Librarians and Media Collections Specialists Salary
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in Utah make a median of $53,730 a year, or about $25.83 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.54), that's roughly $54,526 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,350/month, about 38.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Utah. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $54K get you in Utah?
About librarians and media collections specialists
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What this looks like in Utah
Pay for librarians and media collections specialists in Utah runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $68K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,350/month, which is 37.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.54) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for librarians and media collections specialistss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Utah
Entry-level librarians and media collections specialists (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $64K spread from bottom to top.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary by metro in Utah
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $65K | +21% | 610 |
| Logan | $65K | +20% | 110 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi | $49K | -8% | 370 |
| St. George | $48K | -11% | 80 |
| Ogden | $46K | -14% | 260 |
Compare to other states
Track librarians and media collections specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Utah numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a librarians and media collections specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Utah?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 37.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,350/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Utah?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new librarians and media collections specialists typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,149/month. At HUD’s $1,350/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Utah?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $54K here vs. $68K nationally.
How does Utah compare to the national average for librarians and media collections specialists?
Utah pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do librarians and media collections specialists make in Utah?
The median is $53,730 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,810, and experienced librarians and media collections specialists can clear $99,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Utah?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,559/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,350/month, which eats 37.9% 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 Utah?
Utah has a Regional Price Parity of 98.54 (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 $54,526 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.