Librarians and Media Collections Specialists Salary in Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in Memphis, TN-MS-AR make a median of $63,170 a year, or about $30.37 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.18), which stretches that salary to about $68,529 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,274/month, or 29% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $63K get you in Memphis?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Memphis’s Regional Price Parity (92.18). 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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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Entry-level librarians and media collections specialists (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $38K spread from bottom to top.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $94K | +47% | 2,830 |
| District of Columbia | $94K | +46% | 940 |
| California | $87K | +35% | 10,030 |
| Maryland | $82K | +27% | 3,270 |
| Nevada | $80K | +24% | 650 |
| New Jersey | $79K | +23% | 3,510 |
| Delaware | $78K | +22% | 330 |
| Alaska | $78K | +22% | 330 |
| New York | $77K | +20% | 11,020 |
| Connecticut | $76K | +19% | 2,430 |
| Massachusetts | $76K | +18% | 5,120 |
| Oregon | $75K | +17% | 1,650 |
| Minnesota | $75K | +17% | 2,290 |
| Virginia | $74K | +16% | 4,750 |
| Georgia | $74K | +14% | 3,450 |
| Rhode Island | $73K | +13% | 810 |
| Texas | $65K | +1% | 9,430 |
| Wisconsin | $64K | -1% | 2,370 |
| Kentucky | $63K | -1% | 2,010 |
| Hawaii | $63K | -2% | 330 |
| Illinois | $62K | -3% | 4,610 |
| Alabama | $62K | -3% | 3,260 |
| Montana | $62K | -4% | 610 |
| Nebraska | $62K | -4% | 1,150 |
| North Dakota | $62K | -4% | 460 |
| New Hampshire | $61K | -5% | 1,170 |
| New Mexico | $61K | -6% | 660 |
| Vermont | $60K | -6% | 580 |
| Pennsylvania | $60K | -7% | 5,420 |
| South Carolina | $60K | -7% | 2,320 |
| Florida | $60K | -7% | 5,960 |
| North Carolina | $60K | -7% | 3,990 |
| Tennessee | $60K | -7% | 2,590 |
| Kansas | $60K | -7% | 1,680 |
| Michigan | $60K | -7% | 3,430 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -8% | 1,890 |
| Arizona | $59K | -9% | 1,880 |
| Ohio | $57K | -11% | 4,770 |
| Arkansas | $57K | -12% | 1,470 |
| Maine | $57K | -12% | 930 |
| Missouri | $54K | -17% | 2,660 |
| Oklahoma | $53K | -17% | 2,010 |
| Iowa | $53K | -18% | 1,820 |
| Mississippi | $50K | -22% | 1,300 |
| Utah | $50K | -23% | 1,630 |
| South Dakota | $49K | -23% | 460 |
| Indiana | $49K | -24% | 2,160 |
| West Virginia | $49K | -24% | 430 |
| Wyoming | $48K | -25% | 360 |
| Idaho | $47K | -28% | 530 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track librarians and media collections specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Memphis numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do librarians and media collections specialists make in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?
The median is $63,170 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,770, and experienced librarians and media collections specialists can clear $76,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Memphis?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,400/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,274/month, which eats 29% 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 Memphis?
Memphis has a Regional Price Parity of 92.18 (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 $68,529 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.