Librarian Salaries: Information Science in the Public and Private Sector
July 24, 2026
Librarians hold Master of Library Science (MLS) or Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degrees — a graduate-level credential that's required for most professional positions. Despite this educational requirement, librarian wages tend to sit below other master's-level professions, reflecting the public-sector nature of most library employment.
Public vs. Academic vs. Special Libraries
The librarian occupation spans several distinct employment settings:
- Public libraries — funded by municipalities and counties; wages follow public employee scales
- Academic libraries — university-affiliated; often comparable to faculty non-tenure track wages
- School libraries — K-12 setting; often follow teacher pay scales
- Special libraries — law firms, corporations, medical centers; typically pay the most
Browse wages in the Educational Instruction and Library Occupations group.
Information Science Crossover
MLIS graduates increasingly work in data management, UX research, and information architecture roles outside traditional libraries — and often earn significantly more. BLS tracks "librarians" specifically; the broader information science workforce is distributed across multiple SOC categories.
Highest-Paying States
Washington D.C., California, and New Jersey show the highest librarian wages, driven by high cost of living adjustments and strong public employment pay scales in these states.