Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$43,660
- 25th Percentile — Junior$56,310
- 50th Percentile — Median$68,270
- 75th Percentile — Senior$84,480
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$103,990
The top 10% of Librarians and Media Collections Specialists earn $103,990 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $43,660, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $98,530 | +35.3% |
| District of Columbia | $96,550 | +32.6% |
| California | $92,300 | +26.7% |
| Maryland | $89,530 | +22.9% |
| New York | $84,890 | +16.5% |
| Connecticut | $82,290 | +13.0% |
| New Jersey | $82,240 | +12.9% |
| Nevada | $81,580 | +12.0% |
| Delaware | $80,970 | +11.2% |
| Massachusetts | $80,220 | +10.1% |
| Oregon | $78,580 | +7.9% |
| Virginia | $77,240 | +6.0% |
| Rhode Island | $76,960 | +5.7% |
| Alaska | $76,430 | +4.9% |
| Minnesota | $75,800 | +4.1% |
| Georgia | $75,300 | +3.4% |
| Colorado | $75,070 | +3.1% |
| Hawaii | $72,460 | -0.5% |
| Texas | $72,400 | -0.6% |
| Illinois | $69,420 | -4.7% |
| Florida | $68,540 | -5.9% |
| Wisconsin | $68,360 | -6.2% |
| New Hampshire | $67,000 | -8.0% |
| Pennsylvania | $66,530 | -8.7% |
| Kentucky | $65,970 | -9.4% |
| New Mexico | $65,900 | -9.5% |
| Montana | $64,940 | -10.8% |
| North Dakota | $64,550 | -11.4% |
| South Carolina | $64,320 | -11.7% |
| North Carolina | $64,140 | -11.9% |
| Vermont | $63,660 | -12.6% |
| Ohio | $63,350 | -13.0% |
| Nebraska | $63,200 | -13.2% |
| Alabama | $63,100 | -13.4% |
| Michigan | $63,020 | -13.5% |
| Kansas | $61,760 | -15.2% |
| Arizona | $61,670 | -15.3% |
| Tennessee | $61,560 | -15.5% |
| Utah | $61,500 | -15.6% |
| Louisiana | $61,410 | -15.7% |
| Maine | $60,770 | -16.6% |
| Missouri | $59,470 | -18.4% |
| Iowa | $58,520 | -19.7% |
| Idaho | $57,950 | -20.4% |
| Oklahoma | $57,740 | -20.7% |
| Indiana | $55,660 | -23.6% |
| Mississippi | $54,220 | -25.6% |
| Arkansas | $54,130 | -25.7% |
| South Dakota | $53,840 | -26.1% |
| Wyoming | $49,500 | -32.0% |
| West Virginia | $46,340 | -36.4% |
What Factors Affect Librarians and Media Collections Specialists Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Washington pays an average of $98,530, while West Virginia pays $46,340 — a gap of $52,190 per year.
The middle half of Librarians and Media Collections Specialists earn between $56,310 and $84,480 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $43,660, while the top 10% earn more than $103,990.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Elementary School Teachers $72,650/yr United States 0.3% vs this role
- Secondary School Teachers $76,320/yr United States +4.8% vs this role
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- Kindergarten Teachers $69,370/yr United States 4.8% vs this role
- Preschool Teachers $43,030/yr United States 40.9% vs this role
- Special Education Teachers $79,750/yr United States +9.5% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +39.2% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +88.5% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists?
The average salary for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in the United States is $72,840 per year, with a median of $68,270.
What is the starting salary for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists?
Entry-level Librarians and Media Collections Specialists typically earn between $43,660 and $56,310 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Librarians and Media Collections Specialists the most?
Washington pays Librarians and Media Collections Specialists the most at $98,530 per year on average, followed by District of Columbia ($96,550) and California ($92,300).
How much do Librarians and Media Collections Specialists make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $72,840, Librarians and Media Collections Specialists earn approximately $35.02 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Librarians and Media Collections Specialists a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 133,790 Librarians and Media Collections Specialists jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $72,840 and a median of $68,270 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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