What's Here? - Table of Contents
School Librarians
How are school librarian salaries determined in Maryland?
Maryland school librarians are some of the highest-earning librarians in the country. This is indicative that the state funding allocated to school libraries is higher in Maryland than it is in other states. Apart from the state funding, salaries are also determined by a librarian’s education level, years of experience, and level of specialization.
How can one increase their salary?
In Maryland, librarians are paid well and are recognized for the qualifications that they possess. This is why one of the best ways to increase their salary in the state is through further specialization and years of experience. If the school is looking for a specific and specialized librarian then applying for those positions is one of the easiest ways of getting a higher salary.
Librarians and Media Specialists Salaries in urban areas of Maryland
| Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 1,460 | $77,060 |
| California-Lexington Park, MD | 50 | $74,220 |
| Cumberland, MD-WV | 50 | $57,100 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 80 | $66,110 |
| Salisbury, MD-DE | 140 | $71,200 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023 |
Librarians and Media Specialists Salaries in rural areas of Maryland
| Metro Area | # Employed | Mean Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland nonmetropolitan area | 60 | $71,650 | Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics - 2023 |
Resources within Maryland providing assistance for better school librarian pay.
Perhaps one of the reasons that Maryland has such high salaries and compensations is the fact that they have a highly organized association that works towards lobbying and advocating for librarians in the state. The Maryland Association of School Librarians does not only hold its own annual conferences and work towards achieving better standards for librarians, it also works in association with other organizations and lobbyists to achieve their goals.
Public Librarians
How are public librarian salaries determined in Maryland?
The state of Maryland has a specific document known as the Laws of Maryland relating to Public Libraries that holds a lot of the information on how public libraries are run. For determining the salaries of librarians many of the same criteria as those used for school librarians apply. The area, the number of people they are servicing, the education level, and the years of experience of a librarian are all determinants of their salary.
How can one increase their salary?
In Maryland, there are many opportunities to receive better pay either in different organizations or for having higher qualifications. Therefore, an easy way of increasing your salary is to receive further certification and extra degrees that will allow you to get higher paid more specialized positions. These positions might include being a subject librarian, working at a higher-level institution, or working in conservation. All of these will allow you to have higher earnings.
Resources within Maryland providing assistance for better public librarian pay.
The main lobbying force in Maryland for better pay is the Maryland Library Association which has a dedicated section on its website for advocacy. There are also regional associations in Maryland that carry out a lot of work to advocate for better conditions for librarians. One such organization is the Southern Maryland Regional Library Association. Further resources and organizations with information on public libraries in Maryland can also be found here.
Academic Librarians
How are academic librarian salaries determined in Maryland?
Academic salaries in Maryland, much like in other states, are determined by the academic institution and its allocated budget for its library. Years of experience, level of education, and the size of the library can all be determining factors in the salary that the librarian is offered.
How can one increase their salary?
Academic institutions tend to work with a ranking system. That means that depending on your level of education and years of experience you can apply for higher positions that offer better pay. Oftentimes these positions are also more highly specialized and thus, are paid more. This is why in academic settings it is always useful to keep your eyes open for job openings that could help you climb up the career ladder.
How can an academic librarian get tenured and how does this affect their lifetime earning potential?
Tenure is essentially a lifetime contract. This means that the librarians in that university have achieved the highest position available and they have become a part of the academic faculty. This also means that they have job stability and therefore will not need to be faced with job insecurity in the future. In terms of their lifetime earnings, it means that they will know exactly what their income will be year in and year out. If an incident causes a tenured librarian to be fired, they will also be receiving a much larger compensation than the one that regular librarians would receive.
To become a tenured librarian in most institutions you will need to fulfill certain requirements, these often included carrying out specialized research, and often it is necessary that you are nominated for other faculty members so as to receive tenure.
Resources within Maryland providing assistance for better academic librarian pay.
Academic librarians in Maryland can join the Association Of College And Research Libraries, MD which is a part of the American Library Association to advocate for better salaries within their state. They can also lobby internally within their own academic institution or they can join the Maryland Library Association and utilize their advocacy tools. The advocacy tools made available through these associations can assist librarians in getting their demand heard and thus can be detrimental in helping academic librarians advocate for a better salary.