Library Technicians Salary
Library Technicians in Knoxville, TN make a median of $50,030 a year, or about $24.06 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.57), which stretches that salary to about $54,046 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,471/month, about 42.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $50K actually covers in Knoxville, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Knoxville’s Regional Price Parity (92.57). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Knoxville
Knoxville sits well above the national pay line for library technicians, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,471/month, which is 41.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.57 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for library technicians in metros near Knoxville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis | $36K | $39K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $41K | $42K |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $32K | $37K |
| Gulfport-Biloxi | $24K | $27K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Knoxville, TN
Entry-level library technicians (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $29K 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 annually. We'll email you when Knoxville numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a library technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Knoxville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 41.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,471/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 library technicians in Knoxville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new library technicians typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,307/month. At HUD’s $1,471/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Knoxville?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $50K here vs. $45K nationally.
How does Knoxville compare to the national average for library technicians?
Knoxville pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do library technicians make in Knoxville, TN?
The median is $50,030 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,910, and experienced library technicians can clear $60,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Knoxville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,520/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,471/month, which eats 41.8% 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 Knoxville?
Knoxville has a Regional Price Parity of 92.57 (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 $54,046 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.