Librarians and Media Collections Specialists · California

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists Salary in California

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in California earn a median annual wage of $89,790 —31.5% above the national median of $68,270. That ranks CA #3 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$89,790
Median hourly
$43.17
Entry level (P10)
$50,750
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$132,870
90th percentile
Employment
10,180
0.6 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+31.5%
U.S. $68,270

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$50,750
$66,540
$89,790
$108,800
$50,750$89,790$132,870
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $89,790.

Employment is only 0.65× as concentrated as the national average — this occupation is relatively scarce in California.

Highest-paying states for librarians and media collections specialists

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. California is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1Washington$100,030$48.092,7500.90
2District of Columbia$96,550$46.429601.59
3California$89,790$43.1710,1800.65
4Maryland$88,570$42.583,2201.35
5Nevada$84,540$40.646100.45
6Connecticut$79,210$38.082,5501.75
7Alaska$78,810$37.893501.27
8New York$78,590$37.7911,8701.42
9Massachusetts$78,540$37.764,9801.59
10New Jersey$78,380$37.694,1001.11

Related occupations in California

Occupations in the same job family, compared within California.

Frequently asked questions

How much do librarians and media collections specialists make in California?

The median annual wage for librarians and media collections specialists in California is $89,790, or $43.17 per hour. That is 31.5% above the national median of $68,270.

What is the entry-level librarians and media collections specialists salary in California?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $50,750 per year ($24.40/hour). The 25th percentile is $66,540.

How many people work as librarians and media collections specialists in California?

About 10,180 people work in this occupation in California, or 0.6 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is California a good state for librarians and media collections specialists?

California ranks #3 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is only 0.65x as concentrated as the national average, so this occupation is relatively scarce in California.

Which state pays librarians and media collections specialists the most?

Washington has the highest median wage at $100,030 per year, followed by District of Columbia ($96,550) and California ($89,790).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes