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Research librarian salary
Average research librarian salary
$51,263
Average Research Librarian Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for research librarians stands at $51,263 per year. Factors such as experience, geographic location, and industry can significantly influence this figure. For instance, research librarians in metropolitan areas often earn more due to higher living costs and demand for skilled professionals.
Where can Research Librarians Earn More?
States like California, New York, and Massachusetts tend to offer higher salaries, reflecting the concentration of educational institutions and research facilities. Industries such as higher education and government also provide competitive compensation.
Research Librarian Salary Estimates
Salary estimates can vary widely based on the specific job role and the librarian's expertise. For detailed insights, check various job boards and salary comparison websites.
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Where can a Research Librarian earn more?
Research librarian salary estimates from across the web
Average research librarian salary by state
The average research librarian salary in Alaska, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average research librarian salary states are South Dakota, Louisiana, and Arizona.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for research librarians
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $62,855 | $30.22 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $61,262 | $29.45 |
| 3 | Oregon | $59,425 | $28.57 |
| 4 | Michigan | $57,606 | $27.70 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $56,405 | $27.12 |
| 6 | Virginia | $59,517 | $28.61 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $60,172 | $28.93 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $53,147 | $25.55 |
| 9 | Utah | $53,967 | $25.95 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $50,600 | $24.33 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $54,612 | $26.26 |
| 12 | Alaska | $67,530 | $32.47 |
| 13 | Delaware | $54,643 | $26.27 |
| 14 | California | $52,797 | $25.38 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $51,642 | $24.83 |
| 16 | Washington | $57,829 | $27.80 |
| 17 | Nevada | $51,354 | $24.69 |
| 18 | Vermont | $47,940 | $23.05 |
| 19 | Mississippi | $49,646 | $23.87 |
| 20 | District of Columbia | $58,409 | $28.08 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $47,130 | $22.66 |
| 22 | Maryland | $56,557 | $27.19 |
| 23 | Idaho | $49,393 | $23.75 |
| 24 | New York | $55,427 | $26.65 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $54,447 | $26.18 |
| 26 | Illinois | $46,814 | $22.51 |
| 27 | Indiana | $45,539 | $21.89 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $46,391 | $22.30 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $46,346 | $22.28 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $41,999 | $20.19 |
| 31 | Ohio | $43,501 | $20.91 |
| 32 | Texas | $44,148 | $21.23 |
| 33 | Maine | $43,255 | $20.80 |
| 34 | Kansas | $44,089 | $21.20 |
| 35 | Georgia | $44,906 | $21.59 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $44,503 | $21.40 |
| 37 | Iowa | $44,699 | $21.49 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $48,931 | $23.52 |
| 39 | Missouri | $42,574 | $20.47 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $40,217 | $19.34 |
| 41 | Colorado | $41,151 | $19.78 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $39,560 | $19.02 |
| 43 | Alabama | $42,612 | $20.49 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $39,633 | $19.05 |
| 45 | Florida | $40,830 | $19.63 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $41,533 | $19.97 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $42,829 | $20.59 |
| 48 | Montana | $41,294 | $19.85 |
| 49 | Arizona | $39,933 | $19.20 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $40,200 | $19.33 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $38,130 | $18.33 |
Highest paying cities for research librarians
The highest-paying cities for research librarians are Philadelphia, PA, McLean, VA, and Portland, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia, PA | $63,161 | $30.37 |
| 2 | McLean, VA | $61,363 | $29.50 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $59,115 | $28.42 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $58,800 | $28.27 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $58,456 | $28.10 |
| 6 | Carson City, NV | $58,123 | $27.94 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $56,728 | $27.27 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $56,438 | $27.13 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $55,725 | $26.79 |
| 10 | Dover, DE | $54,572 | $26.24 |
| 11 | Boston, MA | $54,321 | $26.12 |
| 12 | Bismarck, ND | $54,107 | $26.01 |
| 13 | Concord, NH | $50,116 | $24.09 |
| 14 | Fullerton, CA | $49,903 | $23.99 |
| 15 | Morgantown, WV | $48,901 | $23.51 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $47,266 | $22.72 |
| 17 | Milwaukee, WI | $46,549 | $22.38 |
| 18 | Indianapolis, IN | $45,144 | $21.70 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $45,033 | $21.65 |
| 20 | Cleveland, OH | $45,013 | $21.64 |
Research librarian salary details
A research librarian's salary ranges from $35,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $74,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a research librarian's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| Average | $51,263 | $4,272 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
Highest paying research librarian jobs
The highest paying types of research librarians are circulation director, library manager, and collection management librarian.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collection Management Librarian | $56,311 | $4,693 | $27.07 | 63,441 |
| Library Technician | $37,757 | $3,146 | $18.15 | 24,941 |
| Technical Services Librarian | $50,657 | $4,221 | $24.35 | 118,696 |
| Youth Services Librarian | $49,971 | $4,164 | $24.02 | 55,418 |
| Children's Librarian | $49,900 | $4,158 | $23.99 | 9,834 |
| Librarian | $53,096 | $4,425 | $25.53 | 1,264 |
Top companies hiring research librarians now:
Which companies pay research librarians the most?
Research librarian salaries at Harvard University and Columbia University in the City of New York are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average research librarian salary at companies like Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard University | $78,516 | $37.75 |
| 2 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $74,743 | $35.93 |
| 3 | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory | $74,404 | $35.77 |
| 4 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $73,502 | $35.34 |
| 5 | Kent Daniels & Associates | $72,428 | $34.82 |
| 6 | Oregon Health & Science University | $71,080 | $34.17 |
| 7 | Rutgers University | $69,444 | $33.39 |
| 8 | Latham & Watkins | $67,833 | $32.61 |
| 9 | University of Massachusetts Medical School | $67,258 | $32.34 |
| 10 | University of Nevada, Reno | $66,353 | $31.90 |
| 11 | Case Western Reserve University | $61,968 | $29.79 |
| 12 | The University System of Maryland Foundation | $60,122 | $28.90 |
| 13 | West Virginia University | $57,492 | $27.64 |
| 14 | UW-Milwaukee | $56,131 | $26.99 |
| 15 | BAE Systems | $55,544 | $26.70 |
| 16 | United States Courts | $54,827 | $26.36 |
| 17 | Tufts University | $53,583 | $25.76 |
| 18 | The New York Public Library | $53,516 | $25.73 |
| 19 | University of Georgia Small Business Development Center | $53,210 | $25.58 |
| 20 | Dartmouth | $52,016 | $25.01 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Research Librarian salary by industry
The average research librarian salary varies across industries:
- The average research librarian salary in the professional industry is $65,934, the highest of any industry.
- The average research librarian salary in the finance industry is $60,022.
- Research librarians in the media industry earn an average salary of $46,969, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for research librarians
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $65,934 | $31.70 |
| 2 | Health Care | $60,022 | $28.86 |
| 3 | Education | $56,870 | $27.34 |
| 4 | Government | $52,188 | $25.09 |
| 5 | Media | $46,969 | $22.58 |
High paying research librarian jobs
Research librarian salary trends
The average research librarian salary has risen by $5,936 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average research librarian earned $45,327 annually, but today, they earn $51,263 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for research librarians over the last decade.
Compare research librarian salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average research librarian salary over time
Compare research librarian salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Research librarian salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $51,300 | $24.65 | +3.6% |
| 2025 | $49,400 | $23.76 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $48,400 | $23.27 | +0.9% |
| 2023 | $48,000 | $23.06 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $47,300 | $22.73 | +1.4% |
Recently added research librarian salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity | Research Librarian | Boston, MA | 06/21/2025 | $76,000 |
| State of Virginia | 12856-Research Librarian | Richmond, VA | 06/19/2025 | $57,142 |
| Jenner & Block | Research Librarian | Washington, DC | 06/09/2025 | $80,000 |
| Case Western Reserve University | Research and Engagement Services Humanities Librarian 2 | Cleveland, OH | 06/06/2025 | $57,200 |
| Jenner & Block | Research Librarian | Washington, DC | 05/30/2025 | $80,000 |
| Loyola University of Chicago Inc. | Research and Learning Librarian, Subject Specialist for The School of Communication | Chicago, IL | 05/28/2025 | $55,000 |
| State of Virginia | Research and Data Services Librarian | Charlottesville, VA | 05/25/2025 | $65,000 |
| Jenner & Block LLP | Research Librarian | Washington, MA | 05/16/2025 | $80,000 |
| Jenner & Block LLP | Research Librarian | Chicago, IL | 05/16/2025 | $80,000 |
| City of Framingham, Ma | Information and Research Librarian Substitute L | Fort Wayne, IN | 05/16/2025 | $51,591 |
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