Library Technicians Salary
Library Technicians in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI make a median of $30,500 a year, or about $14.66 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $38K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.84), which stretches that salary to about $32,159 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,162/month, about 55.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $31K get you in Kalamazoo-Portage?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kalamazoo-Portage’s Regional Price Parity (94.84). 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 library technicians
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What this looks like in Kalamazoo-Portage
Pay for library technicians in Kalamazoo-Portage runs about 32% below the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,162/month, which is 55.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.84 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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 technicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for library technicians in metros near Kalamazoo-Portage, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Saginaw | $37K | $41K |
| Flint | $26K | $28K |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $30K | $30K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $35K | $36K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
Entry-level library technicians (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $31K. Top earners bring in $38K or more, a $8K spread from bottom to top.
Library Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Library Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $63K | +40% | 1,850 |
| District of Columbia | $61K | +37% | 390 |
| Connecticut | $57K | +28% | 930 |
| California | $53K | +19% | 7,190 |
| Minnesota | $51K | +15% | 1,180 |
| Hawaii | $51K | +14% | 110 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +13% | 1,910 |
| Vermont | $50K | +12% | 150 |
| New York | $50K | +12% | 3,390 |
| Oregon | $50K | +12% | 1,810 |
| Maryland | $49K | +10% | 1,980 |
| New Jersey | $49K | +10% | 1,060 |
| Rhode Island | $49K | +9% | 160 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | +9% | 280 |
| Delaware | $48K | +7% | 210 |
| Illinois | $47K | +6% | 2,140 |
| Alaska | $47K | +5% | 220 |
| Colorado | $47K | +5% | 2,250 |
| North Carolina | $47K | +4% | 2,350 |
| Pennsylvania | $46K | +3% | 1,560 |
| Nevada | $46K | +2% | 410 |
| Virginia | $46K | +2% | 2,580 |
| Maine | $45K | -0% | 320 |
| Kansas | $42K | -6% | 480 |
| Florida | $41K | -8% | 3,070 |
| Arizona | $41K | -9% | 820 |
| Utah | $40K | -10% | 310 |
| North Dakota | $39K | -12% | 370 |
| Louisiana | $39K | -12% | 1,410 |
| Missouri | $39K | -12% | 1,360 |
| New Mexico | $39K | -13% | 540 |
| Texas | $39K | -13% | 5,180 |
| Iowa | $39K | -13% | 1,510 |
| Montana | $38K | -14% | 370 |
| Ohio | $38K | -15% | 4,020 |
| Georgia | $37K | -16% | 2,130 |
| Alabama | $37K | -17% | 390 |
| Nebraska | $37K | -17% | 710 |
| Tennessee | $36K | -18% | 390 |
| South Carolina | $36K | -19% | 650 |
| Kentucky | $36K | -20% | 670 |
| Indiana | $36K | -20% | 1,470 |
| Wisconsin | $35K | -21% | 2,890 |
| Michigan | $35K | -22% | 2,180 |
| Idaho | $35K | -23% | 520 |
| West Virginia | $30K | -32% | 280 |
| South Dakota | $30K | -34% | 650 |
| Oklahoma | $29K | -34% | 830 |
| Arkansas | $29K | -36% | 390 |
| Mississippi | $27K | -39% | 270 |
| Wyoming | $27K | -40% | 400 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track library technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kalamazoo-Portage numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a library technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kalamazoo-Portage?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $31K, rent takes 55.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,162/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 technicians in Kalamazoo-Portage?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new library technicians typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,830/month. At HUD’s $1,162/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 library technician a high-paying job in Kalamazoo-Portage?
Local pay runs 32% below the national median — $31K here vs. $45K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kalamazoo-Portage compare to the national average for library technicians?
Kalamazoo-Portage pays $31K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.84), the purchasing-power equivalent is $32K — below the national median.
How much do library technicians make in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?
The median is $30,500 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,500, and experienced library technicians can clear $38,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $31K enough to live in Kalamazoo-Portage?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,104/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,162/month, which eats 55.2% 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 technicians salary go in Kalamazoo-Portage?
Kalamazoo-Portage has a Regional Price Parity of 94.84 (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 technicians salary is worth about $32,159 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do library technicians 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.