Librarian salary in Madison, WI
In Madison, WI, a typical librarian earned $78,050 a year in May 2025 (median), with an average of $75,570. About 440 people work in this occupation there.
That is 14% above the national median of $68,270. Compared with all occupations in Madison, WI (median $58,080), librarians earn 34% more. With a location quotient of 1.25, the occupation is more concentrated here than in the US as a whole.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $47,840, while the top 10% earned more than $97,180. Many librarians are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $47,840 | $23.00 |
| 25th | $63,470 | $30.51 |
| Median | $78,050 | $37.53 |
| 75th | $82,450 | $39.64 |
| 90th | $97,180 | $46.72 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.