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Reference librarian education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a reference librarian. Reference librarians usually study library science, english, or library science and administration. 56% of reference librarians hold a bachelor's degree, and 36% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,098 real reference librarian resumes to see exactly what reference librarian education sections show.
The most common colleges for reference librarians are the Kent State University and the Kent State University.
There are also many online reference librarian courses to help get the education required to be a reference librarian.
What education do you need to become a reference librarian?
What degree do you need to be a reference librarian?
- Bachelor's, 56%
- Master's, 36%
- Associate, 4%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a reference librarian?
- Library Science, 22%
- English, 16%
- History, 9%
- Other Majors, 39%
Most common colleges for reference librarians
| Reference librarian common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Kent State University | 8.19% |
| University of Pittsburgh | 7.02% |
| SUNY Buffalo State | 7.02% |
| Wayne State University | 6.43% |
| University of South Florida | 5.56% |
Best majors for reference librarians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Library Science | 21.6% |
| 2 | English | 15.6% |
| 3 | Library Science And Administration | 14.3% |
| 4 | History | 8.7% |
| 5 | Information Sciences | 4.9% |
Best colleges for reference librarians
The best colleges for reference librarians are New York University, Northwestern University, and University of California - Los Angeles.
A reference librarian with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for reference librarians. 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 reference librarians.
1. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
2. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
3. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
4. SUNY at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,099
Enrollment
21,404
5. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,853
Enrollment
14,759
6. Louisiana State University and A&M College
Baton Rouge, LA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,950
Enrollment
23,468
7. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
9. Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,244
Enrollment
15,557
10. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
20 best online courses for reference librarians
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Top 10 most affordable universities for reference librarians
The most affordable schools for reference librarians are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and florida state university.
If the best universities for reference librarians 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 reference librarians.
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. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
4. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
6. University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus
San Juan, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
11,299
7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
8. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Cost of attendance
25,275
9. Southern University at New Orleans
New Orleans, LA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,033
Cost of attendance
12,702
10. University of Houston - Clear Lake
Houston, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$7,002
Cost of attendance
22,326
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for reference librarians
The hardest universities for reference librarians to get into are New York University, Northwestern University, and University of California - Los Angeles.
Some great schools for reference librarians 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 reference librarians 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. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
14%
SAT average
1,423
4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
5. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,390
6. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,367
7. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
8. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
Admissions rate
49%
SAT average
1,347
9. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
10. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for reference librarians
The easiest schools for reference librarians to get into are University of Baltimore, oklahoma wesleyan university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a reference librarian 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 reference librarians.
1. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. Washington Adventist Hospital
Takoma Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
958
5. Notre Dame of Maryland University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,069
6. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
7. Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD • Private
Admissions rate
69%
SAT average
1,070
8. St. Catherine University
Saint Paul, MN • Private
Admissions rate
73%
SAT average
1,124
9. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Winona, MN • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,148
10. Clarion University of Pennsylvania
Clarion, PA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
1,041
Average reference librarian salary by education level
| Reference librarian education level | Reference librarian salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $58,966 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $48,969 |
| Doctorate Degree | $63,831 |
Reference librarian education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025