The average salary for a librarian in California is around $89,790 per year.
Avg Salary
Librarians earn an average yearly salary of $89,790.
Wages typically start from $50,750 and go up to $132,870.
13% above national average Updated in 2025
Librarian earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level librarian earnings begin at:
$63.88 per hour
$132,870 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level librarian earnings begin at:
$52.31 per hour
$108,800 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level librarian earnings begin at:
$43.17 per hour
$89,790 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level librarian earnings begin at:
$31.99 per hour
$66,540 per year
10th percentile
Starting level librarian earnings begin at:
$24.40 per hour
$50,750 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Librarian salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $96,550 |
| California | $89,790 |
| Maryland | $88,570 |
| Nevada | $84,540 |
| Connecticut | $79,210 |
| Alaska | $78,810 |
| New York | $78,590 |
| Massachusetts | $78,540 |
| New Jersey | $78,380 |
| Oregon | $78,070 |
| Delaware | $77,700 |
| Minnesota | $77,650 |
| Virginia | $77,430 |
| Georgia | $76,750 |
| Colorado | $76,480 |
| Rhode Island | $75,860 |
| Texas | $71,860 |
| Hawaii | $68,270 |
| Florida | $67,060 |
| Wisconsin | $66,870 |
| Kentucky | $65,200 |
| Alabama | $64,650 |
| Nebraska | $64,060 |
| Montana | $63,870 |
| New Hampshire | $63,580 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,880 |
| North Dakota | $62,830 |
| Illinois | $62,700 |
| South Carolina | $62,640 |
| New Mexico | $62,530 |
| Vermont | $62,360 |
| Tennessee | $62,090 |
| Kansas | $61,900 |
| North Carolina | $61,420 |
| Louisiana | $60,650 |
| Ohio | $60,630 |
| Arizona | $60,500 |
| Michigan | $60,010 |
| Maine | $59,540 |
| Missouri | $58,700 |
| Iowa | $58,440 |
| Oklahoma | $58,180 |
| Mississippi | $56,970 |
| Arkansas | $56,800 |
| Guam | $55,500 |
| Idaho | $54,130 |
| Utah | $53,730 |
| Indiana | $53,500 |
| South Dakota | $51,210 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $48,500 |
| Wyoming | $46,530 |
| West Virginia | $42,980 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,870 |
| Washington | $100,030 |
How do librarian salaries compare to similar careers?
Librarians earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than fire inspectors but more than ambulance dispatchers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Fire inspector salary | $99K |
| Elementary school teacher salary | $100K |
| Firefighter salary | $85K |
| School counselor salary | $86K |
| Correctional officer salary | $96K |
| Librarian salary | $90K |
| Kindergarten teacher salary | $83K |
| Clergy member salary | $78K |
| Teacher salary | $83K |
| Ambulance dispatcher salary | $80K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)