University librarian demographics and statistics in the US
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University librarian demographics by:
University librarian gender statistics
46.2% of university librarians are women and 53.8% of university librarians are men.
- Male, 53.8%
- Female, 46.2%
University librarian gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 53.8% |
| Female | 46.2% |
University librarian gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$54,495
Female income
$49,952
University librarian gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in university librarian positions over time. Currently, 46.2% of university librarians are female.
University librarian gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 45.46% | 54.54% |
| 2011 | 45.35% | 54.65% |
| 2012 | 49.16% | 50.84% |
| 2013 | 48.58% | 51.42% |
| 2014 | 46.66% | 53.34% |
| 2015 | 49.73% | 50.27% |
| 2016 | 49.58% | 50.42% |
| 2017 | 53.45% | 46.55% |
| 2018 | 50.57% | 49.43% |
| 2019 | 48.49% | 51.51% |
| 2020 | 51.38% | 48.62% |
| 2021 | 53.85% | 46.15% |
University librarian related jobs gender ratio
We compared university 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% |
| University Librarian | 54% | 46% |
| 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%
University librarian demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among university librarians is White, which makes up 76.7% of all university librarians. Comparatively, 7.9% of university librarians are Hispanic or Latino and 6.5% of university librarians are Black or African American.
- White, 76.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.9%
- Black or African American, 6.5%
- Asian, 4.9%
- Unknown, 3.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
University librarian race
| University librarian race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 76.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.9% |
| Black or African American | 6.5% |
| Asian | 4.9% |
| Unknown | 3.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
University librarian race and ethnicity over time
See how university librarian racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
University librarian race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 80.72% | 6.49% | 4.91% | 5.51% |
| 2011 | 80.66% | 7.18% | 5.01% | 5.44% |
| 2012 | 79.64% | 6.57% | 5.44% | 6.28% |
| 2013 | 80.34% | 7.28% | 4.23% | 6.01% |
| 2014 | 79.89% | 6.87% | 4.72% | 6.39% |
| 2015 | 78.25% | 7.43% | 5.12% | 6.73% |
| 2016 | 78.68% | 7.01% | 5.36% | 6.84% |
| 2017 | 78.63% | 7.33% | 5.04% | 6.53% |
| 2018 | 79.25% | 6.72% | 4.20% | 7.94% |
| 2019 | 80.99% | 6.15% | 3.81% | 6.89% |
| 2020 | 77.75% | 6.59% | 4.34% | 7.36% |
| 2021 | 76.75% | 6.51% | 4.94% | 7.87% |
University librarian wage gap by race
According to our data, asian university librarians have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown university librarians have the lowest average salary at $51,889.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $51,889 |
| White | $53,641 |
| Black or African American | $54,862 |
| Asian | $57,019 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $55,195 |
Average university librarian age
See how the average age of university librarians varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
University 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 |
University librarian age breakdown
The average age of university librarians is 40+ years years old, representing 75% of the university librarian population.
University librarian age breakdown
| University Librarian Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 75% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 4% |
University librarian educational attainment
The most common degree for university librarians is bachelor's degree, with 57% of university librarians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 32% and master's degree degree at 5%.
- Bachelor's, 57%
- Master's, 32%
- Associate, 5%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 4%
University librarians by degree level
| University librarian degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 57% |
| Master's | 32% |
| Associate | 5% |
| Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
University librarian jobs you might like
University librarian wage gap by degree level
According to the data, university librarians with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $70,047 annually. With a Master's degree, university librarians earn a median annual income of $63,895 compared to $51,517 for university librarians with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $63,895 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $51,517 |
| Doctorate Degree | $70,047 |
University librarian employment statistics
Company size where university librarians work
Below, you can see the size of companies where university librarians work.
University librarian jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 3% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 36% |
| > 10,000 employees | 23% |
University librarian jobs by company type
Employees with the university librarian job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most university librarians prefer to work at education companies over public companies.
University librarian jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 87% |
| Public | 8% |
| Private | 5% |
University librarian turnover and employment statistics
University librarian unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for university librarians between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
University librarian unemployment rate by year
| Year | University 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 university librarian tenure
The average university librarian stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 79 university librarians resumes in Zippia's database.
University librarian tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 29% |
| 1-2 years | 24% |
| 3-4 years | 26% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 2% |
| 11+ years | 7% |
University librarian LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of university 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Faculty Assistant | 6.04% | 27,152 |
| Second Grade Teacher | 9.52% | 68,635 |
| Visiting Professor | 12.94% | 27,139 |
| Curatorial Specialist | 13.30% | 23,992 |
| Page Technician | 13.69% | 24,052 |
| University Librarian | 16.19% | - |
| Instructional Coordinator | 16.25% | 25,255 |
Similar university librarian jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Faculty Assistant | 6.04% | 27,152 |
| Second Grade Teacher | 9.52% | 68,635 |
| Visiting Professor | 12.94% | 27,139 |
| Curatorial Specialist | 13.30% | 23,992 |
| Page Technician | 13.69% | 24,052 |
| Instructional Coordinator | 16.25% | 25,255 |
Foreign languages spoken by university librarians
The most common foreign language among university librarians is Spanish at 25.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 16.7% and Amharic is the third-most popular at 16.7%.
- Spanish, 25.0%
- French, 16.7%
- Amharic, 16.7%
- Portuguese, 8.3%
- Filipino, 8.3%
- Other, 25.0%
University librarian languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 25.0% |
| French | 16.7% |
| Amharic | 16.7% |
| Portuguese | 8.3% |
| Filipino | 8.3% |
| Other | 25.0% |