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Salary comparison

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists vs. Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary: Who Earns More?

Librarians and Media Collections Specialistss out-earn Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondarys by $31K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Librarians and Media Collections Specialistss land at $68,270 and Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondarys at $36,780. The education gap is real: librarians and media collections specialist programs typically require bachelor's degree, while teaching assistants, except postsecondary programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Librarians and Media Collections Specialistss is Washington ($100,030); for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondarys it's Washington ($49,120).

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary
Median salary
$68,270
$36,780
Hourly rate
$32.82/hr
$null/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$43,660
$27,150
Senior level (90th %)
$103,990
$50,040
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
133,790
1,420,350
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
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
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary
Washington
$100,030
$49,120
District of Columbia
$96,550
$46,920
California
$89,790
$46,490
Connecticut
$79,210
$38,110
New York
$78,590
$38,240
Massachusetts
$78,540
$39,380
Oregon
$78,070
$39,850
Delaware
$77,700
$37,830
Minnesota
$77,650
$40,100
Virginia
$77,430
$38,520
Wisconsin
$66,870
$37,800
New Hampshire
$63,580
$38,440
North Dakota
$62,830
$38,240
Vermont
$62,360
$43,800
Maine
$59,540
$46,750

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Librarians and Media Collections Specialistss or Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondarys?

Librarians and Media Collections Specialistss earn more nationally. The median is $68,270 for Librarians and Media Collections Specialistss versus $36,780 for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondarys, a difference of $31K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Librarians and Media Collections Specialists or Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Librarians and Media Collections Specialists or Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary?

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists typically requires bachelor's degree. Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

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

Washington is the top-paying state for Librarians and Media Collections Specialistss 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. Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, Librarians and Media Collections Specialistss earn $100,030 vs. $49,120 for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondarys. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary breakdownView →Full Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary salary breakdownView →Best cities for Librarians and Media Collections Specialistss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondarys by take-home payExplore →How to become a librarians and media collections specialistsGuide →How to become a teaching assistants, except postsecondaryGuide →