Salary data · BLS OEWS May 2025
Librarian salary in Illinois
$62,700
Median annual
$30.14
Median hourly
$69,420
Mean annual
5,390
Employed
The median annual wage for librarians and media collections specialists in Illinois was $62,700 in May 2025, with an average of $69,420. About 5,390 people work in this occupation there.
That is 8% below the national median of $68,270. Compared with all occupations in Illinois (median $51,960), librarians earn 21% more.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,650, while the top 10% earned more than $103,540. Many librarians are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $38,650 | $18.58 |
| 25th | $49,720 | $23.91 |
| Median | $62,700 | $30.14 |
| 75th | $80,690 | $38.80 |
| 90th | $103,540 | $49.78 |
Metro areas in Illinois
| Metro area | Median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $68,910 | 160 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $66,250 | 3,740 |
| Bloomington, IL | $66,180 | 130 |
| Springfield, IL | $61,790 | 90 |
| Rockford, IL | $60,630 | 100 |
| Decatur, IL | $58,550 | 40 |
| Kankakee, IL | $56,090 | 50 |
| Peoria, IL | $49,580 | 150 |
| Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $45,500 | 200 |
| East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $45,500 | 130 |
| West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $43,950 | 190 |
| South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $38,400 | 150 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.