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Florida Librarian Salary
Most people who are considering becoming a librarian are rarely concerned with the amount they’ll be earning. In fact, most do not consider salary to be in the top 5 reasons for becoming a librarian.
When asked, most librarians report that a love of reading and information was the deciding factor in their decision to become a librarian.
That being said, a salary is something you should take seriously. After all, we all money related problems such as bills to pay, saving up for your retirement and providing for your family.
What’s good to note, is that most librarians earn a higher than average salary compared to most people in Florida. But how much can a librarian in Florida expect to earn? You’d be surprised. According to the latest figures a librarian in Florida can earn, on average $63,400 (Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023), but there a rather large range. The range between the 10th and 90th percentile are $40,190 and $88,460 (Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023), respectively. Still, as you can see, this is a fairly decent salary – especially in Florida.
These figures, of course, will depend on the type of library you’re working in. Salaries can vary greatly between public, school, college & university, and government libraries. Your salary will also depend on the amount of years you’ve been working, your level of education, and other factors such as the city or town in which you live.
Librarians and Media Specialists Salaries in urban areas of Florida
| Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | 180 | $63,720 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | 40 | $62,680 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | 130 | $61,990 |
| Gainesville, FL | 320 | $54,250 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 460 | $59,580 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | 70 | $54,140 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 1,540 | $73,230 |
| Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL | 90 | $84,280 |
| North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL | 200 | $59,140 |
| Ocala, FL | 100 | $56,980 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 520 | $55,730 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 230 | $57,260 |
| Panama City, FL | 60 | $68,290 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 150 | $56,640 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | 100 | $54,900 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | 40 | $64,240 |
| Tallahassee, FL | 270 | $54,330 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1,080 | $64,440 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023 |
Librarians and Media Specialists Salaries in rural areas of Florida
| Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
|---|---|---|
| South Florida nonmetropolitan area | 60 | $59,500 |
| North Florida nonmetropolitan area | 130 | $56,660 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023 |
Additionally, soft skills may also play a role in your salary. Soft skill may include things such as interpersonal skills, customer service skills, and ability to continually advance your education and understanding of new technologies available for dealing with information. Ultimately, the amount of money you earn will also depend on how often you’re promoted, and the effort you put into your job.
The bottom line is that becoming a librarian is an excellent career to have in Florida. Not only that, it also provides excellent job security. The government should always (hopefully) fund public, school, college & university, and government libraries! Unless you vote Republican. If you do, it’s unlikely you care about proper education and well-sourced information. Also, it’s unlikely you’ve read this far into the article.
Archivist Salaries
A library archivist collaborates with a variety of professionals in identifying potential donors and materials for collections at colleges, in museums and a variety of other organizations. Your job is to build, collect, archive, digitize, preserve, and conserve the collection. As you can imagine, this is an important and complex job. It’s also a high status job and you will be compensated accordingly. The average salary for an archivist is $47,780 (Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023), although this will of course vary. Just note that becoming an archivist generally requires at least 4-7 years of experience.
Library Science Teachers
A library science teacher is someone who teaches other people how to manage a library. You may also be required to perform research and present your findings in journals, books, or professional conferences. Along with this, there are certain administrative duties, as well as having to work with students. The average salary in Florida for this position is $78,120 (Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023). However, your salary will depend on your experience and education level.
Library Technicians and Assistants
As a library technician and assistant your job is to assist in all aspects of running a library. In general you will not need a college education to qualify for this job. The average salary in Florida for library technicians and assistants is $40,700 (Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023) These figures mostly depend on where you’re working and the type of library you’re working in.