Library Technicians vs Librarians
Median pay is about $24k higher for Librarians. The usual entry education is postsecondary cert for Library Technicians and master's for Librarians.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Library Technicians | Librarians |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $44,580 | $68,270, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $35,740 | $56,310, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $52,430 | $84,480, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | -6.4% Declining | +2.6% Growing, higher |
| Openings a year | 10,800 | 12,600 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Postsecondary cert | Master's |
| Difficulty modeled | 1.6 / 5 | 2.6 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Moderate | Moderate |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 59th pct | 42nd pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Library Technicians
- Learning Strategies
Only Librarians
- Monitoring
Both lean on reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, critical thinking, writing.
More comparisons
Compare Library Technicians with
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.