How Much Money Do Librarians Make?
Surrounded by a sea of borrowable books and dusty indexes, encased in a bubble of serenity and silence and with a mug labeled "World's Best Librarian" next to your own personal computer, the librarian life is truly a dream job for book lovers. The environment is perfect for those who prefer a quieter workplace. Life Goals suggests that if you're an Enneagram type Five, a job with not as much social interaction might be best for you. If that's you, then being a librarian might be a great fit.
If you find yourself relating to Belle the most out of all the Disney characters and your favorite place to get lost is in a good book, you are, in our professional opinion, destined to become a librarian. Indeed agrees with us; those with an independent nature who love learning should consider pursuing this charming career.
While you might know that you'll enjoy the job, don't start your career as a librarian just yet. Like any career, it's important to understand just how much money you can expect to earn working as a librarian.
The average salary of a librarian is just over $61,000
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, librarians made an average of $61,190 in 2021. For those who like to know how that number adjusts to an hourly wage, you're looking at about $29.42 per hour. Not a bad paycheck at all! On the higher end of the librarian salary range, the highest paid librarians made more than $97,870. On the other hand, the lowest paid librarians made less than $37,000 a year.
You might look over those numbers and think that's quite a huge difference in pay, but keep in mind that there are many different types of librarians, so the term "librarian" is hardly universal. For instance, a school librarian isn't as likely to make as high a salary as someone working in a federal position. In fact, Work It Daily lists a federal government librarian as one of the highest paid librarian positions there is. It makes sense when you consider that the National Archives is one federal library where you could work as a librarian.
Which states pay librarians the most?
Now that you know how much money you can make working as a librarian, the next question that might enter your mind is where you should live in order to make the most money possible.
According to Rasmussen University, your best bet is to move to Nevada. The average salary, adjusted for cost of living, for a librarian living in Nevada is $65,713. If the thought of Las Vegas puts you to sleep, the next three highest states with the highest paying salaries for librarians are Georgia, Washington, and Alaska. The three lowest paying states are listed as Vermont, Idaho, and South Dakota, with South Dakota's average salary sitting at $40,658.
While getting paid for your hard work is crucial, the most important aspect of any career is whether or not you love it. Being unhappy at your job can lead to a host of unpleasant side effects, including depression and insomnia (via Healthline.) So while money is a big factor of accepting a job, make sure you love the work you're going to do!