Librarian Salary

The average salary of a librarian in 2010 was $54,500. The top 10 percent made $83,510 and the lowest 10 percent made $33,590. The majority of librarians worked full time, although about 26 percent worked on a part time basis. They are often called upon to work evenings and weekends, especially if they work in public libraries. School librarians, however, typically get summers and holidays off when school is not in session. Those that work for law or medical libraries tend to work regular business hours, though they may occasionally be required to work overtime during big cases or to meet deadlines.

The Future of Librarians

Growth in the industry will be slow. Job opportunities are only expected to increase 7 percent by 2020. This is most likely due to budget constraints, particularly in government and educational facilities. As more and more people become comfortable using technology like the Internet to look up information, the need for assistance from librarians will decrease. However, the increasing use of technology and electronic resources will increase the need for special and research librarians who are able to sort through and categorize the available data.

In general though, budget constraints may result in a reduction in the hiring of librarians and an increase in the hiring of library technicians and assistants that can perform the same functions at lower wages. This reduced job availability will likely lead to increased competition for jobs.

Those with master?s degrees in library science and job experience will have the best chances of securing librarian positions. Specialized education can provide entry into special librarian jobs such as medical librarianship. Displaced librarians can often find employment in other fields such as market research or information systems management.