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The average salary for an Instruction Librarian in the United States is $50,234 per year, translating to approximately $24 per hour. Salary figures can fluctuate based on multiple factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific institution type. For instance, Instruction Librarians in urban areas or prestigious universities often earn higher salaries compared to those in smaller institutions.
Instruction Librarians can expect varying salaries across different states. States such as California, New York, and Texas frequently offer the highest compensation packages. Major cities, including San Francisco and New York City, are known for higher salary scales due to the cost of living and demand for skilled librarians.
Experience plays a significant role in salary potential. Entry-level Instruction Librarians may start at lower salaries, but with additional qualifications and years of service, salaries can rise significantly. Continuous professional development can further enhance earning potential in this field.
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The average instruction librarian salary in Alaska, Washington, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average instruction librarian salary states are Louisiana, Arizona, and New Mexico.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $61,230 | $29.44 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $59,729 | $28.72 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $61,100 | $29.38 |
| 4 | Michigan | $55,946 | $26.90 |
| 5 | Virginia | $58,056 | $27.91 |
| 6 | Nevada | $51,286 | $24.66 |
| 7 | Washington | $61,820 | $29.72 |
| 8 | Alaska | $65,934 | $31.70 |
| 9 | Oregon | $58,200 | $27.98 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $56,941 | $27.38 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $55,442 | $26.65 |
| 12 | Maryland | $55,110 | $26.50 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $54,000 | $25.96 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $50,767 | $24.41 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $53,396 | $25.67 |
| 16 | New York | $52,962 | $25.46 |
| 17 | Utah | $54,602 | $26.25 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $48,148 | $23.15 |
| 19 | California | $54,544 | $26.22 |
| 20 | Illinois | $49,510 | $23.80 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $51,928 | $24.97 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $50,614 | $24.33 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $46,322 | $22.27 |
| 24 | Delaware | $53,234 | $25.59 |
| 25 | Ohio | $47,405 | $22.79 |
| 26 | Kansas | $45,017 | $21.64 |
| 27 | Texas | $45,625 | $21.94 |
| 28 | Idaho | $49,607 | $23.85 |
| 29 | Alabama | $43,418 | $20.87 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $44,612 | $21.45 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $42,334 | $20.35 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $45,392 | $21.82 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $42,770 | $20.56 |
| 34 | Iowa | $44,345 | $21.32 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $45,826 | $22.03 |
| 36 | Missouri | $43,347 | $20.84 |
| 37 | Colorado | $41,710 | $20.05 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $50,247 | $24.16 |
| 39 | Vermont | $45,861 | $22.05 |
| 40 | Georgia | $45,536 | $21.89 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $40,342 | $19.40 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $39,761 | $19.12 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $42,457 | $20.41 |
| 44 | Florida | $41,758 | $20.08 |
| 45 | Indiana | $42,668 | $20.51 |
| 46 | Maine | $41,243 | $19.83 |
| 47 | Montana | $41,201 | $19.81 |
| 48 | Arizona | $40,957 | $19.69 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $40,964 | $19.69 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $39,998 | $19.23 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $38,925 | $18.71 |
The highest-paying cities for instruction librarians are Tacoma, WA, San Francisco, CA, and New Brunswick, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tacoma, WA | $62,563 | $30.08 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $61,492 | $29.56 |
| 3 | New Brunswick, NJ | $61,377 | $29.51 |
| 4 | New Haven, CT | $59,928 | $28.81 |
| 5 | Eugene, OR | $58,670 | $28.21 |
| 6 | Detroit, MI | $56,291 | $27.06 |
| 7 | Columbia, MD | $55,133 | $26.51 |
| 8 | Salt Lake City, UT | $54,584 | $26.24 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $53,247 | $25.60 |
| 10 | Newport, RI | $51,208 | $24.62 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $49,825 | $23.95 |
| 12 | Kent, OH | $48,843 | $23.48 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $45,584 | $21.92 |
| 14 | Milwaukee, WI | $45,561 | $21.90 |
| 15 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $43,472 | $20.90 |
| 16 | Boca Raton, FL | $41,861 | $20.13 |
| 17 | Colorado Springs, CO | $41,744 | $20.07 |
An instruction librarian's salary ranges from $35,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $71,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $71,000 | $5,917 | $34 |
| 75th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
| Average | $50,234 | $4,186 | $24 |
| 25th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
The highest paying types of instruction librarians are circulation director, library manager, and collection management librarian.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youth Services Librarian | $49,971 | $4,164 | $24.02 | 55,418 |
| Technical Services Librarian | $50,657 | $4,221 | $24.35 | 118,696 |
| Collection Management Librarian | $56,311 | $4,693 | $27.07 | 63,441 |
| Children's Librarian | $49,900 | $4,158 | $23.99 | 9,834 |
| Librarian | $53,096 | $4,425 | $25.53 | 1,264 |
| Reference Librarian | $50,409 | $4,201 | $24.23 | 1,058 |
Top companies hiring instruction librarians now:
Instruction librarian salaries at Kern Community College District and Yale University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average instruction librarian salary at companies like Northern California Power Agency and Rutgers University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kern Community College District | $116,211 | $55.87 |
| 2 | Yale University | $77,885 | $37.44 |
| 3 | Northern California Power Agency | $75,663 | $36.38 |
| 4 | Rutgers University | $66,977 | $32.20 |
| 5 | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | $65,622 | $31.55 |
| 6 | Mercy College | $64,874 | $31.19 |
| 7 | Cornell University | $64,514 | $31.02 |
| 8 | Loyola Marymount University | $64,452 | $30.99 |
| 9 | Palo Alto University | $61,349 | $29.49 |
| 10 | The City University of New York | $59,664 | $28.68 |
| 11 | Salve Regina University | $58,709 | $28.23 |
| 12 | Tacoma Community College | $58,139 | $27.95 |
| 13 | Lawrence University | $56,882 | $27.35 |
| 14 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $56,725 | $27.27 |
| 15 | Syracuse University | $55,559 | $26.71 |
| 16 | St. Lawrence University | $55,193 | $26.54 |
| 17 | Alamance Community College | $53,772 | $25.85 |
| 18 | PSEA | $53,451 | $25.70 |
| 19 | Cincinnati State | $53,418 | $25.68 |
| 20 | Marquette University | $53,377 | $25.66 |
The average instruction librarian salary has risen by $5,817 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average instruction librarian earned $44,417 annually, but today, they earn $50,234 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for instruction librarians over the last decade.
Compare instruction librarian salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare instruction librarian salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $50,200 | $24.15 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $48,400 | $23.28 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $47,400 | $22.80 | +0.9% |
| 2022 | $47,000 | $22.60 | +1.4% |
| 2021 | $46,300 | $22.27 | +1.4% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Rare Books and Instruction Librarian (Open Rank) | Fayetteville, NC | 06/30/2025 | $60,000 |
| University of Arkansas System | Rare Books and Instruction Librarian (Open Rank) | Fayetteville, NC | 06/26/2025 | $60,000 |
| Georgia Highlands College | Librarian-Reference and Instruction | Rome, GA | 06/26/2025 | $48,000 |
| University of Arkansas, Fayetteville | Rare Books and Instruction Librarian (Open Rank) | Fayetteville, AR | 06/25/2025 | $60,000 |
| Juniata College | Instruction and Student Success Librarian | Huntingdon, PA | 06/18/2025 | $46,300 |
| Middlesex County College | Reference and Instruction Librarian | Edison, NJ | 06/16/2025 | $66,784 |
| Passaic County Community College | Reference/Instructional Design Librarian | Paterson, NJ | 06/16/2025 | $60,000 |
| Sarah Lawrence College | Research and Instruction Librarian | Bronxville, NY | 06/11/2025 | $64,350 |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | Instruction and Resource Sharing Librarian | Winona, MN | 06/11/2025 | $45,000 |
| Columbia College Chicago | Instruct/Online Lrng Librarian | Chicago, IL | 06/09/2025 | $58,656 |
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