaska, Washington, and Oregon are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average librarian salary states are Wyoming, New Mexico, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for librarians
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $69,213 | $33.28 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $66,435 | $31.94 |
| 3 | Washington | $69,302 | $33.32 |
| 4 | Nebraska | $60,121 | $28.90 |
| 5 | Alaska | $73,237 | $35.21 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $65,318 | $31.40 |
| 7 | New York | $63,152 | $30.36 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $64,886 | $31.20 |
| 9 | Utah | $62,176 | $29.89 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $64,795 | $31.15 |
| 11 | California | $64,410 | $30.97 |
| 12 | Illinois | $59,693 | $28.70 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $62,563 | $30.08 |
| 14 | Maryland | $62,118 | $29.86 |
| 15 | Michigan | $57,251 | $27.52 |
| 16 | Nevada | $55,890 | $26.87 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $57,512 | $27.65 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $54,818 | $26.35 |
| 19 | Maine | $59,715 | $28.71 |
| 20 | Virginia | $56,366 | $27.10 |
| 21 | Mississippi | $56,235 | $27.04 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $57,426 | $27.61 |
| 23 | Delaware | $59,764 | $28.73 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $57,137 | $27.47 |
| 25 | Iowa | $51,160 | $24.60 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $54,226 | $26.07 |
| 27 | Ohio | $52,109 | $25.05 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $52,342 | $25.16 |
| 29 | Kansas | $50,978 | $24.51 |
| 30 | Montana | $50,065 | $24.07 |
| 31 | Idaho | $54,165 | $26.04 |
| 32 | Colorado | $49,899 | $23.99 |
| 33 | Indiana | $51,148 | $24.59 |
| 34 | Vermont | $52,851 | $25.41 |
| 35 | Texas | $48,658 | $23.39 |
| 36 | Alabama | $48,454 | $23.30 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $47,191 | $22.69 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $50,489 | $24.27 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $53,926 | $25.93 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $45,864 | $22.05 |
| 41 | Georgia | $50,843 | $24.44 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $50,951 | $24.50 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $47,369 | $22.77 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $46,529 | $22.37 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $47,801 | $22.98 |
| 46 | Missouri | $49,147 | $23.63 |
| 47 | Florida | $44,976 | $21.62 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $45,119 | $21.69 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $47,045 | $22.62 |
| 50 | Arizona | $44,728 | $21.50 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $43,700 | $21.01 |
Highest paying cities for librarians
The highest-paying cities for librarians are San Francisco, CA, Bellingham, WA, and Albany, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $72,257 | $34.74 |
| 2 | Bellingham, WA | $69,861 | $33.59 |
| 3 | Albany, OR | $69,319 | $33.33 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $65,339 | $31.41 |
| 5 | New Haven, CT | $65,049 | $31.27 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $63,403 | $30.48 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $62,402 | $30.00 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $62,275 | $29.94 |
| 9 | Evanston, IL | $60,140 | $28.91 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $57,830 | $27.80 |
| 11 | Detroit, MI | $57,519 | $27.65 |
| 12 | Apple Valley, MN | $57,219 | $27.51 |
| 13 | Richmond, VA | $56,314 | $27.07 |
| 14 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $53,973 | $25.95 |
| 15 | Cleveland, OH | $53,571 | $25.76 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $51,854 | $24.93 |
| 17 | Iowa City, IA | $51,131 | $24.58 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $50,994 | $24.52 |
| 19 | Boulder, CO | $50,119 | $24.10 |
| 20 | El Paso, TX | $49,445 | $23.77 |
Librarian salary details
A librarian's salary ranges from $38,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $73,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a librarian's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
| 75th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| Average | $53,096 | $4,425 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
Highest paying librarian jobs
The highest paying types of librarians are circulation director, library manager, and collection management librarian.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collection Management Librarian | $56,311 | $4,693 | $27.07 | 63,441 |
| Technical Services Librarian | $50,657 | $4,221 | $24.35 | 118,696 |
| Youth Services Librarian | $49,971 | $4,164 | $24.02 | 55,418 |
| Children's Librarian | $49,900 | $4,158 | $23.99 | 9,834 |
| Reference Librarian | $50,409 | $4,201 | $24.23 | 1,058 |
| Library Technician | $37,757 | $3,146 | $18.15 | 24,941 |
Which companies pay librarians the most?
Librarian salaries at Meta and Kern Community College District are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average librarian salary at companies like School of Visual Concepts and Abbott are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meta | $126,136 | $60.64 |
| 2 | Kern Community College District | $101,484 | $48.79 |
| 3 | School of Visual Concepts | $98,840 | $47.52 |
| 4 | Abbott | $95,468 | $45.90 |
| 5 | Stanford University | $92,036 | $44.25 |
| 6 | Sotheby's Institute of Art | $89,692 | $43.12 |
| 7 | Arista Networks | $88,814 | $42.70 |
| 8 | Lincoln Memorial University | $86,358 | $41.52 |
| 9 | City of Benicia | $85,548 | $41.13 |
| 10 | 1 8 3 Lanes | $84,956 | $40.84 |
| 11 | Ontario City Library | $84,596 | $40.67 |
| 12 | City of Mountain View | $83,022 | $39.91 |
| 13 | City Of San Mateo | $82,467 | $39.65 |
| 14 | City of Roseville Michigan | $82,027 | $39.44 |
| 15 | Yale University | $81,066 | $38.97 |
| 16 | IBM | $80,198 | $38.56 |
| 17 | ADTRAN | $79,435 | $38.19 |
| 18 | Walgreens | $79,271 | $38.11 |
| 19 | The University of Chicago | $78,697 | $37.84 |
| 20 | Broward Health | $78,567 | $37.77 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Librarian salary trends
The average librarian salary has risen by $6,149 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average librarian earned $46,947 annually, but today, they earn $53,096 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for librarians over the last decade.
Compare librarian salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average librarian salary over time
Compare librarian salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Librarian salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $53,100 | $25.53 | +3.6% |
| 2025 | $51,200 | $24.61 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $50,100 | $24.10 | +0.9% |
| 2023 | $49,700 | $23.88 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $49,000 | $23.54 | +1.4% |
Recently added librarian salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Academic Success Librarian (Stem Liaison)- | Little Rock, AR | 06/30/2025 | $57,000 |
| University of Arkansas | Experiential Learning Librarian (Open Rank) | Fayetteville, NC | 06/30/2025 | $60,000 |
| Relativity | Avionics Ecad Librarian | Long Beach, CA | 06/29/2025 | $93,000 |
| University of Virginia | Scholarly Repository Librarian | Charlottesville, VA | 06/29/2025 | $73,000 |
| Pima County, Az | Librarian I | Tucson, AZ | 06/28/2025 | $51,563 |
| State of Michigan | Librarian | Ypsilanti, MI | 06/28/2025 | $56,119 |
| Allen County Public Library | Librarian-Teen Focus-Georgetown Branch | Fort Wayne, IN | 06/27/2025 | $41,970 |
| The University of Oklahoma Human Resources | Peak-AI Literacy Project Librarian | Norman, OK | 06/27/2025 | $52,175 |
| San Diego County (Ca | Librarian I | San Diego, CA | 06/27/2025 | $64,355 |
| Library Systems & Services, LLC | Librarian 1 | Manassas Park, VA | 06/26/2025 | $53,177 |
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