Library Technicians Salary
Library Technicians in Pennsylvania make a median of $46,100 a year, or about $22.16 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $48,542 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 42.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $46K actually covers in Pennsylvania, month by month
About library technicians
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Library technicians pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 43% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level library technicians (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Library Technicians salary by metro in Pennsylvania
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $49K | +6% | 760 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $47K | +3% | 90 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $47K | +2% | 70 |
| Pittsburgh | $45K | -3% | 450 |
| Reading | $38K | -17% | 40 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $36K | -23% | 40 |
| Lancaster | $36K | -23% | 50 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a library technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 43% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for library technicians in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new library technicians typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,065/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 65% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for library technicians?
Pennsylvania pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do library technicians make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $46,100 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,430, and experienced library technicians can clear $63,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,139/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 43% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $48,542 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.