All careersEducation, law & social work

Librarian

$68,270
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Help people find information, manage collections, and run programs and services in a library.

Where you work

Libraries; at desks and among shelves, steady public contact.

The hours

Full-time and part-time; some evenings and weekends.

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$68,270
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~13,500
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+2%
About average
Working in the U.S.
coming soon

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Master's degree

Training path: Master's (MLIS).

License or certification

Most roles require a master's in library science; some states certify school librarians.

What it takes

Research skillsCommunicationOrganizationPatience

The honest take

Quietly competitive — school and public systems hire on the MLIS.

Standard Occupational Classification 25-4022. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.