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University librarian education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a university librarian. University librarians usually study library science, information sciences, or music. 57% of university librarians hold a bachelor's degree, and 32% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 79 real university librarian resumes to see exactly what university librarian education sections show.
The most common colleges for university librarians are the The University of Alabama and the The University of Alabama.
There are also many online university librarian courses to help get the education required to be a university librarian.
What education do you need to become a university librarian?
What degree do you need to be a university librarian?
- Bachelor's, 57%
- Master's, 32%
- Associate, 5%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a university librarian?
- Library Science, 23%
- Music, 9%
- Psychology, 8%
- Other Majors, 51%
Most common colleges for university librarians
| University librarian common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| The University of Alabama | 8.33% |
| San Jose State University | 8.33% |
| Florida State University | 8.33% |
| Emporia State University | 8.33% |
| Central Washington University | 4.17% |
Best majors for university librarians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Library Science | 22.6% |
| 2 | Information Sciences | 9.4% |
| 3 | Music | 9.4% |
| 4 | Psychology | 7.5% |
| 5 | General Education, Specific Areas | 5.7% |
Best colleges for university librarians
The best colleges for university librarians are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and New York University.
A university librarian with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for university librarians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become university librarians.
1. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
2. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
3. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
5. SUNY at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,099
Enrollment
21,404
6. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
7. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,853
Enrollment
14,759
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Enrollment
32,072
9. Louisiana State University and A&M College
Baton Rouge, LA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,950
Enrollment
23,468
10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
20 best online courses for university librarians
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Top 10 most affordable universities for university librarians
The most affordable schools for university librarians are Baruch College of the City University of New York, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and florida state university.
If the best universities for university librarians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for university librarians.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
3. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
4. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
5. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
6. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
7. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
10. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for university librarians
The hardest universities for university librarians to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and New York University.
Some great schools for university librarians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for university librarians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
3. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
4. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
9. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,367
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for university librarians
The easiest schools for university librarians to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and the university of texas permian basin.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a university librarian without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for university librarians.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
3. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
4. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
5. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
6. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
7. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
8. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
9. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
10. Washington Adventist Hospital
Takoma Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
958
Average university librarian salary by education level
| University librarian education level | University librarian salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $63,895 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $51,517 |
| Doctorate Degree | $70,047 |
University librarian education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025