Librarian salary
From 96 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 25-4022: Librarians and Media Collections Specialists
At a glance
- Mostly Level I (entry-level). 55% of Librarian filings are Level I, compared with 19% across all H-1B filings.
- Median up 29% since FY2020. From $63,000 in FY2020 to $81,361 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Librarian H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 96 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Librarian jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 25-4022, Librarians and Media Collections Specialists). The median base salary is $70,127, 43% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $62,907 and $84,740. The most common wage level is Level I (entry-level), at 55% of filings.
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 55% of filings
Mid-level · 45% of filings
Senior · 0% of filings
Expert · 0% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $64,975 | 36 |
| Level II · Qualified | $70,127 | 30 |
| Level III · Experienced | – | 0 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
What a Librarian does
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.
Typical tasks
- Search standard reference materials, including online sources and the Internet, to answer patrons' reference questions.
- Analyze patrons' requests to determine needed information and assist in furnishing or locating that information.
- Supervise daily library operations, budgeting, planning, and personnel activities, such as hiring, training, scheduling, and performance evaluations.
- Plan and teach classes on topics such as information literacy, library instruction, and technology use.
- Code, classify, and catalog books, publications, films, audio-visual aids, and other library materials, based on subject matter or standard library classification systems.
- Confer with colleagues, faculty, and community members and organizations to conduct informational programs, make collection decisions, and determine library services to offer.
Preparation
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
O*NET occupation: Librarians and Media Collections Specialists (25-4022.00). This section includes information from the 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. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Librarians and Media Collections Specialists), the median annual wage was $68,270 in May 2025, with 133,790 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $70,127, 3% higher.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $54,028 | $43,660 |
| 25th percentile | $62,907 | $56,310 |
| Median | $70,127 | $68,270 |
| 75th percentile | $84,740 | $84,480 |
| 90th percentile | $102,789 | $103,990 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $54,028 |
| 25th | $62,907 |
| 50th (median) | $70,127 |
| 75th | $84,740 |
| 90th | $102,789 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $63,000 | $58,750 | $83,787 | 33 |
| FY2021 | $61,750 | $56,650 | $69,999 | 36 |
| FY2022 | $65,000 | $46,350 | $73,824 | 48 |
| FY2023 | $68,658 | $55,000 | $83,009 | 53 |
| FY2024 | $60,785 | $50,513 | $72,816 | 56 |
| FY2025 | $65,000 | $58,701 | $72,056 | 56 |
| FY2026 | $81,361 | $72,315 | $102,082 | 40 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Librarian make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Librarian jobs is $70,127 (96 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $62,907 and $84,740.
What does an entry-level Librarian earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $64,975. Level I accounts for 55% of Librarian filings.
Do H-1B Librarians earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($70,127) is 3% higher than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($68,270, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.