Salaries › Librarian
Librarian Salary by State (2026)
How much does a Librarian make? The median Librarian salary in the US is about $70,905 per year (roughly $34.00 an hour), across 133,830 jobs (Librarians and Media Collections Specialists). But pay swings widely by state — the median ranges from $42,980 in West Virginia to $100,030 in Washington. Pick your state below for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Librarian salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| Washington | $100,030 | 2,750 |
| District of Columbia | $96,550 | 960 |
| California | $89,790 | 10,180 |
| Maryland | $88,570 | 3,220 |
| Nevada | $84,540 | 610 |
| Connecticut | $79,210 | 2,550 |
| Alaska | $78,810 | 350 |
| New York | $78,590 | 11,870 |
| Massachusetts | $78,540 | 4,980 |
| New Jersey | $78,380 | 4,100 |
| Oregon | $78,070 | 1,690 |
| Delaware | $77,700 | 370 |
| Minnesota | $77,650 | 2,220 |
| Virginia | $77,430 | 4,590 |
| Georgia | $76,750 | 3,330 |
| Colorado | $76,480 | 1,990 |
| Rhode Island | $75,860 | 780 |
| Texas | $71,860 | 9,150 |
| Hawaii | $68,270 | 300 |
| Florida | $67,060 | 6,670 |
| Wisconsin | $66,870 | 2,450 |
| Kentucky | $65,200 | 1,980 |
| Alabama | $64,650 | 2,750 |
| Nebraska | $64,060 | 1,200 |
| Montana | $63,870 | 640 |
| New Hampshire | $63,580 | 1,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,880 | 5,050 |
| North Dakota | $62,830 | 570 |
| Illinois | $62,700 | 5,390 |
| South Carolina | $62,640 | 2,130 |
| New Mexico | $62,530 | 580 |
| Vermont | $62,360 | 600 |
| Tennessee | $62,090 | 2,540 |
| Kansas | $61,900 | 1,620 |
| North Carolina | $61,420 | 4,010 |
| Louisiana | $60,650 | 2,130 |
| Ohio | $60,630 | 4,820 |
| Arizona | $60,500 | 1,990 |
| Michigan | $60,010 | 3,940 |
| Maine | $59,540 | 780 |
| Missouri | $58,700 | 2,970 |
| Iowa | $58,440 | 1,770 |
| Oklahoma | $58,180 | 1,820 |
| Mississippi | $56,970 | 1,060 |
| Arkansas | $56,800 | 1,490 |
| Idaho | $54,130 | 650 |
| Utah | $53,730 | 1,630 |
| Indiana | $53,500 | 1,920 |
| South Dakota | $51,210 | 490 |
| Wyoming | $46,530 | 440 |
| West Virginia | $42,980 | 610 |
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Librarian make?
- A Librarian makes a median of about $70,905 per year in the US (roughly $34.00 per hour), according to the latest BLS data. Pay ranges from $42,980 in West Virginia to $100,030 in Washington depending on the state.
- What is the average Librarian salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Librarian salary in the US is about $70,905 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 133,830 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Librarians the most?
- Washington has the highest median Librarian salary at $100,030 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Librarians the least?
- West Virginia has the lowest median at $42,980 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Librarians and Media Collections Specialists, code 25-4022). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.