Library Technicians Salary
Library Technicians in Virginia make a median of $45,560 a year, or about $21.9 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $48,064 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 53% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $46K get you in Virginia?
About library technicians
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What this looks like in Virginia
Library technicians pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 54.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (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, Virginia
Entry-level library technicians (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Library Technicians salary by metro in Virginia
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville | $53K | +16% | 110 |
| Richmond | $41K | -11% | 380 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $40K | -12% | 590 |
| Roanoke | $37K | -20% | 90 |
| Winchester | $35K | -22% | 40 |
| Harrisonburg | $34K | -25% | 70 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $32K | -31% | 80 |
| Lynchburg | $29K | -36% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track library technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a library technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 54.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new library technicians typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,862/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 88% 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 Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for library technicians?
Virginia pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do library technicians make in Virginia?
The median is $45,560 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,030, and experienced library technicians can clear $62,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,045/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 54.1% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $48,064 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.