Library Assistants, Clerical Salary
Library Assistants, Clericals in Indiana make a median of $28,900 a year, or about $13.89 an hour. The range runs from $21K at the entry level to $37K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $31,478 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,144/month, about 55% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $29K get you in Indiana?
About library assistants, clericals
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What this looks like in Indiana
Pay for library assistants, clerical in Indiana runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $37K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,144/month, which is 56.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for library assistants, clericals.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level library assistants, clericals (10th percentile) start around $21K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $37K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Library Assistants, Clerical salary by metro in Indiana
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $32K | +11% | 70 |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $32K | +11% | 60 |
| Fort Wayne | $31K | +7% | 90 |
| Bloomington | $30K | +4% | 60 |
| Kokomo | $30K | +3% | 50 |
| Terre Haute | $28K | -2% | 50 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $26K | -10% | 350 |
| Evansville | $24K | -16% | 130 |
Compare to other states
Track library assistants, clerical salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a library assistants, clerical afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $29K, rent takes 56.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for library assistants, clericals in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new library assistants, clericals typically earn — is $21K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,270/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 90% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is library assistants, clerical a high-paying job in Indiana?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $29K here vs. $37K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for library assistants, clericals?
Indiana pays $29K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $31K — below the national median.
How much do library assistants, clericals make in Indiana?
The median is $28,900 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,170, and experienced library assistants, clericals can clear $37,240. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,032/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 56.3% 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 library assistants, clerical salary go in Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 library assistants, clerical salary is worth about $31,478 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do library assistants, clericals 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.