Placements & Salaries 2014: Explore All the Data

by Stephanie L. Maatta
Oct 15, 2014 | Filed in People
Details on jobs and pay for 2013 LIS grads, broken down by region, type of role, school, and more. Dig through these tables to discover the details about where 2013 LIS grads are landing jobs, at what salaries, and in what kinds of roles, or see the full feature for all the analysis.

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Details on jobs and pay for 2013 LIS grads, broken down by region, type of role, school, and more.

Dig through these tables to discover the details about where 2013 LIS grads are landing jobs, at what salaries, and in what kinds of roles, or see the full feature for all the analysis.

TABLE 1: STATUS OF 2013 GRADUATES*

Number of Schools Reporting Number of Graduates Responding Permanent Professional Temporary Professional Non-professional Total Graduates Outside of Profession Unemployed or Status Unreported
Northeast 10 522 251 43 87 381 61 80
Southeast 13 376 233 6 18 257 23 28
Midwest 9 542 364 34 41 439 58 41
Southwest 4 211 141 4 17 162 20 25
West 4 372 154 18 23 195 34 53
TOTAL 40 2,023 1,151 108 189 1,448 199 298
*Table based on survey responses from schools and individual graduates. Figures will not necessarily be fully consistent with some of the other data reported. Tables do not always add up, individually or collectively, since both schools and individuals omitted data in some cases.

TABLE 2: PLACEMENTS & FULL-TIME SALARIES OF 2013 GRADUATES/SUMMARY BY REGION*

Region Number of Placements NO. RESPONDING LOW SALARY HIGH SALARY AVERAGE SALARY MEDIAN SALARY
Women Men Total Women Men Women Men Women Men All Women Men All
Northeast 272 186 30 218 $22,880 $24,000 $95,000 $105,000 $45,111 $49,313 $45,742 $43,000 $44,000 $43,000
Southeast 214 150 33 185 17,306 27,500 85,000 107,500 39,989 43,695 40,719 40,000 43,409 40,000
Midwest 235 150 29 182 21,000 27,000 80,000 105,000 43,125 51,886 44,555 41,495 45,000 42,000
Southwest 145 81 13 94 16,800 27,000 77,500 75,000 40,975 50,567 42,213 41,000 50,000 42,000
West 177 93 36 132 17,500 21,000 110,240 115,000 51,896 66,569 55,631 50,000 58,250 52,000
Canada/Intl 36 17 8 25 25,439 19,000 85,437 85,000 53,536 44,425 50,499 51,500 44,200 45,300
COMBINED 1,339 692 158 860 17,306 19,000 110,240 115,000 44,188 52,110 45,650 42,000 45,800 42,550
*This table represents only salaries reported as full-time. Some data were reported as aggregate without breakdown by gender or region.
Comparison with other tables will show different numbers of placements.

TABLE 3: 2013 TOTAL GRADUATES AND PLACEMENTS BY SCHOOL*

Schools GRADUATES EMPLOYED RESPONSE RATE
Women Men Total Women Men Total # Rec'd Rate
Alabama 89 34 123 19 3 24 31 25.20%
Albany 52 17 69 24 4 26 33 47.80%
Buffalo 68 24 92 18 8 26 29 31.50%
Catholic* 51 15 66 22 24 36.40%
Clarion 173 24 197 29 9 39 45 22.80%
Dominican 110 36 146 34 6 42 48 32.90%
Drexel 178 44 222 53 13 68 83 37.40%
Florida State 112 55 167 16 3 19 23 13.80%
Hawaii 27 6 33 13 1 15 17 51.50%
Illinois* 215 62 277 73 22 117 133 48.00%
Indiana 150 57 207 37 8 45 52 25.10%
Iowa 11 3 15 18
Kentucky 89 18 107 19 3 24 26 24.30%
Long Island 101 20 121 2 2 2 1.70%
Louisiana State 52 11 63 17 1 18 20 31.70%
Michigan* 120 64 184 97 51 148 152 82.60%
Missouri-Columbia 66 20 86 19 3 22 23 26.70%
N.C. Central 160 49 209
N.C. Chapel Hill* 80
N.C. Greensboro 41 9 50 15 1 6 17 34.00%
North Texas 62 12 74 91
Oklahoma 45 10 55 14 1 15 17 30.90%
Pittsburgh 105 23 128 1 1 1 0.80%
Pratt 110 26 136 18 5 23 27 19.90%
Rutgers 121 29 150 47 11 59 68 45.30%
San Jose* 553 216 241 43.50%
Simmons 221 54 275 149 20 172 197 71.60%
South Carolina 104 19 123 12 2 14 14 11.40%
South Florida 87 11 98 26 2 28 31 31.60%
Southern Mississippi 44 9 53 15 5 20 21 39.60%
St. Catherine University 39 9 48 11 3 15 18 37.50%
Syracuse 59 17 76 27 5 32 37 48.70%
Tennessee 54 9 63 19 5 24 25 39.70%
Texas (Austin)* 67 24 91 41 12 57 66 72.50%
Texas Woman’s 152 9 161 33 2 35 37 23.00%
UCLA 60 12 72 18 3 22 29 40.30%
Valdosta 55 17 72 11 2 14 15 20.80%
Washington* 47 85
Wayne State 138 48 186 27 5 33 40 21.50%
Wisconsin (Madison) 72 15 87 47 7 56 58 66.70%
TOTAL 3,387 906 4,846 1,074 241 1,715
Tables do not always add up, individually or collectively, since both schools and individuals omitted data.
*Some schools conducted their own survey and provided reports. This table represents placements of any kind. Comparison with other tables will show different numbers of placements.

TABLE 4: PLACEMENTS BY AVERAGE FULL-TIME SALARY OF REPORTING 2013 GRADUATES*

AVERAGE SALARY MEDIAN SALARY LOW SALARY HIGH SALARY PLACEMENTS Total Placements
Women Men All Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Men
Michigan $58,471 $77,788 $65,047 $60,750 $76,250 $29,000 $19,000 $100,000 $115,000 62 32 148
Pratt 52,084 59,500 53,320 44,000 59,500 31,200 50,000 110,000 69,000 10 2 23
UCLA 54,068 54,667 52,960 52,300 55,000 20,000 49,000 110,240 60,000 17 3 22
Syracuse 49,480 51,875 49,879 45,000 48,750 32,000 45,000 82,000 65,000 20 4 32
San Jose 48,812 51,605 49,503 48,000 47,500 10,000 21,000 85,437 115,000 67 22 152
Hawaii 45,538 72,500 48,909 40,000 72,500 31,200 72,500 87,408 72,500 7 1 15
Catholic University 46,006 51,007 47,673 47,000 51,000 17,000 38,000 72,800 63,000 12 6 22
Rutgers 48,074 43,500 47,353 44,500 40,000 25,000 30,000 85,000 63,000 27 6 59
Illinois 43,337 51,557 46,009 41,800 49,500 28,800 29,120 85,000 105,000 44 18 75
Drexel 46,721 39,284 45,723 45,000 35,700 25,000 30,000 95,000 55,000 36 5 68
Florida State 45,885 44,000 45,616 43,500 44,000 21,120 36,000 65,000 52,000 12 2 19
Iowa 45,643 38,500 44,056 48,000 38,500 40,000 32,000 50,000 45,000 7 2 15
Simmons 42,828 51,846 44,012 42,000 45,000 18,000 26,000 68,000 98,000 97 13 172
Texas Woman’s 43,553 45,750 43,762 40,000 45,750 25,500 45,000 69,000 46,500 19 2 35
St. Catherine University 44,071 36,000 43,278 37,000 36,000 25,000 36,000 65,000 36,000 7 1 15
Albany 44,500 36,333 42,867 40,000 35,000 35,000 30,000 70,000 44,000 12 3 26
Wayne State 44,207 37,750 42,626 43,840 35,500 28,454 30,000 77,000 50,000 14 4 33
Long Island 42,000 42,000 42,000 42,000 42,000 1 1
Valdosta 39,375 44,413 40,634 43,500 44,413 26,000 42,700 46,250 46,125 6 2 14
Wisconsin-Madison 39,978 44,010 40,632 41,000 43,030 17,500 27,000 56,500 59,000 31 6 56
Indiana 38,188 49,549 40,598 38,500 48,000 27,000 35,000 50,000 67,000 26 7 45
Dominican 41,744 36,067 39,868 41,000 37,700 22,000 27,000 56,000 43,500 22 3 42
North Texas 38,653 45,051 39,727 39,000 42,800 16,800 10,560 63,300 85,000 41 7 74
South Carolina 38,750 41,750 39,500 36,250 41,750 31,000 27,500 50,000 56,000 6 2 14
Clarion University 39,528 37,624 39,071 38,000 36,667 25,827 24,000 80,000 55,000 19 6 39
Tennessee 38,176 41,500 38,876 39,000 40,000 24,000 38,000 65,000 48,000 15 4 24
South Florida 39,201 33,000 38,836 40,000 33,000 10,000 33,000 56,000 33,000 16 1 28
Louisiana State 38,781 38,781 37,000 24,500 61,000 15 18
Oklahoma 38,084 38,084 38,639 28,808 45,000 10 15
Southern Mississippi 35,983 37,500 36,363 38,750 37,500 20,800 30,000 45,500 45,000 12 4 20
NC Greensboro 35,822 40,000 36,170 35,000 40,000 24,000 40,000 52,500 40,000 11 1 16
Buffalo 32,442 42,026 35,637 36,000 45,000 13,000 35,000 47,000 48,000 10 5 26
Kentucky 35,049 37,093 35,521 36,500 33,280 21,000 28,000 50,000 50,000 10 3 24
Alabama 33,499 36,644 34,627 33,475 39,933 13,000 28,000 44,105 42,000 19 3 24
Missouri-Columbia 32,511 33,000 32,552 30,000 33,000 21,000 33,000 48,000 33,000 11 1 22
Pittsburgh 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 1 1
*This table represents only placements and salaries reported as full-time. Some individuals or schools omitted some information, rendering information unusable.
Comparisons with other tables will show different numbers for placements and salaries.

TABLE 5: AVERAGE SALARY FOR STARTING LIBRARY POSITIONS, 2009–2013

YEAR Library Schools Avg. Starting Salary Increase in Avg. Salary Percentage Change
2009 42 $42,215 $636 1.50%
2010 38 42,556 341 0.80%
2011 41 44,565 2,009 4.50%
2012 41 44,503 -62 -0.10%
2013 40 45,650 $1,147 2.60%

TABLE 6: SALARIES OF REPORTING PROFESSIONALS BY AREA OF JOB ASSIGNMENT*

Assignment No. Rec'd % of Total Low Salary High Salary Average Salary Median Salary
Access Services 42 3.00% $20,000 $80,000 $39,718 $40,000
Acquisitions 4 0.30% 31,000 51,000 37,733 31,200
Administration 70 5.00% 21,000 65,000 42,140 42,800
Adult Services 23 1.60% 17,306 48,000 38,159 40,000
Archives 79 5.60% 20,000 80,000 41,656 42,000
Automation/Systems 2 0.10% 45,000 50,000 47,500 47,500
Cataloging & Classification 42 3.00% 16,800 115,000 39,148 35,000
Children’s Services 87 6.20% 19,000 85,437 41,938 41,500
Circulation 51 3.60% 19,000 67,000 33,601 31,000
Collection Development 8 0.60% 26,000 63,000 47,375 48,500
Data Analytics 6 0.40% 38,000 95,000 56,677 52,000
Database Management 18 1.30% 21,000 68,000 46,214 43,000
Data Curation 4 0.30% 48,000 67,000 53,250 49,000
Digital Content Management 47 3.40% 25,000 82,000 46,917 45,000
Emerging Technologies 2 0.10% 45,000 72,000 58,500 58,500
Government Documents 3 0.20% 35,000 45,000 40,667 42,000
Indexing/Abstracting 1 0.10% 52,000 52,000 52,000 52,000
Info Architecture 7 0.50% 53,040 75,000 64,760 65,500
Info Technology 35 2.50% 24,960 95,000 52,496 49,000
Instruction 59 4.20% 27,000 98,000 48,324 46,000
Interlibrary Loans/Document Delivery 16 1.10% 29,000 60,000 38,136 35,660
Knowledge Management 9 0.60% 40,000 80,000 59,729 65,000
Metadata 16 1.10% 31,200 60,000 45,038 43,000
Other 184 13.10% 19,000 110,000 52,033 44,500
Public Services 60 0.70% 24,000 77,300 41,075 40,000
Records Management 10 4.30% 26,000 69,000 40,614 35,000
Reference/Info Services 208 14.90% 20,000 110,240 43,688 42,000
Rights & Permissions 4 0.30% 35,000 58,000 44,000 39,000
School Library Media Specialist 107 7.60% 18,000 95,000 46,742 44,200
Social Media Management 5 0.40% 40,000 40,000 40,000 40,000
Solo Librarian 30 2.10% 24,000 63,000 40,135 40,000
Technical Services 37 2.60% 22,000 65,000 42,719 45,000
Usability/User Experience/User Interface Design 57 4.10% 37,000 115,000 70,026 72,500
YA/Teen Services 47 3.40% 25,827 65,000 39,996 39,923
TOTAL 1400 16,800 115,000 45,701 42,800
This table represents placements of any type reported by job assignment but only salaries reported as full-time.
Some individuals omitted placement information, rendering some information unusable. Comparison with other tables will show different numbers of placements and average and median salaries.

TABLE 7: COMPARISON OF SALARIES BY TYPE OF ORGANIZATION*

Total Placements PLACEMENTS LOW SALARY HIGH SALARY AVERAGE SALARY MEDIAN SALARY
Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Men All Women Men All
PUBLIC LIBRARIES
Northeast 81 69 6 $24,000 $24,000 $58,400 $48,000 $40,602 $36,077 $39,923 $42,000 $36,064 $42,000
Southeast 78 64 13 17,306 30,000 59,400 50,000 36,223 37,732 36,525 36,531 35,000 36,100
Midwest 85 76 3 23,000 40,000 50,000 53,846 37,724 44,768 38,194 38,750 40,459 39,845
Southwest 51 48 2 20,000 48,000 55,000 65,000 38,430 56,500 38,552 38,000 56,500 38,500
West 40 30 5 25,827 39,000 77,300 56,000 51,681 51,200 51,576 51,972 54,000 52,945
Canada/International 9 3 3 45,000 25,000 62,400 52,000 50,800 35,000 42,900 45,000 28,000 45,000
ALL PUBLIC 349 183 33 17,306 24,000 77,300 65,000 39,363 40,645 39,559 40,000 40,000 40,000
SCHOOL LIBRARIES
Northeast 54 52 2 25,000 42,719 95,000 98,000 49,107 70,360 50,095 47,000 70,360 47,000
Southeast 35 31 2 27,000 38,000 63,000 50,000 41,788 46,500 42,125 40,000 46,500 40,000
Midwest 17 15 1 30,200 42,000 77,000 42,000 46,473 42,000 46,100 48,000 42,000 45,500
Southwest 23 21 1 18,000 45,000 60,000 45,000 47,560 45,000 47,409 48,176 45,000 48,000
West 12 10 1 22,000 21,000 65,000 21,000 51,333 21,000 48,300 59,000 21,000 56,500
Canada/International 10 9 1 35,000 85,000 85,437 85,000 55,193 85,000 58,174 58,000 85,000 60,560
ALL SCHOOL 163 115 8 18,000 21,000 95,000 98,000 47,403 53,340 47,789 45,000 43,860 45,000
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
Northeast 81 38 8 24,000 33,000 80,000 65,000 42,087 49,213 43,326 41,000 46,500 41,500
Southeast 76 41 12 20,000 28,000 52,500 51,000 39,459 44,875 40,858 40,000 45,000 42,500
Midwest 75 41 7 24,000 27,000 67,000 44,000 40,652 37,929 40,464 40,000 38,000 40,000
Southwest 36 16 4 23,000 27,000 55,700 56,000 35,561 37,700 35,988 37,225 33,900 36,500
West 53 29 8 20,000 30,000 110,240 72,000 48,692 45,938 47,594 48,000 41,000 44,500
Canada/International 8 2 2 25,439 42,800 75,000 58,000 50,220 50,400 50,310 50,220 50,400 50,400
ALL ACADEMIC 345 172 46 20,000 27,000 110,240 72,000 41,845 44,746 42,458 41,000 43,750 42,000
SPECIAL LIBRARIES
Northeast 23 14 1 22,880 33,000 65,000 50,000 45,427 50,000 45,732 42,000 50,000 42,000
Southeast 9 6 2 30,000 50,000 62,000 52,000 43,398 41,000 42,798 41,193 41,000 41,193
Midwest 8 4 3 25,000 30,000 71,200 50,000 40,225 42,667 41,271 32,350 45,000 37,700
Southwest 6 4 1 49,000 40,000 65,000 40,000 54,250 40,000 51,400 51,500 40,000 51,000
West 10 6 3 38,000 17,500 68,000 49,000 53,600 28,833 45,344 53,300 20,000 49,000
All Special 59 34 11 30,000 17,500 71,200 67,000 44,288 45,973 44,700 42,000 49,000 42,100
GOVERNMENT LIBRARIES
Northeast 3 2 35,000 57,000 46,000 46,000 46,000 46,000
Southeast 12 8 1 24,000 53,040 62,500 53,040 41,438 53,040 42,727 38,000 53,040 38,000
Midwest 3 2 21,000 41,000 31,000 31,000 31,000 31,000
West 4 3 31,200 52,300 43,533 43,533 47,100 47,100
Canada/International 3 2 42,000 65,000 53,500 53,500 53,500 53,500
ALL GOVERNMENT 28 18 3 21,000 40,000 65,000 53,040 43,672 44,680 43,816 41,500 41,000 41,000
ARCHIVES
Northeast 32 26 6 24,960 41,000 65,000 53,500 42,049 47,250 42,743 43,000 47,250 43,000
Southeast 11 7 4 30,000 27,500 48,000 52,000 40,917 39,750 40,625 42,500 39,750 42,500
Midwest 13 11 31,200 45,000 39,640 39,640 42,000 42,000
Southwest 9 9 1 25,000 52,000 45,000 52,000 36,800 52,000 36,800 38,000 52,000 38,000
West 10 9 1 40,000 42,000 60,000 42,000 48,833 42,000 47,857 49,000 42,000 48,000
Canada/International 1 1 45,600 45,600 45,600 45,600 45,600 45,600
ALL ARCHIVES 79 36 7 24,960 27,500 65,000 53,500 41,626 44,800 42,143 42,500 45,600 43,000
VENDORS
Northeast 12 10 2 30,000 31,200 60,000 43,000 42,900 37,100 41,933 40,000 37,100 40,000
Midwest 5 4 30,000 65,000 44,250 44,250 41,000 41,000
Southwest 1 1 16,800 16,800 16,800 16,800 16,800 16,800
West 1 1 40,000 40,000 40,000 40,000 40,000 40,000
ALL VENDORS 20 16 3 16,800 40,000 65,000 70,000 40,875 51,000 42,474 40,000 43,000 40,000
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Northeast 79 37 10 24,000 30,000 82,000 105,000 48,598 59,000 50,799 47,000 64,000
Southeast 39 17 4 30,000 39,933 85,000 107,500 50,559 64,608 52,724 43,000 55,500
Midwest 98 43 14 21,000 27,000 80,000 105,000 50,907 61,014 53,029 48,000 63,750
Southwest 42 9 3 33,000 64,000 77,500 75,000 51,167 68,667 55,542 43,000 67,000
West 59 23 18 36,000 46,000 100,000 115,000 61,411 85,667 71,416 61,000 85,750
Canada/International 5 1 19,000 19,000 19,000 19,000 19,000
ALL OTHER 348 135 51 17,000 19,000 110,000 115,000 51,827 68,973 56,327 48,000 68,000 50,000
LIBRARY COOPS
Northeast 1 1 30,000 30,000 30,000 30,000 30,000 30,000
Midwest 1 1 55,000 55,000 55,000 55,000 55,000 55,000
Southwest 1 1 45,000 45,000
ALL LIBRARY COOPS 4 2 1 30,000 45,000 55,000 45,000 42,500 45,000 43,333 42,500 45,000 45,000
This table represents only full-time salaries and all placements reported by type. Some individuals omitted placement information, rendering some information unusable.

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Michael Dubensky

Does "permanent professional" include part-time jobs and non-library job?

Posted : Jan 11, 2015 05:32

Meredith Schwartz

It does not include non-library jobs. They have their own category. I am not sure about part-time; I have a question in to the person who conducted the survey, I'll let you know when she replies.

Posted : Jan 11, 2015 05:32

Michael Dubensky

How is "permanent professional" defined?

Posted : Jan 05, 2015 04:49

Michael Dubensky

35% employed isn't very good. Does it mean a Librarian job or any job? Does it include part-time and full-time position? Is it within 6 months of graduation before student loans kick in? Can someone comment on only 35% of graduates being employed? How would you explain that number? Could it be because not enough of people responded to the survey?

Posted : Dec 22, 2014 07:07

Meredith Schwartz

Hi Michael, I'm not sure where you're seeing a 35 percent employment figure in this article, can you give me a pointer? What I'm seeing is approximately 81.4% said they were employed, 66.9% of those employed were in a permanent, professional position. Temporary or contract positions were 6.6%. Positions outside of LIS were 12.1%. Those who specifically said they were unemployed (as opposed to not responding) were about 4.3 percent. Hope this helps! Meredith

Posted : Dec 22, 2014 07:07

Nick Krabbenhoeft

It is frustrating that this survey doesn't include more factors for analysis, such as if the jobs are in libraries or if the student was continuing education or traditional. The numerous $100k+ starting salaries definitely skew the data, and these positions are likely not early career librarians. I would appreciate some information about the distribution of this data. Michigan is a prime example of skewing in the dataset. Its graduating class includes both librarians and archivists as well as UX designers, information architects, and other information professionals with an ALA accreditation that they never demanded and will not use. Michigan reports an average and median salaries above 60k, well above what an early professional librarian would see.

Posted : Nov 12, 2014 12:05

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