Library media specialist demographics and statistics in the US
Library media specialist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates library media specialist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our library media specialist 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 media specialists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 6,067 library media specialists currently employed in the United States.
- 85.3% of all library media specialists are women, while 14.7% are men.
- The average library media specialist age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of library media specialists is White (75.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (8.2%), Black or African American (7.1%) and Asian (5.3%).
- Library media specialists are most in-demand in Decatur, GA.
- The government industry is the highest-paying for library media specialists.
- 16% of all library media specialists are LGBT.
On this page
Library media specialist demographics by:
Library media specialist gender statistics
85.3% of library media specialists are women and 14.7% of library media specialists are men.
- Female, 85.3%
- Male, 14.7%
Library media specialist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 85.3% |
| Male | 14.7% |
Library media specialist gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$42,182
Female income
$39,571
Library media specialist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in library media specialist positions over time. Currently, 85.3% of library media specialists are female.
Library media specialist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 19.15% | 80.85% |
| 2011 | 22.93% | 77.07% |
| 2012 | 19.75% | 80.25% |
| 2013 | 21.94% | 78.06% |
| 2014 | 21.24% | 78.76% |
| 2015 | 20.06% | 79.94% |
| 2016 | 18.21% | 81.79% |
| 2017 | 17.66% | 82.34% |
| 2018 | 13.10% | 86.90% |
| 2019 | 12.18% | 87.82% |
| 2020 | 13.47% | 86.53% |
| 2021 | 14.67% | 85.33% |
Library media specialist related jobs gender ratio
We compared library media specialists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, agriculture consultant and torque tester have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Lead Toddler Teacher | 4% | 96% |
| Infant Teacher | 5% | 95% |
| Kindergarten Aide | 6% | 94% |
| Library Media Specialist | 15% | 85% |
| Certified Performance Technologist | 79% | 21% |
| Torque Tester | 84% | 16% |
| Agriculture Consultant | 84% | 16% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Library media specialist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among library media specialists is White, which makes up 75.7% of all library media specialists. Comparatively, 8.2% of library media specialists are Hispanic or Latino and 7.1% of library media specialists are Black or African American.
- White, 75.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 8.2%
- Black or African American, 7.1%
- Asian, 5.3%
- Unknown, 3.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Library media specialist race
| Library media specialist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 75.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.2% |
| Black or African American | 7.1% |
| Asian | 5.3% |
| Unknown | 3.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Library media specialist race and ethnicity over time
See how library media specialist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Library media specialist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70.94% | 11.29% | 5.14% | 10.36% |
| 2011 | 71.45% | 11.74% | 5.35% | 8.67% |
| 2012 | 71.81% | 11.90% | 4.69% | 9.09% |
| 2013 | 69.83% | 12.89% | 5.40% | 9.51% |
| 2014 | 68.69% | 12.41% | 4.72% | 10.81% |
| 2015 | 66.91% | 13.19% | 6.31% | 11.06% |
| 2016 | 70.62% | 10.79% | 5.22% | 10.98% |
| 2017 | 67.04% | 12.41% | 5.55% | 12.42% |
| 2018 | 78.21% | 7.32% | 4.55% | 8.24% |
| 2019 | 79.95% | 6.75% | 4.16% | 7.19% |
| 2020 | 76.71% | 7.19% | 4.69% | 7.66% |
| 2021 | 75.71% | 7.11% | 5.29% | 8.17% |
Library media specialist wage gap by race
According to our data, asian library media specialists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown library media specialists have the lowest average salary at $40,721.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $40,721 |
| White | $41,695 |
| Black or African American | $42,389 |
| Asian | $43,585 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $42,571 |
Average library media specialist age
See how the average age of library media specialists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Library media specialist 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 media specialist age breakdown
The average age of library media specialists is 40+ years years old, representing 75% of the library media specialist population.
Library media specialist age breakdown
| Library Media Specialist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 75% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 4% |
Library media specialist educational attainment
The most common degree for library media specialists is bachelor's degree, with 54% of library media specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 37% and master's degree degree at 5%.
- Bachelor's, 54%
- Master's, 37%
- Associate, 5%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Library media specialists by degree level
| Library media specialist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 54% |
| Master's | 37% |
| Associate | 5% |
| Doctorate | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Library media specialist jobs you might like
Library media specialist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, library media specialists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $50,632 annually. With a Master's degree, library media specialists earn a median annual income of $47,443 compared to $40,533 for library media specialists with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $47,443 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $40,533 |
| Doctorate Degree | $50,632 |
Library media specialist employment statistics
Most library media specialists work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where library media specialists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where library media specialists work.
Library media specialist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 12% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 31% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 31% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 4% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 17% |
| > 10,000 employees | 5% |
Library media specialist jobs by company type
Employees with the library media specialist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most library media specialists prefer to work at education companies over government companies.
Library media specialist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 84% |
| Public | 2% |
| Private | 6% |
| Government | 7% |
Library media specialist jobs by industry
The most common industries for library media specialists are education, government and media.
Library media specialist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 83% |
| Government | 7% |
| Media | 2% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Professional | 1% |
Library media specialist turnover and employment statistics
Library media specialist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for library media specialists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Library media specialist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Library media specialist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.66% |
| 2011 | 4.18% |
| 2012 | 4.25% |
| 2013 | 2.95% |
| 2014 | 2.65% |
| 2015 | 2.60% |
| 2016 | 2.14% |
| 2017 | 2.99% |
| 2018 | 1.39% |
| 2019 | 1.46% |
| 2020 | 1.74% |
| 2021 | 1.46% |
Average library media specialist tenure
The average library media specialist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,401 library media specialists resumes in Zippia's database.
Library media specialist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 12% |
| 1-2 years | 29% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 18% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 19% |
Library media specialist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of library media specialists 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Course Assistant | 6.04% | 7,769 |
| Sixth Grade Teacher | 9.52% | 57,012 |
| Early Childhood Special Educator | 11.12% | 62,487 |
| English Instructor | 12.94% | 27,111 |
| Library Technician | 13.69% | 24,941 |
| Library Media Specialist | 16.19% | - |
| Sustainable Agriculture Specialist | 16.25% | 18,701 |
Similar library media specialist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Course Assistant | 6.04% | 7,769 |
| Sixth Grade Teacher | 9.52% | 57,012 |
| Early Childhood Special Educator | 11.12% | 62,487 |
| English Instructor | 12.94% | 27,111 |
| Library Technician | 13.69% | 24,941 |
| Sustainable Agriculture Specialist | 16.25% | 18,701 |
Foreign languages spoken by library media specialists
The most common foreign language among library media specialists is Spanish at 56.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 10.0% and French is the third-most popular at 6.7%.
- Spanish, 56.7%
- German, 10.0%
- French, 6.7%
- Filipino, 3.3%
- Czech, 3.3%
- Other, 20.0%
Library media specialist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 56.7% |
| German | 10.0% |
| French | 6.7% |
| Filipino | 3.3% |
| Czech | 3.3% |
| Other | 20.0% |
