Librarian salary in New York
The median annual wage for librarians and media collections specialists in New York was $78,590 in May 2025, with an average of $84,890. About 11,870 people work in this occupation there.
That is 15% above the national median of $68,270. Compared with all occupations in New York (median $59,670), librarians earn 32% more. With a location quotient of 1.42, the occupation is more concentrated here than in the US as a whole.
Pay varies widely: the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $52,340, while the top 10% earned more than $129,970. Many librarians are self-employed, and BLS wage surveys cover employees only, so freelance income can differ.
Pay distribution
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $52,340 | $25.17 |
| 25th | $63,490 | $30.52 |
| Median | $78,590 | $37.79 |
| 75th | $99,530 | $47.85 |
| 90th | $129,970 | $62.48 |
Metro areas in New York
| Metro area | Median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $81,670 | 10,690 |
| Ithaca, NY | $78,460 | 110 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $76,680 | 370 |
| Kingston, NY | $74,890 | 100 |
| Binghamton, NY | $74,720 | 110 |
| Elmira, NY | $73,850 | 30 |
| Syracuse, NY | $71,850 | 470 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $69,870 | 650 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $67,090 | 500 |
| Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $66,560 | 220 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $63,890 | 170 |
| Rochester, NY | $63,490 | 760 |
| Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $60,950 | 180 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $58,430 | 90 |
| Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $58,030 | 250 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $57,220 | 80 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Estimates exclude self-employed workers; "—" means the estimate was not released.