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Job outlook for library technicians in the United States
Library technician job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected library technician job growth rate is -4% from 2018-2028.
About -6,400 new jobs for library technicians are projected over the next decade.
Library technician salaries have increased 13% for library technicians in the last 5 years.
There are over 42,313 library technicians currently employed in the United States.
There are 24,941 active library technician job openings in the US.
The average library technician salary is $37,757.
Are library technician jobs in demand?
Library technician job and salary trends over time
Library technician jobs over time
Library technician job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 42,313 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 51,521 | 0.02% |
| 2019 | 51,335 | 0.02% |
| 2018 | 51,347 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | 52,159 | 0.02% |
Average library technician salary over time
Library technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $37,757 | $18.15 | +6.0% |
| 2025 | $35,604 | $17.12 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $34,727 | $16.70 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $34,370 | $16.52 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $33,554 | $16.13 | +1.8% |
Library technician jobs by state
Most common states for library technicians
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | 739,795 | 82 | 11% |
| 2 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 110 | 8% |
| 3 | Delaware | 961,939 | 76 | 8% |
| 4 | Vermont | 623,657 | 53 | 8% |
| 5 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 412 | 7% |
| 6 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 239 | 7% |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 410 | 6% |
| 8 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 174 | 6% |
| 9 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 77 | 6% |
| 10 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 495 | 5% |
| 11 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 420 | 5% |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 304 | 5% |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 285 | 5% |
| 14 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 277 | 5% |
| 15 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 226 | 5% |
| 16 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 165 | 5% |
| 17 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 98 | 5% |
| 18 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 95 | 5% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 48 | 5% |
| 20 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 38 | 5% |
Most common cities for library technicians
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leavenworth | 1 | 3% | $41,917 |
| 2 | Williamsport | 1 | 3% | $36,420 |
| 3 | Dublin | 1 | 2% | $47,014 |
| 4 | Washington | 5 | 1% | $52,038 |
| 5 | New Haven | 1 | 1% | $44,421 |
| 6 | Shreveport | 1 | 1% | $30,173 |
| 7 | Glendale | 1 | 0% | $39,872 |
| 8 | Indianapolis | 1 | 0% | $39,827 |
Library Technician job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of library technician experts
University of Hawai'i at Manoa
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Library Technician job market given the pandemic?
Andrew Wertheimer Ph.D.: Most libraries are in the public sector, so I imagine the job situation will depend greatly on bailouts for states and local governments. The Trump administration and Senate forced states to reply to COVID-19 issues without giving them funding, so local and state governments had to freeze hiring in most places for all civil service positions. Now that we have a new administration which sees the value of education and libraries and local government, I expect jobs to slowly recover. I think the pandemic certainly increased the need for graduates with strong technology skills. Of course, there also is strength for those who can market their ICT skills in other workplaces too. I imagine health informatics will continue to be a growth field.
What technical skills for a Library Technician stand out to employers?
Andrew Wertheimer Ph.D.: Libraries and archives look for a variety of skills. It would be hard to specify which ones since different workplaces need different skills. The reason they hire our graduates is that they have this wide range of skills as well as soft-skills to provide service to users and communities in an ethical and legal way. If I had to name a few areas though I would say health informatics, digital archives, digital libraries, online instruction, as well as data science. Again, different employers have different technical needs. Our employers keep telling us that they also need the strong foundations plus soft skills.
What's a good job out of college for Library Technicians?
Andrew Wertheimer Ph.D.: To become a librarian or archivist one needs a Master's of Library and Information Science (MLS) so it is a big investment after getting a BA/BS. Each person is going to have their own definition of what is a good job. I advise my students to think about what is important to them. Some will go for the highest paying job, and others will be more excited about the potential for promotion, but I would have to say that our graduates also want to see a learning environment in an organization that really serves their community. I would say that most libraries and archives are great places to work since they are all about helping communities with collections and services.