Reference librarian demographics and statistics in the US
Reference librarian demographics research summary. Zippia estimates reference librarian demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our reference librarian estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about reference librarians after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 76,983 reference librarians currently employed in the United States.
- 66.7% of all reference librarians are women, while 33.3% are men.
- The average reference librarian age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of reference librarians is White (76.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.8%), Black or African American (6.5%) and Asian (4.9%).
- Reference librarians are most in-demand in Washington, DC.
- The education industry is the highest-paying for reference librarians.
- 16% of all reference librarians are LGBT.
On this page
Reference librarian demographics by:
Reference librarian gender statistics
66.7% of reference librarians are women and 33.3% of reference librarians are men.
- Female, 66.7%
- Male, 33.3%
Reference librarian gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 66.7% |
| Male | 33.3% |
Reference librarian gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$51,401
Female income
$47,683
Reference librarian gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in reference librarian positions over time. Currently, 66.7% of reference librarians are female.
Reference librarian gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 26.28% | 73.72% |
| 2011 | 26.20% | 73.80% |
| 2012 | 29.26% | 70.74% |
| 2013 | 28.78% | 71.22% |
| 2014 | 27.23% | 72.77% |
| 2015 | 29.73% | 70.27% |
| 2016 | 29.61% | 70.39% |
| 2017 | 32.94% | 67.06% |
| 2018 | 30.44% | 69.56% |
| 2019 | 28.71% | 71.29% |
| 2020 | 31.13% | 68.87% |
| 2021 | 33.29% | 66.71% |
Reference librarian related jobs gender ratio
We compared reference librarians with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, technician's helper and exhibit technician have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary Librarian | 8% | 92% |
| Children's Librarian | 11% | 89% |
| High School Librarian | 15% | 85% |
| Reference Librarian | 33% | 67% |
| Art Preparator | 78% | 22% |
| Exhibit Technician | 80% | 20% |
| Technician's Helper | 88% | 12% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Reference librarian demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among reference librarians is White, which makes up 76.8% of all reference librarians. Comparatively, 7.8% of reference librarians are Hispanic or Latino and 6.5% of reference librarians are Black or African American.
- White, 76.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.8%
- Black or African American, 6.5%
- Asian, 4.9%
- Unknown, 3.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Reference librarian race
| Reference librarian race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 76.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.8% |
| Black or African American | 6.5% |
| Asian | 4.9% |
| Unknown | 3.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Reference librarian race and ethnicity over time
See how reference librarian racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Reference librarian race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 80.79% | 6.46% | 4.90% | 5.48% |
| 2011 | 80.73% | 7.15% | 4.99% | 5.42% |
| 2012 | 79.71% | 6.54% | 5.42% | 6.26% |
| 2013 | 80.40% | 7.26% | 4.22% | 5.99% |
| 2014 | 79.95% | 6.85% | 4.71% | 6.37% |
| 2015 | 78.32% | 7.41% | 5.10% | 6.71% |
| 2016 | 78.74% | 6.98% | 5.34% | 6.81% |
| 2017 | 78.69% | 7.30% | 5.03% | 6.51% |
| 2018 | 79.32% | 6.69% | 4.18% | 7.92% |
| 2019 | 81.06% | 6.12% | 3.80% | 6.87% |
| 2020 | 77.81% | 6.57% | 4.33% | 7.34% |
| 2021 | 76.81% | 6.49% | 4.93% | 7.85% |
Reference librarian wage gap by race
According to our data, asian reference librarians have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown reference librarians have the lowest average salary at $49,274.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $49,274 |
| White | $50,706 |
| Black or African American | $51,700 |
| Asian | $53,449 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $51,971 |
Average reference librarian age
See how the average age of reference librarians varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Reference librarian 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 |
Reference librarian age breakdown
The average age of reference librarians is 40+ years years old, representing 75% of the reference librarian population.
Reference librarian age breakdown
| Reference Librarian Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 75% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 4% |
Reference librarian educational attainment
The most common degree for reference librarians is bachelor's degree, with 56% of reference librarians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 36% and master's degree degree at 4%.
- Bachelor's, 56%
- Master's, 36%
- Associate, 4%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Reference librarians by degree level
| Reference librarian degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 56% |
| Master's | 36% |
| Associate | 4% |
| Doctorate | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Reference librarian jobs you might like
Reference librarian wage gap by degree level
According to the data, reference librarians with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $63,831 annually. With a Master's degree, reference librarians earn a median annual income of $58,966 compared to $48,969 for reference librarians with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $58,966 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $48,969 |
| Doctorate Degree | $63,831 |
Reference librarian employment statistics
Most reference librarians work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where reference librarians work
Below, you can see the size of companies where reference librarians work.
Reference librarian jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 18% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 29% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 12% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 28% |
| > 10,000 employees | 6% |
Reference librarian jobs by company type
Employees with the reference librarian job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most reference librarians prefer to work at education companies over government companies.
Reference librarian jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 59% |
| Public | 2% |
| Private | 11% |
| Government | 28% |
Reference librarian jobs by industry
The most common industries for reference librarians are education, government and professional.
Reference librarian industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 55% |
| Government | 26% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Reference librarian turnover and employment statistics
Reference librarian unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for reference librarians between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Reference librarian unemployment rate by year
| Year | Reference librarian unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.14% |
| 2011 | 2.36% |
| 2012 | 2.44% |
| 2013 | 2.38% |
| 2014 | 2.56% |
| 2015 | 2.47% |
| 2016 | 1.99% |
| 2017 | 1.38% |
| 2018 | 1.39% |
| 2019 | 1.46% |
| 2020 | 1.74% |
| 2021 | 1.46% |
Average reference librarian tenure
The average reference librarian stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,098 reference librarians resumes in Zippia's database.
Reference librarian tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 18% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
Reference librarian LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of reference librarians 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Special Education Instructional Assistant | 6.04% | 60,974 |
| Student Teacher | 9.52% | 79,071 |
| Lecturer | 12.94% | 26,449 |
| Art Preparator | 13.30% | 2,769 |
| Cataloging Technician | 13.69% | 5,310 |
| Reference Librarian | 16.19% | - |
| Instructional Designer | 16.25% | 50,321 |
Similar reference librarian jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Special Education Instructional Assistant | 6.04% | 60,974 |
| Student Teacher | 9.52% | 79,071 |
| Lecturer | 12.94% | 26,449 |
| Art Preparator | 13.30% | 2,769 |
| Cataloging Technician | 13.69% | 5,310 |
| Instructional Designer | 16.25% | 50,321 |
Foreign languages spoken by reference librarians
The most common foreign language among reference librarians is Spanish at 35.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 21.9% and German is the third-most popular at 7.3%.
- Spanish, 35.0%
- French, 21.9%
- German, 7.3%
- Italian, 5.8%
- Russian, 4.4%
- Other, 25.6%
Reference librarian languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 35.0% |
| French | 21.9% |
| German | 7.3% |
| Italian | 5.8% |
| Russian | 4.4% |
| Other | 25.6% |
