Librarians and Media Collections Specialists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for librarians and media collections specialists is $68,270, or $32.82 per hour. About 133,790 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $100,030 in Washington to $42,980 in West Virginia.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $100,030 | $48.09 | 2,750 | 0.90 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $96,550 | $46.42 | 960 | 1.59 |
| 3 | California | $89,790 | $43.17 | 10,180 | 0.65 |
| 4 | Maryland | $88,570 | $42.58 | 3,220 | 1.35 |
| 5 | Nevada | $84,540 | $40.64 | 610 | 0.45 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $79,210 | $38.08 | 2,550 | 1.75 |
| 7 | Alaska | $78,810 | $37.89 | 350 | 1.27 |
| 8 | New York | $78,590 | $37.79 | 11,870 | 1.42 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $78,540 | $37.76 | 4,980 | 1.59 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $78,380 | $37.69 | 4,100 | 1.11 |
| 11 | Oregon | $78,070 | $37.53 | 1,690 | 1.00 |
| 12 | Delaware | $77,700 | $37.35 | 370 | 0.89 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $77,650 | $37.33 | 2,220 | 0.88 |
| 14 | Virginia | $77,430 | $37.23 | 4,590 | 1.30 |
| 15 | Georgia | $76,750 | $36.90 | 3,330 | 0.79 |
| 16 | Colorado | $76,480 | $36.77 | 1,990 | 0.80 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $75,860 | $36.47 | 780 | 1.80 |
| 18 | Texas | $71,860 | $34.55 | 9,150 | 0.76 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $68,270 | $32.82 | 300 | 0.56 |
| 20 | Florida | $67,060 | $32.24 | 6,670 | 0.78 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $66,870 | $32.15 | 2,450 | 0.97 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $65,200 | $31.35 | 1,980 | 1.15 |
| 23 | Alabama | $64,650 | $31.08 | 2,750 | 1.51 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $64,060 | $30.80 | 1,200 | 1.36 |
| 25 | Montana | $63,870 | $30.71 | 640 | 1.45 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $63,580 | $30.57 | 1,150 | 1.95 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $62,880 | $30.23 | 5,050 | 0.97 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $62,830 | $30.21 | 570 | 1.53 |
| 29 | Illinois | $62,700 | $30.14 | 5,390 | 1.03 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $62,640 | $30.12 | 2,130 | 1.07 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $62,530 | $30.06 | 580 | 0.78 |
| 32 | Vermont | $62,360 | $29.98 | 600 | 2.29 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $62,090 | $29.85 | 2,540 | 0.90 |
| 34 | Kansas | $61,900 | $29.76 | 1,620 | 1.31 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $61,420 | $29.53 | 4,010 | 0.94 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $60,650 | $29.16 | 2,130 | 1.28 |
| 37 | Ohio | $60,630 | $29.15 | 4,820 | 1.01 |
| 38 | Arizona | $60,500 | $29.09 | 1,990 | 0.71 |
| 39 | Michigan | $60,010 | $28.85 | 3,940 | 1.04 |
| 40 | Maine | $59,540 | $28.62 | 780 | 1.42 |
| 41 | Missouri | $58,700 | $28.22 | 2,970 | 1.17 |
| 42 | Iowa | $58,440 | $28.09 | 1,770 | 1.32 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $58,180 | $27.97 | 1,820 | 1.24 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $56,970 | $27.39 | 1,060 | 1.06 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $56,800 | $27.31 | 1,490 | 1.33 |
| 46 | Idaho | $54,130 | $26.03 | 650 | 0.88 |
| 47 | Utah | $53,730 | $25.83 | 1,630 | 1.09 |
| 48 | Indiana | $53,500 | $25.72 | 1,920 | 0.70 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $51,210 | $24.62 | 490 | 1.25 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $46,530 | $22.37 | 440 | 1.82 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $42,980 | $20.66 | 610 | 1.01 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do librarians and media collections specialists make?
The median annual wage for librarians and media collections specialists in the United States is $68,270, or $32.82 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $43,660, and the top 10% earn $103,990.
How many librarians and media collections specialists are employed in the U.S.?
About 133,790 people work as librarians and media collections specialists nationwide.
Which state pays librarians and media collections specialists the most?
Washington pays the most at a median of $100,030, followed by District of Columbia ($96,550) and California ($89,790).
Which state pays librarians and media collections specialists the least?
West Virginia has the lowest median at $42,980.
Where are librarians and media collections specialists jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Vermont at 2.29×.