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Job outlook for reference librarians in the United States
Reference librarian job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected reference librarian job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 8,500 new jobs for reference librarians are projected over the next decade.
Reference librarian salaries have increased 8% for reference librarians in the last 5 years.
There are over 76,983 reference librarians currently employed in the United States.
There are 1,058 active reference librarian job openings in the US.
The average reference librarian salary is $50,409.
Are reference librarian jobs in demand?
Reference librarian job and salary trends over time
Reference librarian jobs over time
Reference librarian job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 76,983 | 0.02% |
| 2020 | 81,368 | 0.02% |
| 2019 | 81,742 | 0.02% |
| 2018 | 75,754 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | 76,386 | 0.02% |
Average reference librarian salary over time
Reference librarian salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $50,409 | $24.23 | +3.7% |
| 2024 | $48,595 | $23.36 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $47,594 | $22.88 | +0.9% |
| 2022 | $47,167 | $22.68 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | $46,490 | $22.35 | +1.4% |
Reference librarian jobs by state
Most common states for reference librarians
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 12 | 2% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 7 | 1% |
| 3 | California | 39,536,653 | 57 | 0% |
| 4 | New York | 19,849,399 | 27 | 0% |
| 5 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 21 | 0% |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 16 | 0% |
| 7 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 15 | 0% |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 12 | 0% |
| 9 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 11 | 0% |
| 10 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 10 | 0% |
| 11 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 8 | 0% |
| 12 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 7 | 0% |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 6 | 0% |
| 14 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 4 | 0% |
| 15 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 4 | 0% |
| 16 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 2 | 0% |
| 17 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 2 | 0% |
| 18 | Alaska | 739,795 | 1 | 0% |
| 19 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 1 | 0% |
| 20 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 1 | 0% |
Most common cities for reference librarians
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juneau | 1 | 3% | $70,520 |
| 2 | Washington | 4 | 1% | $58,359 |
| 3 | Rochester | 1 | 1% | $51,807 |
| 4 | Waterbury | 1 | 1% | $57,684 |
| 5 | Anchorage | 1 | 0% | $70,944 |
| 6 | Portland | 1 | 0% | $62,449 |
Reference Librarian job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of reference librarian experts
University of Central Missouri
Texas Woman's University
University of Hawai'i at Manoa
What general advice would you give to a Reference Librarian?
Dr. Jenna Kammer Ph.D., MLS, MA: We recommend that our graduate students get a job in a library prior to graduating if possible, or get to know the librarians in the area in which you want to work by volunteering, doing service projects, or internships. That will help with the transition into a library career and build a local network. As graduates begin a career as a librarian, take some time to learn how things work in the library by getting to know your collection, your patrons and the needs of the community. You may have a lot of ideas as you get started, but not enough time to do them all. Write these ideas down, as well as some action steps and resources for accomplishing them. Revisit these ideas as you can.
What Reference Librarian skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Jenna Kammer Ph.D., MLS, MA: Librarians have a core set of values that will stand the test of time, but it is also helpful to have new skills related to social media marketing, change management, digital literacy and the mental habits for learning to adapt with an evolving digital information landscape. Collaboration (within the library and outside of the library) is also an important skill for librarians to have.
What will help Reference Librarians increase their earning potential?
Dr. Jenna Kammer Ph.D., MLS, MA: The MLS degree is the number one best way to maximize your salary potential when starting a new library career. As library jobs can be competitive, build a resume of evidence which shows your skills and passion for library work, as well as curating a list of excellent references who can help you to land that job.
Kerol Harrod
Lecturer, School of Library and Information Studies, Texas Woman’s UniversityTexas Woman's University
Computer And Information Sciences
What will help Reference Librarians increase their earning potential?
Kerol Harrod: Master the skills of the entry-level job you are given in the beginning to get the job you want in the end. Offer to assist with projects that will help you learn the skills you need for success, and always be on the lookout for continuing education opportunities like in-house trainings, conferences, and webinars. If you show an interest in going above and beyond, then you will improve your knowledge and skills, which in turn improves your chances for advancement in the field.
What general advice would you give to a Reference Librarian?
Kerol Harrod: Much of what I would advise involves just sticking to the basics. Show up to work on time. Have a good attitude and a growth mindset. Don't complain about menial tasks, and always be looking to learn the skills of the next position above you. I started out as the transit driver in my library system, loading and unloading boxes of books that circulated among the different library branches. I worked my way up, and now I am teaching graduate students how to become librarians. Put in the time and do the work. Networking is a huge part of success, so it's important to maintain good connections with co-workers, former professors, and fellow librarians. Finally, consider establishing a mentorship with a successful, trusted colleague who has experience in the position you want to attain. Personal connections go a long way.
What Reference Librarian skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kerol Harrod: Knowing how to navigate AI and the types of issues that arise therefrom (copyright, plagiarism, AI hallucinations, etc.) will become more important as the technology progresses. Generally keeping abreast of new technologies and ways to access information is also key to providing good service to library patrons. Understanding the basics of community librarianship, evidence-based practice, marketing, and community outreach will be crucial to libraries and librarians looking to maintain relevance in an increasingly connected world.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Reference Librarian 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 Reference Librarian 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 Reference Librarians?
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.