Librarian Career Path
Are you thinking of becoming a Librarian or already started your career and planning the next step? Learn how to become a Librarian, what skills you need to succeed, how to advance your career and get promoted, and what levels of pay to expect at each step on your career path. Explore new Librarian job openings and options for career transitions into related roles.
How to Become a librarian
If you're considering starting your Librarian career path, it's important to note the skills, qualifications, and time it takes to become a professional Librarian and how to advance your career path. Below are the steps generally required to begin and advance your Librarian career.Contents
1
Earn a Degree
To begin your Librarian career path, a Graduate Degree in library science or a related field is usually necessary in order to remain a competitive option for employers. Focus on industry-specific skill development during your education in order to be properly equipped when applying for entry-level positions and entering the job force. A Librarian internship may be required to earn your Graduate Degree and acquire necessary on-the-job skills before entering the workforce.Based on resume data from Glassdoor users who reported working as a Librarian in the United States.
What type of degree should you pursue to become a Librarian?
70% of people working as a Librarian earned a Graduate Degree
What skills do you need to be a Librarian?
- Evaluating
- Conducting
- Excellent Communication
- Filing
- Electronic Resources
- MLIS
- Taxonomy
- Database
2
Choose a Specialty in Your Field
As an Librarian, you may be required to choose a specialty within your field. Determine which part of the Librarian field you feel strongest in, and continue taking active steps toward growing in your chosen Librarian specialty.
3
Get an Entry-Level Position as a Librarian
Once you've acquired a Graduate Degree in library science or a related field, you'll typically begin your career as an entry-level Librarian. In general, you can become a Librarian after completing your 2 year Graduate Degree in a related discipline. Depending on the type of Librarian role you’re pursuing, you may want to explore certification in certified histotechnician ascp.
4
Advance in Your Librarian Career
Following entry-level, there are several Librarian career path levels to advance into. It can take 2 years as an entry-level Librarian to progress to the supervisor librarian position. Each advanced Librarian position requires approximately 2 years of experience at each level to advance in your Librarian career path. It may be necessary to receive additional education, an advanced degree such as a Master's Degree in a related field, or special certifications in order to advance your Librarian career path.
5
Continued Education for Your Librarian Career Path
Not all industries and companies require continued education to advance your Librarian career path. However, earning this degree may help you advance to higher-earning positions more quickly. Earning a Graduate Degree in library science can take 4 years to complete. People that have earned their Graduate Degree typically make $84,995 compared to $39,838 for those without that type of degree.
Seniority Levels
Total Pay Trajectory
Librarian Career Path
$140K
$115K
$90K
$65K
$40K
L2
L4
Seniority Levels
Are you paid fairly? Get a free, personalized salary estimate based on today's job market
Related Careers in the Research & Science Industry
Interested in other Research & Science careers? Below are occupations that have high affinity with Librarian skills. Discover some of the most common Librarian career transitions, along with skills overlap.