Salary data · BLS OEWS May 2025
Librarian salary in California
$89,790
Median annual
$43.17
Median hourly
$92,300
Mean annual
10,180
Employed
In California, a typical librarian earned $89,790 a year in May 2025 (median), with an average of $92,300. About 10,180 people work in this occupation there.
That is 32% above the national median of $68,270. Compared with all occupations in California (median $58,240), librarians earn 54% more. Its location quotient of 0.65 means the job is less common here than nationally.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $50,750, while the top 10% earned more than $132,870. Many librarians are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $50,750 | $24.40 |
| 25th | $66,540 | $31.99 |
| Median | $89,790 | $43.17 |
| 75th | $108,800 | $52.31 |
| 90th | $132,870 | $63.88 |
Metro areas in California
| Metro area | Median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $103,240 | 700 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $101,490 | 1,940 |
| Merced, CA | $98,630 | 50 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $97,510 | 3,270 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $94,380 | 130 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $92,140 | 110 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $91,090 | 40 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $87,490 | 100 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $84,810 | 820 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $83,890 | 540 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $81,890 | 150 |
| Modesto, CA | $80,860 | 80 |
| Chico, CA | $80,840 | 70 |
| Fresno, CA | $80,450 | 220 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $79,290 | 160 |
| Napa, CA | $78,490 | 40 |
| El Centro, CA | $78,110 | 30 |
| Vallejo, CA | $77,860 | 70 |
| Redding, CA | $76,970 | 40 |
| Salinas, CA | $76,080 | 150 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $74,760 | 120 |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $69,090 | 80 |
| Visalia, CA | $67,970 | 70 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $65,620 | 50 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $59,640 | 60 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $57,410 | 930 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.