# Librarians and Media Collections Specialists

> Administer and maintain libraries or collections of information, for public or private access through reference or borrowing. Work in a variety of settings, such as educational institutions, museums, and corporations, and with various types of informational materials, such as books, periodicals, recordings, films, and databases. Tasks may include acquiring, cataloging, and circulating library materials, and user services such as locating and organizing information, providing instruction on how to access information, and setting up and operating a library's media equipment.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/librarians-and-media-collections-specialists
- SOC code: 25-4022.00
- Career family: Education
- Median annual pay: $68,270 (10th percentile $43,660, 90th percentile $103,990)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +2.6%
- Openings a year: 12,600
- Typical entry education: Master's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code CSI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 22 |
| Investigative (I) | 44 |
| Artistic (A) | 27 |
| Social (S) | 51 |
| Enterprising (E) | 29 |
| Conventional (C) | 81 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 97/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 96/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 87/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 86/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 86/100)
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others (importance 85/100)
- Processing Information (importance 84/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 82/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 78/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 78/100)

## Skills

Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Writing, Service Orientation, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Social Perceptiveness, Active Learning

## Knowledge

English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Education and Training, Computers and Electronics, Administration and Management, Administrative, Communications and Media, Personnel and Human Resources, Public Safety and Security, Law and Government

## Also called

Access Services Librarian, Acquisitions Librarian, AV Collections Coordinator (Audio Visual Collections Coordinator), Bookmobile Librarian, Catalog Librarian, Cataloger, Catalogue Librarian, Cataloguer, Chemical Librarian, Children's Librarian

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1313) (CIP 1313, 1,257 colleges)
- [Educational/Instructional Media Design](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1305) (CIP 1305, 369 colleges)
- [Library Science and Administration](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/2501) (CIP 2501, 86 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [California State University-Sacramento](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-state-university-sacramento-375) | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $69,280 | $82,062 | $23,000 |
| [CUNY Brooklyn College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cuny-brooklyn-college-735) | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $54,793 | $80,207 | $12,875 |
| [St. John's University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/st-john-s-university-new-york-2579) | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | not reported | $78,215 | $25,500 |
| [CUNY Queens College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cuny-queens-college-746) | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $58,736 | $76,925 | $12,500 |
| [College of Staten Island CUNY](https://www.collegesref.com/college/college-of-staten-island-cuny-621) | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $65,767 | $75,272 | not reported |
| [University of Louisville](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-louisville-2936) | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $57,958 | $74,873 | $19,250 |
| [Hofstra University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/hofstra-university-1214) | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $61,408 | $74,525 | $23,250 |
| [CUNY Hunter College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cuny-hunter-college-739) | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $67,434 | $72,919 | not reported |

## Related careers

- [Library Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/library-technicians): $44,580 median pay
- [Library Assistants, Clerical](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/library-assistants-clerical): $36,910 median pay
- [Archivists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/archivists): $64,550 median pay
- [Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/library-science-teachers-postsecondary): $80,340 median pay
- [Instructional Coordinators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/instructional-coordinators): $77,440 median pay
- [Social Science Research Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/social-science-research-assistants): $61,990 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.