Library director education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a library director. Library directors usually study library science, english, or library science and administration. 55% of library directors hold a bachelor's degree, and 28% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 991 real library director resumes to see exactly what library director education sections show.

The most common colleges for library directors are the University of North Texas and the University of North Texas.

There are also many online library director courses to help get the education required to be a library director.

What education do you need to become a library director?

What degree do you need to be a library director?

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%

What should I major in to become a library director?

You should major in library science to become a library director. 21% of library directors major in library science. Other common majors for a library director include english and library science and administration.

Library Science, 21%

English, 11%

Library Science And Administration, 10%

Business, 9%

Other Majors, 49%

Most common colleges for library directors

Library directors often get their degrees at University of North Texas, University of Pittsburgh, and University of Wisconsin Colleges. Here are the most common colleges for library directors in the US based on their resumes.

Library director common college	Percentages
University of North Texas	10.08%
University of Pittsburgh	9.30%
University of Wisconsin Colleges	6.98%
Wayne State University	6.98%
Florida State University	6.20%

Show more common library director colleges

Best majors for library directors

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Library Science	21.3%
2	English	10.7%
3	Library Science And Administration	9.6%
4	Business	8.6%
5	History	7.7%

Show more common library director majors

Best colleges for library directors

The best colleges for library directors are New York University, University of Maryland - College Park, and University of Washington.

A library director with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for library directors. 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 library directors.

1. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

2. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$10,595

Enrollment

30,184

3. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

4. SUNY at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,099

Enrollment

21,404

5. Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,853

Enrollment

14,759

6. University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,267

Enrollment

23,410

7. Louisiana State University and A&M College

Baton Rouge, LA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,950

Enrollment

23,468

8. Drexel University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,244

Enrollment

15,557

9. Simmons University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$40,850

Enrollment

1,790

10. St. John's University

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$41,760

Enrollment

11,907

20 best online courses for library directors

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Top 10 most affordable universities for library directors

The most affordable schools for library directors are Queens College of the City University of New York, university of puerto rico - rio piedras campus, and inter american university of puerto rico barranquitas.

If the best universities for library directors 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 library directors.

1. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

2. University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus

San Juan, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

11,299

3. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Barranquitas

Barranquitas, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,902

Cost of attendance

13,479

4. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

5. Inter American University of Puerto Rico San German

San German, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

14,322

6. New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$6,686

Cost of attendance

17,885

7. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Cost of attendance

25,275

8. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

9. University of Colorado Denver

Denver, CO • Private

In-state tuition

$9,283

Cost of attendance

22,243

10. San Jose State University

San Jose, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,796

Cost of attendance

24,514

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for library directors

The hardest universities for library directors to get into are New York University, University of Maryland - College Park, and University of Washington.

Some great schools for library directors 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 library directors 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. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

2. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

Admissions rate

47%

SAT average

1,390

3. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

Admissions rate

49%

SAT average

1,347

4. Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY • Private

Admissions rate

50%

SAT average

1,284

5. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

59%

SAT average

1,367

6. University of Denver

Denver, CO • Private

Admissions rate

56%

SAT average

1,300

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,398

9. SUNY at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

56%

SAT average

1,250

10. Drexel University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

77%

SAT average

1,281

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for library directors

The easiest schools for library directors to get into are Fresno Pacific University, kutztown university of pennsylvania, and washington adventist hospital.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a library director 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 library directors.

1. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

2. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown, PA • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,058

3. Washington Adventist Hospital

Takoma Park, MD • Private

Admissions rate

52%

SAT average

958

4. Emporia State University

Emporia, KS • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,118

5. St. Catherine University

Saint Paul, MN • Private

Admissions rate

73%

SAT average

1,124

6. Northeastern State University

Tahlequah, OK • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,064

7. Marshall University

Huntington, WV • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,100

8. Long Island University

Brookville, NY • Private

Admissions rate

76%

SAT average

1,167

9. Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

64%

SAT average

1,121

10. University of Colorado Denver

Denver, CO • Private

Admissions rate

64%

SAT average

1,132

Average library director salary by education level

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.

Library director education level	Library director salary
Master's Degree	$54,892
Bachelor's Degree	$43,092
Doctorate Degree	$60,867

Library director education FAQs

What is the best college for Library Directors?

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Updated January 8, 2025

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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