Librarians and Media Collections Specialists Salary
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in Bowling Green, KY make a median of $65,280 a year, or about $31.38 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.18), which stretches that salary to about $72,389 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,153/month, or 26.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $65K get you in Bowling Green?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bowling Green’s Regional Price Parity (90.18). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About librarians and media collections specialists
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What this looks like in Bowling Green
Librarians and media collections specialists pay in Bowling Green tracks closely to the national median, $65K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,153/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.18 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for librarians and media collections specialists in metros near Bowling Green, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $71K | $77K |
| Lexington-Fayette | $63K | $68K |
| Owensboro | $72K | $82K |
| Paducah | $63K | $73K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bowling Green, KY
Entry-level librarians and media collections specialists (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $30K 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 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a librarians and media collections specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bowling Green?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 26.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,153/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for librarians and media collections specialists in Bowling Green?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new librarians and media collections specialists typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,657/month. At HUD’s $1,153/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Bowling Green?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $65K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Bowling Green compare to the national average for librarians and media collections specialists?
Bowling Green pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do librarians and media collections specialists make in Bowling Green, KY?
The median is $65,280 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,290, and experienced librarians and media collections specialists can clear $73,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Bowling Green?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,308/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 26.8% 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 Bowling Green?
Bowling Green has a Regional Price Parity of 90.18 (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 $72,389 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.