Librarians and Media Collections Specialists Salary
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in Alabama make a median of $64,650 a year, or about $31.08 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $73,167 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 25.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $65K get you in Alabama?
About librarians and media collections specialists
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What this looks like in Alabama
Librarians and media collections specialists pay in Alabama tracks closely to the national median, $65K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $1,085/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level librarians and media collections specialists (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary by metro in Alabama
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | $68K | +6% | 50 |
| Mobile | $68K | +5% | 190 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $68K | +4% | 100 |
| Huntsville | $67K | +3% | 430 |
| Anniston-Oxford | $66K | +1% | 50 |
| Birmingham | $65K | +1% | 650 |
| Auburn-Opelika | $64K | -1% | 110 |
| Tuscaloosa | $64K | -1% | 160 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals | $63K | -2% | 60 |
| Dothan | $63K | -2% | 70 |
| Montgomery | $63K | -3% | 290 |
| Gadsden | $61K | -5% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a librarians and media collections specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 25.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for librarians and media collections specialists in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new librarians and media collections specialists typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,273/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is librarians and media collections specialist a high-paying job in Alabama?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $65K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for librarians and media collections specialists?
Alabama pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do librarians and media collections specialists make in Alabama?
The median is $64,650 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,890, and experienced librarians and media collections specialists can clear $78,310. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,233/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 25.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a librarians and media collections specialists salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median librarians and media collections specialists salary is worth about $73,167 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do librarians and media collections specialists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.