Research librarian demographics and statistics in the US
Research librarian demographics research summary. Zippia estimates research librarian demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our research 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 research librarians after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 10,810 research librarians currently employed in the United States.
- 64.3% of all research librarians are women, while 35.7% are men.
- The average research librarian age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of research librarians is White (77.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.7%), Black or African American (6.3%) and Asian (4.8%).
- Research librarians are most in-demand in Washington, DC.
- The professional industry is the highest-paying for research librarians.
- 16% of all research librarians are LGBT.
On this page
Research librarian demographics by:
Research librarian gender statistics
64.3% of research librarians are women and 35.7% of research librarians are men.
- Female, 64.3%
- Male, 35.7%
Research librarian gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 64.3% |
| Male | 35.7% |
Research librarian gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$52,381
Female income
$48,204
Research librarian gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in research librarian positions over time. Currently, 64.3% of research librarians are female.
Research librarian gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 28.41% | 71.59% |
| 2011 | 28.32% | 71.68% |
| 2012 | 31.53% | 68.47% |
| 2013 | 31.03% | 68.97% |
| 2014 | 29.41% | 70.59% |
| 2015 | 32.02% | 67.98% |
| 2016 | 31.89% | 68.11% |
| 2017 | 35.35% | 64.65% |
| 2018 | 32.75% | 67.25% |
| 2019 | 30.95% | 69.05% |
| 2020 | 33.47% | 66.53% |
| 2021 | 35.71% | 64.29% |
Research librarian related jobs gender ratio
We compared research 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% |
| Research Librarian | 36% | 64% |
| 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%
Research librarian demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among research librarians is White, which makes up 77.2% of all research librarians. Comparatively, 7.7% of research librarians are Hispanic or Latino and 6.3% of research librarians are Black or African American.
- White, 77.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.7%
- Black or African American, 6.3%
- Asian, 4.8%
- Unknown, 3.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Research librarian race
| Research librarian race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 77.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.7% |
| Black or African American | 6.3% |
| Asian | 4.8% |
| Unknown | 3.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Research librarian race and ethnicity over time
See how research librarian racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Research librarian race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 81.17% | 6.31% | 4.81% | 5.35% |
| 2011 | 81.11% | 7.00% | 4.91% | 5.29% |
| 2012 | 80.09% | 6.39% | 5.34% | 6.12% |
| 2013 | 80.78% | 7.11% | 4.13% | 5.85% |
| 2014 | 80.33% | 6.70% | 4.62% | 6.24% |
| 2015 | 78.70% | 7.26% | 5.02% | 6.58% |
| 2016 | 79.12% | 6.83% | 5.26% | 6.68% |
| 2017 | 79.07% | 7.15% | 4.95% | 6.38% |
| 2018 | 79.69% | 6.54% | 4.10% | 7.79% |
| 2019 | 81.44% | 5.97% | 3.71% | 6.73% |
| 2020 | 78.19% | 6.42% | 4.24% | 7.21% |
| 2021 | 77.19% | 6.34% | 4.85% | 7.71% |
Research librarian wage gap by race
According to our data, asian research librarians have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown research librarians have the lowest average salary at $49,987.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $49,987 |
| White | $51,597 |
| Black or African American | $52,718 |
| Asian | $54,696 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $53,024 |
Average research librarian age
See how the average age of research librarians varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Research 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 |
Research librarian age breakdown
The average age of research librarians is 40+ years years old, representing 75% of the research librarian population.
Research librarian age breakdown
| Research Librarian Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 75% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 4% |
Research librarian educational attainment
The most common degree for research librarians is bachelor's degree, with 60% of research librarians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 29% and master's degree degree at 4%.
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Master's, 29%
- Associate, 4%
- Doctorate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Research librarians by degree level
| Research librarian degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 60% |
| Master's | 29% |
| Associate | 4% |
| Doctorate | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Research librarian jobs you might like
Research librarian wage gap by degree level
According to the data, research librarians with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $66,571 annually. With a Master's degree, research librarians earn a median annual income of $60,978 compared to $49,645 for research librarians with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $60,978 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $49,645 |
| Doctorate Degree | $66,571 |
Research librarian employment statistics
Most research librarians work for a private in the education industry.
Company size where research librarians work
Below, you can see the size of companies where research librarians work.
Research librarian jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 19% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 15% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 34% |
| > 10,000 employees | 18% |
Research librarian jobs by company type
Employees with the research librarian job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most research librarians prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Research librarian jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 33% |
| Public | 14% |
| Private | 46% |
| Government | 7% |
Research librarian jobs by industry
The most common industries for research librarians are education, professional and media.
Research librarian industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 28% |
| Professional | 21% |
| Media | 10% |
| Finance | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
| Government | 5% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
Research librarian turnover and employment statistics
Research librarian unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for research librarians between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Research librarian unemployment rate by year
| Year | Research 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 research librarian tenure
The average research librarian stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 398 research librarians resumes in Zippia's database.
Research librarian tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 13% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 18% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 17% |
Research librarian LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of research 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Learning Assistant | 6.04% | 14,674 |
| Elementary School Teacher | 9.52% | 84,607 |
| Adjunct Faculty Member | 12.94% | 28,981 |
| Art Preparator | 13.30% | 2,769 |
| Library Technician | 13.69% | 24,941 |
| Research Librarian | 16.19% | - |
| Instructional Coordinator | 16.25% | 25,255 |
Similar research librarian jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Learning Assistant | 6.04% | 14,674 |
| Elementary School Teacher | 9.52% | 84,607 |
| Adjunct Faculty Member | 12.94% | 28,981 |
| Art Preparator | 13.30% | 2,769 |
| Library Technician | 13.69% | 24,941 |
| Instructional Coordinator | 16.25% | 25,255 |
Foreign languages spoken by research librarians
The most common foreign language among research librarians is Spanish at 32.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 19.4% and German is the third-most popular at 12.9%.
- Spanish, 32.3%
- French, 19.4%
- German, 12.9%
- Portuguese, 9.7%
- Hebrew, 6.5%
- Other, 19.2%
Research librarian languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 32.3% |
| French | 19.4% |
| German | 12.9% |
| Portuguese | 9.7% |
| Hebrew | 6.5% |
| Other | 19.2% |
