Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Catalog librarian salary
Average catalog librarian salary
$50,520
Average Catalog Librarian Salary
The average salary for a Catalog Librarian is approximately $50,520 annually, translating to about $24 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific type of library setting. For example, catalog librarians in metropolitan areas may earn higher wages compared to those in rural settings.
Where Can Catalog Librarians Earn More?
States like California and New York typically offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for skilled librarians. Additionally, professionals with advanced degrees or specialized skills may command higher salaries. Understanding these factors can help librarians optimize their career paths.
Career Advancement Opportunities
As catalog librarians gain experience, they can pursue roles such as library manager or digital archivist, which often come with increased compensation and responsibilities. Keeping abreast of industry trends and continuously enhancing skills through professional development can lead to more lucrative positions.
Let Zippia find your next catalog librarian job
Let Zippia find your next catalog librarian job
Where can a Catalog Librarian earn more?
Catalog librarian salary estimates from across the web
Average catalog librarian salary by state
The highest-paying states for catalog librarians are Alaska, Washington, and New Jersey. The lowest average catalog librarian salary states are Louisiana, Arizona, and New Mexico.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for catalog librarians
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $61,811 | $29.72 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $61,631 | $29.63 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $60,501 | $29.09 |
| 4 | Virginia | $58,320 | $28.04 |
| 5 | Alaska | $65,518 | $31.50 |
| 6 | New York | $56,922 | $27.37 |
| 7 | Michigan | $56,581 | $27.20 |
| 8 | Nevada | $51,011 | $24.52 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $57,252 | $27.52 |
| 10 | Washington | $62,064 | $29.84 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $51,418 | $24.72 |
| 12 | Oregon | $58,217 | $27.99 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $55,559 | $26.71 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $48,928 | $23.52 |
| 15 | Maryland | $55,413 | $26.64 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $54,153 | $26.04 |
| 17 | California | $54,032 | $25.98 |
| 18 | Illinois | $49,796 | $23.94 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $54,005 | $25.96 |
| 20 | Utah | $54,245 | $26.08 |
| 21 | Delaware | $53,587 | $25.76 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $50,071 | $24.07 |
| 23 | Ohio | $47,642 | $22.90 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $51,766 | $24.89 |
| 25 | Texas | $45,999 | $22.11 |
| 26 | Idaho | $49,299 | $23.70 |
| 27 | Kansas | $44,624 | $21.45 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $46,484 | $22.35 |
| 29 | Alabama | $42,947 | $20.65 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $45,709 | $21.98 |
| 31 | Iowa | $44,409 | $21.35 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $44,455 | $21.37 |
| 33 | Vermont | $46,518 | $22.36 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $41,932 | $20.16 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $42,655 | $20.51 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $48,982 | $23.55 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $45,934 | $22.08 |
| 38 | Colorado | $43,246 | $20.79 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $39,965 | $19.21 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $39,591 | $19.03 |
| 41 | Maine | $41,896 | $20.14 |
| 42 | Indiana | $42,792 | $20.57 |
| 43 | Georgia | $45,154 | $21.71 |
| 44 | Florida | $41,115 | $19.77 |
| 45 | Arizona | $40,332 | $19.39 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $42,093 | $20.24 |
| 47 | Missouri | $42,971 | $20.66 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $40,599 | $19.52 |
| 49 | Montana | $41,107 | $19.76 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $39,917 | $19.19 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $38,438 | $18.48 |
Highest paying cities for catalog librarians
The highest-paying cities for catalog librarians are Portland, OR, Washington, DC, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland, OR | $57,916 | $27.84 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $57,257 | $27.53 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $57,208 | $27.50 |
| 4 | Annapolis, MD | $55,471 | $26.67 |
| 5 | Hattiesburg, MS | $50,291 | $24.18 |
| 6 | Las Vegas, NV | $49,947 | $24.01 |
| 7 | Youngstown, OH | $49,476 | $23.79 |
| 8 | Arlington, TX | $46,147 | $22.19 |
| 9 | Madison, WI | $45,296 | $21.78 |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA | $45,245 | $21.75 |
| 11 | Lakewood, CO | $43,289 | $20.81 |
| 12 | Saint Louis, MO | $43,118 | $20.73 |
| 13 | Montgomery, AL | $42,753 | $20.55 |
| 14 | Norman, OK | $42,065 | $20.22 |
| 15 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $41,370 | $19.89 |
Catalog librarian salary details
A catalog librarian's salary ranges from $35,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $72,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a catalog librarian's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
| 75th Percentile | $61,000 | $5,083 | $29 |
| Average | $50,520 | $4,210 | $24 |
| 25th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
Highest paying catalog librarian jobs
The highest paying types of catalog librarians are circulation director, library manager, and collection management librarian.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Services Librarian | $50,657 | $4,221 | $24.35 | 118,696 |
| Youth Services Librarian | $49,971 | $4,164 | $24.02 | 55,418 |
| Collection Management Librarian | $56,311 | $4,693 | $27.07 | 63,441 |
| Reference Librarian | $50,409 | $4,201 | $24.23 | 1,058 |
| Research Librarian | $51,263 | $4,272 | $24.65 | 45,828 |
| Children's Librarian | $49,900 | $4,158 | $23.99 | 9,834 |
Which companies pay catalog librarians the most?
Catalog librarian salaries at New York University and Nova Southeastern University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average catalog librarian salary at companies like University of Houston-Clear Lake and University of Nevada, Reno are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York University | $72,961 | $35.08 |
| 2 | Nova Southeastern University | $70,705 | $33.99 |
| 3 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | $64,577 | $31.05 |
| 4 | University of Nevada, Reno | $62,829 | $30.21 |
| 5 | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | $56,195 | $27.02 |
| 6 | Binghamton University | $54,714 | $26.30 |
| 7 | The New York Public Library | $52,922 | $25.44 |
| 8 | Multnomah County Library | $52,318 | $25.15 |
| 9 | Anne Arundel County Public Library | $52,169 | $25.08 |
| 10 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | $51,857 | $24.93 |
| 11 | WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA | $51,738 | $24.87 |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin System | $50,583 | $24.32 |
| 13 | Jefferson County Public Library | $50,084 | $24.08 |
| 14 | University of Oklahoma | $48,892 | $23.51 |
| 15 | Alabama State University | $48,795 | $23.46 |
| 16 | Mississippi Valley State University | $47,736 | $22.95 |
| 17 | Virginia Education Association | $46,141 | $22.18 |
| 18 | Zimmerman Associates | $45,950 | $22.09 |
| 19 | LAC Federal | $43,770 | $21.04 |
| 20 | St. Mary's University | $41,224 | $19.82 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Catalog librarian salary trends
The average catalog librarian salary has risen by $5,850 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average catalog librarian earned $44,670 annually, but today, they earn $50,520 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for catalog librarians over the last decade.
Compare catalog librarian salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average catalog librarian salary over time
Compare catalog librarian salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Catalog librarian salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $50,500 | $24.29 | +3.6% |
| 2025 | $48,700 | $23.41 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $47,700 | $22.93 | +0.9% |
| 2023 | $47,300 | $22.73 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $46,600 | $22.40 | +1.4% |
Recently added catalog librarian salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Board of Regents | Librarian, Cataloging and Systems | Cleveland, TN | 06/30/2025 | $44,155 |
| Washington County (or | Cataloging Librarian | Hillsboro, OR | 06/15/2025 | $76,070 |
| Colorado Mountain College | Learning Commons Coordinator and Open Educational Resources/Cataloging Librarian | Dillon, CO | 06/13/2025 | $68,945 |
| Eagle Valley Library District | Librarian I-Cataloger | Eagle, CO | 06/07/2025 | $59,631 |
| University of Maryland Eastern Shore | Cataloging/Metadata Librarian | Princess Anne, MD | 06/05/2025 | $55,000 |
| State of Wisconsin | Cataloging & Metadata Librarian | Madison, WI | 05/23/2025 | $51,035 |
| Tennessee Board of Regents | Librarian, Cataloging and Systems | Cleveland, TN | 05/17/2025 | $44,155 |
| Texas A&M University | Cataloging/Metadata Librarian | College Station, TX | 04/26/2025 | $72,335 |
| State of Georgia | Cataloging Librarian | Atlanta, GA | 03/21/2025 | $55,000 |
| State of Virginia | Catalog Librarian | Richmond, VA | 03/15/2025 | $64,968 |
Catalog librarian salary FAQs
Search for catalog librarian jobs