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Library paraprofessional education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a library paraprofessional. Library paraprofessionals usually study english, liberal arts, or history. 56% of library paraprofessionals hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 146 real library paraprofessional resumes to see exactly what library paraprofessional education sections show.
The most common colleges for library paraprofessionals are the Western Washington University and the Western Washington University.
There are also many online library paraprofessional courses to help get the education required to be a library paraprofessional.
What education do you need to become a library paraprofessional?
What degree do you need to be a library paraprofessional?
- Bachelor's, 56%
- Associate, 22%
- Master's, 11%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a library paraprofessional?
- English, 18%
- Liberal Arts, 12%
- History, 11%
- Other Majors, 51%
Most common colleges for library paraprofessionals
| Library paraprofessional common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Western Washington University | 12.90% |
| Miami University | 6.45% |
| University of Massachusetts Boston | 6.45% |
| Northern Arizona University | 6.45% |
| Brigham Young University | 6.45% |
Best majors for library paraprofessionals
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | 18.4% |
| 2 | Liberal Arts | 11.8% |
| 3 | History | 10.5% |
| 4 | Elementary Education | 7.9% |
| 5 | Library Science | 7.9% |
Best colleges for library paraprofessionals
The best colleges for library paraprofessionals are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.
A library paraprofessional 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 paraprofessionals. 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 paraprofessionals.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
5. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
7. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
8. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
10. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
20 best online courses for library paraprofessionals
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Top 10 most affordable universities for library paraprofessionals
The most affordable schools for library paraprofessionals are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for library paraprofessionals 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 paraprofessionals.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
6. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
10. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for library paraprofessionals
The hardest universities for library paraprofessionals to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for library paraprofessionals 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 paraprofessionals 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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
4. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
7. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for library paraprofessionals
The easiest schools for library paraprofessionals to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, bluefield college, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a library paraprofessional 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 paraprofessionals.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
5. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
6. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
7. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
8. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
9. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
10. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
Average library paraprofessional salary by education level
| Library paraprofessional education level | Library paraprofessional salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $37,316 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $34,989 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $36,794 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $35,651 |
Library paraprofessional education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025