Salaries of librarians vary according to the individual’s qualifications and the type, size, and location of the library. Librarians with primarily administrative duties often have greater earnings. Median annual earnings of librarians in May 2006 were $49,060. The middle 50 percent earned between $39,250 and $60,800. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,930, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $74,670. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of librarians in 2006 were as follows:
| Junior colleges | $52,030 |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools | 51,160 |
| Elementary and secondary schools | 50,710 |
| Local government | 44,960 |
| Other information services | 44,170 |
The average annual salary for all librarians in the Federal Government in nonsupervisory, supervisory, and managerial positions was $80,873 in 2007.
About 1 in 4 librarians are a member of a union or are covered under a union contract.