Skip to content
AffordMap
Salary comparison

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists vs. Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education: Who Earns More?

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists out-earn Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education by $4K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Librarians and Media Collections Specialists land at $68,270 and Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education at $63,970. The education gap is real: librarians and media collections specialist programs typically require bachelor's degree, while elementary school teachers, except special education programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists is Washington ($100,030); for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education it's Washington ($102,350).

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Median salary
$68,270
$63,970
Hourly rate
$32.82/hr
$null/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$43,660
$47,960
Senior level (90th %)
$103,990
$104,340
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
133,790
1,388,390
Job growth (10-year)
1.7%
-2%
Category
Education
Education
Top-paying state
Washington
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Librarians and Media Collections Specialists median pay.

State
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Washington
$100,030
$102,350
District of Columbia
$96,550
$96,580
California
$89,790
$99,650
Maryland
$88,570
$77,680
Connecticut
$79,210
$80,600
Alaska
$78,810
$79,260
New York
$78,590
$85,760
Massachusetts
$78,540
$94,000
New Jersey
$78,380
$78,200
Oregon
$78,070
$77,130
Delaware
$77,700
$75,920
Minnesota
$77,650
$76,350
Rhode Island
$75,860
$90,930
Pennsylvania
$62,880
$77,060
Ohio
$60,630
$77,370

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Librarians and Media Collections Specialists or Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education?

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists earn more nationally. The median is $68,270 for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists versus $63,970 for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, a difference of $4K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Librarians and Media Collections Specialists or Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education?

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists has the better 10-year outlook at 1.7% projected growth, compared to -2% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Librarians and Media Collections Specialists or Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education?

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists typically requires bachelor's degree. Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Librarians and Media Collections Specialists get paid the most?

Washington is the top-paying state for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists at $100,030/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Librarians and Media Collections Specialists vs. Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, Librarians and Media Collections Specialists earn $100,030 vs. $102,350 for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary breakdownView →Full Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education salary breakdownView →Best cities for Librarians and Media Collections Specialists by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education by take-home payExplore →How to become a librarians and media collections specialistsGuide →How to become a elementary school teachers, except special educationGuide →