Library director demographics and statistics in the US
Library director demographics research summary. Zippia estimates library director demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our library director estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about library directors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 6,981 library directors currently employed in the United States.
- 70.5% of all library directors are women, while 29.5% are men.
- The average library director age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of library directors is White (77.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.7%), Black or African American (6.4%) and Asian (4.9%).
- Library directors are most in-demand in Anchorage, AK.
- Hoboken, NJ pays an annual average wage of $58,204, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women library directors earned 91% of what men earned.
- New Jersey is the best state for library directors to live.
- Library directors are 63% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Library director demographics by:
Library director gender statistics
70.5% of library directors are women and 29.5% of library directors are men.
- Female, 70.5%
- Male, 29.5%
Library director gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 70.5% |
| Male | 29.5% |
Library director gender pay gap
Women earn 91¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$45,901
Female income
$41,623
Library director gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in library director positions over time. Currently, 70.5% of library directors are female.
Library director gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 22.98% | 77.02% |
| 2011 | 22.90% | 77.10% |
| 2012 | 25.72% | 74.28% |
| 2013 | 25.28% | 74.72% |
| 2014 | 23.85% | 76.15% |
| 2015 | 26.15% | 73.85% |
| 2016 | 26.04% | 73.96% |
| 2017 | 29.13% | 70.87% |
| 2018 | 26.80% | 73.20% |
| 2019 | 25.21% | 74.79% |
| 2020 | 27.45% | 72.55% |
| 2021 | 29.46% | 70.54% |
Library director related jobs gender ratio
We compared library directors 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% |
| Library Director | 29% | 71% |
| 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%
Library director demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among library directors is White, which makes up 77.1% of all library directors. Comparatively, 7.7% of library directors are Hispanic or Latino and 6.4% of library directors are Black or African American.
- White, 77.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.7%
- Black or African American, 6.4%
- Asian, 4.9%
- Unknown, 3.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Library director race
| Library director race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 77.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.7% |
| Black or African American | 6.4% |
| Asian | 4.9% |
| Unknown | 3.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Library director race and ethnicity over time
See how library director racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Library director race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 81.10% | 6.34% | 4.83% | 5.37% |
| 2011 | 81.04% | 7.03% | 4.93% | 5.31% |
| 2012 | 80.02% | 6.42% | 5.35% | 6.15% |
| 2013 | 80.71% | 7.13% | 4.15% | 5.88% |
| 2014 | 80.26% | 6.72% | 4.64% | 6.26% |
| 2015 | 78.63% | 7.28% | 5.04% | 6.60% |
| 2016 | 79.05% | 6.86% | 5.27% | 6.70% |
| 2017 | 79.01% | 7.18% | 4.96% | 6.40% |
| 2018 | 79.63% | 6.57% | 4.12% | 7.81% |
| 2019 | 81.37% | 6.00% | 3.73% | 6.76% |
| 2020 | 78.12% | 6.44% | 4.26% | 7.23% |
| 2021 | 77.12% | 6.37% | 4.86% | 7.74% |
Library director wage gap by race
According to our data, asian library directors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown library directors have the lowest average salary at $43,442.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $43,442 |
| White | $45,093 |
| Black or African American | $46,249 |
| Asian | $48,298 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $46,565 |
Average library director age
See how the average age of library directors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Library director 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 |
Library director age breakdown
The average age of library directors is 40+ years years old, representing 75% of the library director population.
Library director age breakdown
| Library Director Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 75% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 4% |
Library director educational attainment
The most common degree for library directors is bachelor's degree, with 55% of library directors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 28% and master's degree degree at 9%.
- Bachelor's, 55%
- Master's, 28%
- Associate, 9%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Library directors by degree level
| Library director degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 55% |
| Master's | 28% |
| Associate | 9% |
| High School Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Library director jobs you might like
Library director wage gap by degree level
According to the data, library directors with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $60,867 annually. With a Master's degree, library directors earn a median annual income of $54,892 compared to $43,092 for library directors with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $54,892 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $43,092 |
| Doctorate Degree | $60,867 |
Library director employment statistics
Most library directors work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where library directors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where library directors work.
Library director jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 13% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 23% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 31% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 19% |
| > 10,000 employees | 6% |
Library director jobs by company type
Employees with the library director job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most library directors prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Library director jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 63% |
| Public | 4% |
| Private | 18% |
| Government | 15% |
Library director jobs by industry
The most common industries for library directors are education, government and professional.
Library director industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 59% |
| Government | 14% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
Library director turnover and employment statistics
Library director unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for library directors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Library director unemployment rate by year
| Year | Library director 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 library director tenure
The average library director stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 991 library directors resumes in Zippia's database.
Library director tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 11% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 17% |
| 5-7 years | 18% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 16% |
Library director LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of library directors 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching Assistant | 6.04% | 59,465 |
| Bilingual Teacher | 9.52% | 69,661 |
| English Instructor | 12.94% | 27,111 |
| Film Archivist | 13.30% | 329 |
| Page Technician | 13.69% | 24,052 |
| Library Director | 16.19% | - |
| Curriculum Developer | 16.25% | 73,274 |
Similar library director jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching Assistant | 6.04% | 59,465 |
| Bilingual Teacher | 9.52% | 69,661 |
| English Instructor | 12.94% | 27,111 |
| Film Archivist | 13.30% | 329 |
| Page Technician | 13.69% | 24,052 |
| Curriculum Developer | 16.25% | 73,274 |
Foreign languages spoken by library directors
The most common foreign language among library directors is Spanish at 47.6%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 9.5% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 7.1%.
- Spanish, 47.6%
- German, 9.5%
- Portuguese, 7.1%
- French, 4.8%
- Italian, 4.8%
- Other, 26.2%
Library director languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 47.6% |
| German | 9.5% |
| Portuguese | 7.1% |
| French | 4.8% |
| Italian | 4.8% |
| Other | 26.2% |
