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The differences between library media specialists and media specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a library media specialist and a media specialist. Additionally, a media specialist has an average salary of $50,832, which is higher than the $41,529 average annual salary of a library media specialist.
The top three skills for a library media specialist include professional development, library materials and K-12. The most important skills for a media specialist are digital marketing, video production, and customer service.
| Library Media Specialist | Media Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $41,529 | $50,832 |
| Hourly rate | $19.97 | $24.44 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 9,216 | 39,401 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 48 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Library Media Specialist is in charge of managing and handling a library's media resources and providing visitors and staff assistance. They may work for public libraries, learning institutions, or other facilities with libraries. Their responsibilities usually include helping visitors locate media materials, preparing and processing resources, arranging items according to protocols, and overseeing computer equipment to ensure that they are in good condition. They may also maintain the cleanliness of libraries and implement its policies and regulations.
Media specialists are individuals who establish and administer content on various social media platforms. The job involves monitoring site metrics, overseeing creative design, and responding to reader comments. Specialists offer advice to administrators and teachers on the use of non-print social media. They work for huge enterprises with multimedia departments, new media departments, and in-house websites. The skills the job requires include trend awareness, social media ads, community management, strong visual aesthetic, and understanding SEO.
Library media specialists and media specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Library Media Specialist | Media Specialist | |
| Average salary | $41,529 | $50,832 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $55,000 | Between $35,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Walnut Creek, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Montgomery County Public Schools | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Government | Professional |
There are a few differences between a library media specialist and a media specialist in terms of educational background:
| Library Media Specialist | Media Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Library Science | Communication |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between library media specialists' and media specialists' demographics:
| Library Media Specialist | Media Specialist | |
| Average age | 48 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 14.7% Female, 85.3% | Male, 52.9% Female, 47.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 5.3% White, 75.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 12% |