Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay in California
$92,300avg. a year
$44.38 an hour · 10,180 employed
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in California earn an average of $92,300 a year. That is $19,460 (27%) more than the U.S. average of $72,840. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $103,650.
$89,790Median pay
$44.38Average hourly
+18%Avg. pay since 2020
#3Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for librarians and media collections specialists by metro area. Swipe to see all 23.
1700 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$103,650
$49.83 an hour
250 jobs
Merced, CA
$102,870
$49.46 an hour
31,940 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$101,170
$48.64 an hour
4130 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$99,340
$47.76 an hour
540 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$96,420
$46.35 an hour
6820 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$95,150
$45.75 an hour
73,270 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$94,680
$45.52 an hour
880 jobs
Modesto, CA
$94,630
$45.50 an hour
9110 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$92,500
$44.47 an hour
10100 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$90,440
$43.48 an hour
1130 jobs
El Centro, CA
$90,400
$43.46 an hour
1240 jobs
Napa, CA
$88,190
$42.40 an hour
1370 jobs
Chico, CA
$87,570
$42.10 an hour
14540 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$86,710
$41.69 an hour
15160 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$86,560
$41.61 an hour
16150 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$85,910
$41.30 an hour
17220 jobs
Fresno, CA
$84,960
$40.85 an hour
1870 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$84,850
$40.79 an hour
19150 jobs
Salinas, CA
$82,550
$39.69 an hour
2040 jobs
Redding, CA
$79,120
$38.04 an hour
2170 jobs
Visalia, CA
$78,480
$37.73 an hour
22120 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$76,930
$36.99 an hour
23930 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$73,150
$35.17 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California librarians and media collections specialists work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $62k$62k–$66k$66k–$77k$77k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $72,840 | $35.02 |
| California | $92,300 | $44.38 |
| Nevada | $81,580 | $39.22 |
| Oregon | $78,580 | $37.78 |
| Arizona | $61,670 | $29.65 |
Related jobs in California
- Library Technicians$56,050
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$47,300
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$95,670
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$105,880
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$94,680
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$62,910
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do librarians and media collections specialists make in California?
The average is $92,300 a year, and the median is $89,790. That is $19,460 (27%) more than the U.S. average of $72,840.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$44.38 an hour on average; the median is $43.17.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($103,650), followed by Merced, CA ($102,870). The lowest average among 23 metro areas with data is Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA ($73,150).
How does California rank?
California ranks #3 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 25-4022. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national librarians and media collections specialists page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.