Librarian salary in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, a typical librarian earned $95,480 a year in May 2025 (median), with an average of $94,460. About 3,630 people work in this occupation there.
That is 40% above the national median of $68,270. Compared with all occupations in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (median $71,060), librarians earn 34% more. With a location quotient of 1.35, the occupation is more concentrated here than in the US as a whole.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $62,290, while the top 10% earned more than $126,660. Many librarians are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $62,290 | $29.95 |
| 25th | $76,960 | $37.00 |
| Median | $95,480 | $45.90 |
| 75th | $110,200 | $52.98 |
| 90th | $126,660 | $60.90 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.