Librarians and Media Collections Specialists Salary
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in Boulder, CO make a median of $81,550 a year, or about $39.21 an hour. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $124K for experienced workers.
So what does $82K get you in Boulder?
About librarians and media collections specialists
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Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for librarians and media collections specialists in metros near Boulder, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $80K | , |
| Colorado Springs | $61K | , |
| Greeley | $62K | , |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $70K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boulder, CO
Entry-level librarians and media collections specialists (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $124K or more, a $65K spread from bottom to top.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $100K | +47% | 2,750 |
| District of Columbia | $97K | +41% | 960 |
| California | $90K | +32% | 10,180 |
| Maryland | $89K | +30% | 3,220 |
| Nevada | $85K | +24% | 610 |
| Connecticut | $79K | +16% | 2,550 |
| Alaska | $79K | +15% | 350 |
| New York | $79K | +15% | 11,870 |
| Massachusetts | $79K | +15% | 4,980 |
| New Jersey | $78K | +15% | 4,100 |
| Oregon | $78K | +14% | 1,690 |
| Delaware | $78K | +14% | 370 |
| Minnesota | $78K | +14% | 2,220 |
| Virginia | $77K | +13% | 4,590 |
| Georgia | $77K | +12% | 3,330 |
| Colorado | $76K | +12% | 1,990 |
| Rhode Island | $76K | +11% | 780 |
| Texas | $72K | +5% | 9,150 |
| Hawaii | $68K | +0% | 300 |
| Florida | $67K | -2% | 6,670 |
| Wisconsin | $67K | -2% | 2,450 |
| Kentucky | $65K | -4% | 1,980 |
| Alabama | $65K | -5% | 2,750 |
| Nebraska | $64K | -6% | 1,200 |
| Montana | $64K | -6% | 640 |
| New Hampshire | $64K | -7% | 1,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $63K | -8% | 5,050 |
| North Dakota | $63K | -8% | 570 |
| Illinois | $63K | -8% | 5,390 |
| South Carolina | $63K | -8% | 2,130 |
| New Mexico | $63K | -8% | 580 |
| Vermont | $62K | -9% | 600 |
| Tennessee | $62K | -9% | 2,540 |
| Kansas | $62K | -9% | 1,620 |
| North Carolina | $61K | -10% | 4,010 |
| Louisiana | $61K | -11% | 2,130 |
| Ohio | $61K | -11% | 4,820 |
| Arizona | $61K | -11% | 1,990 |
| Michigan | $60K | -12% | 3,940 |
| Maine | $60K | -13% | 780 |
| Missouri | $59K | -14% | 2,970 |
| Iowa | $58K | -14% | 1,770 |
| Oklahoma | $58K | -15% | 1,820 |
| Mississippi | $57K | -17% | 1,060 |
| Arkansas | $57K | -17% | 1,490 |
| Idaho | $54K | -21% | 650 |
| Utah | $54K | -21% | 1,630 |
| Indiana | $54K | -22% | 1,920 |
| South Dakota | $51K | -25% | 490 |
| Wyoming | $47K | -32% | 440 |
| West Virginia | $43K | -37% | 610 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track librarians and media collections specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Boulder numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a librarians and media collections specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boulder?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 39.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,044/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for librarians and media collections specialists in Boulder?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new librarians and media collections specialists typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,528/month.
Is librarians and media collections specialist a high-paying job in Boulder?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $82K here vs. $68K nationally.
How does Boulder compare to the national average for librarians and media collections specialists?
Boulder pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +19%.
How much do librarians and media collections specialists make in Boulder, CO?
The median is $81,550 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,800, and experienced librarians and media collections specialists can clear $124,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Boulder?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,181/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,044/month, which eats 39.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a librarians and media collections specialists salary go in Boulder?
Boulder has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median librarians and media collections specialists salary is worth about $81,550 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.