Librarians can work in a variety of places, including schools, universities, museums, public libraries and more. (explain which makes more). To become a librarian, one must obtain a master’s degree in Library Science. In the United States, a librarian’s median annual salary is approximately $57,680, or about $27.73 per hour. In Canada, the average annual librarian salary is $62,337. Australian librarians can expect to make $63,830 AUD annually. In Northern European countries, such as Norway, librarians can earn up to NOK$343,098.
Librarian Salary Influencers
The main influencers on librarian salary are location, experience, and field of study. A librarian working in a government agency, for example, will most likely earn more than one working in an elementary school.
1. Industry
Arguably the largest factor in a librarian’s salary is dependent on industry. For public librarianship, the highest earning sectors will be colleges, universities, and government. The lower-paying jobs will be in lower education sectors, and certain public government sectors.
2. Geographical Area
| Librarian Salary in | Hourly Wage | Annual Wage |
|---|---|---|
| US | $27.73 | $57,680 |
| Canada | C$38.93 | C$52,213 |
| UK | $18.83 | $48,727 |
| Australia | AU$41.00 | AU$65,000 |
| Switzerland | $37 | $76,165 |
| Norway | NOK$204 | NOK$310,000 |
Librarian Salary in the United States
The average annual salary for a librarian in the United States is $57,680 per year, or $27.73 per hour. The lowest tier or librarians, such as entry-level workers, or those in lower-paying states can expect to make around $34,100, while some of the highest-paying Librarian jobs can earn up to $90,140 or up. States, such as Mississippi or Alabama, tend to pay librarians less than more expensive states, such as New York or California.
In the United States, librarians at colleges, universities and other professional schools make an average of $61,540 annually, while those as elementary and secondary schools make $59,510 on average. Those working local government jobs, or other information fields will usually make between $52,000 and $54,000 annually.
Librarian Salary in Canada
The average librarian in Canada earns about C$52,213 per year, but typically receives higher pay based on experience. A librarian with an entry-level job should expect something in the range of C$48,000 annually, while Canadians with over 10 years of experience can expect closer to C$65,000 per year. These jobs are largely dependent on location (favoring large metropolitan areas).
Librarian Salary in the United Kingdom
In the general United Kingdom area, a librarian can expect to earn an average salary of £23,266 per year.
Librarian Salary in Australia
The average Australian librarian makes AU$80401 per year or AU$41 per hour, which is somewhat high compared to North American wages.
In metropolitan areas, a reference librarian will typically earn between AU$55,000 and AU$70,000, while a librarian specializing in Local Studies and Family History is likely to earn closer to AU$65,000 or AU$80,000.
Librarian Salary in Switzerland
In Switzerland, librarian salaries vary greatly dependent upon experience, field of expertise and location, but tend to be a bit higher than the wages seen in North America.
Switzerland and the United States participate in a library exchange program, in which librarians can spend time in a foreign country in order to experience the differences and similarities in the practice of library science.
Librarian Salary in Norway
Norwegian librarians typically make between NOK$280,000 and NOK$310,000– this sounds like a lot, but is actually equivalent to around $37,046 per year, dependent upon location and specialization. With the high cost of living in the country, the librarian salary in Norway is not as high as it initially sounds.
3. Experience
To become a librarian, one must obtain a master’s degree in Library Science. During the course of their studies, graduate students will typically gain experience through internships at schools, museums or elsewhere, which will prepare them for librarian jobs upon graduation. This is why there is technically no on-the-job training required to become a librarian, and entry-level jobs are easily attainable.
Experience is generally a factor in the salary a librarian will make. Some will begin as library assistants and earn a significantly smaller salary in order to gain experience. After working as a librarian for several years, many will advance to higher paying management positions, such as library directors. Gaining experience in certain fields of librarianship, such as federal or corporate branches, typically provide higher salaries and more opportunity for growth and advancement than other fields.
Working Hours
The working hours of a librarian very greatly depending upon location, field, and experience. A librarian in a public school, for example, can expect to have several holiday breaks and typically only work during school hours, while one in a government or special collections branch my work odd hours.
Most librarians work full-time work schedules, although approximately one in five works part-time jobs.
Types of library work are very diverse; more and more opportunities are even moving partially or fully to remote librarian positions.
Bonuses & Benefit Packages
Librarians in the United States often receive a number of benefits, including health, dental, vision, and life insurances, particularly for full-time employees. This is especially true of government jobs and school jobs. This is an especially strong selling point for librarianship in the United States, compared to countries such as Canada, Australia, and some European countries, which are more known for somewhat universal healthcare benefits.
Librarians commonly receive other benefits as well, such as vacation and sic leave, retirement and pension, and tuition reimbursement. Bonuses are also an important factor for the salary of many library jobs. According to data from www.payscale.com, up to $8,800 in a librarian’s earnings can be attributed to bonuses.
Job Outlook
While job growth is slower than other occupations, due to factors like government budget cuts, the need for librarians remains consistent, and the competition for these jobs tends to be low, as it is limited to a specific pool of candidates with master’s degrees and library experience. However, job outlook for librarians varies between countries. In North America, government cutbacks to areas like education effect the job outlook of aspiring librarians more than in countries like Australia, where population density is lower. In European countries, like Switzerland and Norway, jobs opportunities are growing at a significantly higher rate than in North America.
Conclusion
While librarians are not always as highly paid as some other specialized fields, the job is extremely versatile and provides significant room for growth. While budget cuts provide slow growth in some fields, librarianship remains a solid career option with a steady salary.
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