Librarians and Media Collections Specialists Salary
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in Kentucky make a median of $65,200 a year, or about $31.35 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $72,260 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 25.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $65K get you in Kentucky?
About librarians and media collections specialists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Kentucky
Librarians and media collections specialists pay in Kentucky tracks closely to the national median, $65K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,110/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level librarians and media collections specialists (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary by metro in Kentucky
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown | $77K | +18% | 40 |
| Owensboro | $72K | +11% | 50 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $71K | +9% | 440 |
| Bowling Green | $65K | +0% | 110 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $63K | -4% | 380 |
| Paducah | $63K | -4% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track librarians and media collections specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a librarians and media collections specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 25.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for librarians and media collections specialists in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new librarians and media collections specialists typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,757/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Kentucky?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $65K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for librarians and media collections specialists?
Kentucky pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do librarians and media collections specialists make in Kentucky?
The median is $65,200 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,950, and experienced librarians and media collections specialists can clear $85,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,304/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 25.8% 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 Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (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 $72,260 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.