California librarian salaries by employer, 2025
5,154 people worked as librarians for 239 cities, counties, library districts, universities, colleges and state departments in California in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $108,032.
What is the average librarian salary in California?
Highest-paying employer
$176,731
South Orange County Community College District
Community college district in Orange County
Highest- and lowest-paying among the 73 employers with at least 10 full-year librarians. The lists below include every employer with at least 5.
- Librarians
- 5,154
- 3,367 of them worked the full year
- Employers
- 239
- 177 with 5 or more librarians, in 33 counties
- Median total pay
- $104,981
- the middle librarian: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $618
- average per full-year librarian
Employers also paid an average of $17,358 into pensions and $16,769 for health, dental and vision cover per full-year librarian, on top of wages.1
What stands out in California librarian pay
Community college librarians average $145,133, more than public library librarians ($103,023).
By where they work, full-year librarians averaged $145,133 at community colleges, $117,817 at universities, $109,796 at law libraries and $103,023 at public libraries. Public libraries employ 72% of the 5,154 librarians counted here.1
Library assistants average $68,589, against $108,032 for librarians.
Library assistants, technicians, associates and clerks hold 7,774 positions, more than librarians. They're counted on their own, outside every librarian figure on this page.1
Senior librarians average $114,372, $19,960 more than those in Librarian I titles.
Titles with levels show how pay grows: full-year librarians in level I titles averaged $94,412, in level II $103,348 and in senior titles $114,372. Each employer sets its own levels, so its page is the closer guide.1
Depending on the employer, average total pay runs from $65,037 to $176,731.
That's the range across the 73 employers with at least 10 full-year librarians. Librarians at the best-paying one earn more than twice what those at the lowest-paying one do.1
San Francisco, Santa Clara and Yolo counties pay the most.
By county, the average total pay of librarians across local public employers is highest in San Francisco, Santa Clara and Yolo counties ($124,227, $118,031 and $117,447). State departments aren't in county figures: their librarians are compared with the whole state.
Which California employers pay librarians the most?
By average total pay of full-year librarians, among employers with at least 5 of them.
Highest average total pay
- MiraCosta Community College DistrictCommunity college district in San Diego County
5 full-year librarians$199,870 - West Valley-Mission Community College DistrictCommunity college district in Santa Clara County
7 full-year librarians$179,503 - South Orange County Community College DistrictCommunity college district in Orange County
10 full-year librarians$176,731 - Coast Community College DistrictCommunity college district in Orange County
10 full-year librarians$170,910 - Rancho Santiago Community College DistrictCommunity college district in Orange County
8 full-year librarians$164,507 - San Jose-Evergreen Community College DistrictCommunity college district in Santa Clara County
6 full-year librarians$161,981 - San Joaquin Delta Community College DistrictCommunity college district in San Joaquin County
6 full-year librarians$156,646 - Los Angeles Community College DistrictCommunity college district in Los Angeles County
21 full-year librarians$156,383 - Sequoias Community College DistrictCommunity college district in Tulare County
5 full-year librarians$152,715 - Sonoma County Junior College DistrictCommunity college district in Sonoma County
8 full-year librarians$140,888
California average, $108,032
Highest librarian starting salaries in California: every employer compared
Compare librarian pay at every California employer
Official pay range across each employer's librarian titles, what full-year librarians earned, and where most of them work. Library assistants aren't in these figures. Click a column to sort it.
Showing 1 to 25 of 177 employers, highest average total pay first.
| MiraCosta Community College DistrictSan Diego County | San Diego | $199,870 | Community college | $113,021 to $208,625 | 20 | 2% at 62 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Valley-Mission Community College DistrictSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $179,503 | Community college | $92,684 to $224,244 | 15 | 2% at 60 |
| South Orange County Community College DistrictOrange County | Orange | $176,731 | Community college | $40,124 to $179,810 | 27 | 2% at 62 |
| Coast Community College DistrictOrange County | Orange | $170,910 | Community college | $66,899 to $159,488 | 17 | 2% at 60 |
| Rancho Santiago Community College DistrictOrange County | Orange | $164,507 | Community college | $7,645 to $88,494 | 18 | 2% at 62 |
| San Jose-Evergreen Community College DistrictSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $161,981 | Community college | $107,213 to $166,092 | 8 | 2% at 60 |
| San Joaquin Delta Community College DistrictSan Joaquin County | San Joaquin | $156,646 | Community college | $49,508 to $134,369 | 7 | 2% at 62 |
| Los Angeles Community College DistrictLos Angeles County | Los Angeles | $156,383 | Community college | $76,960 to $160,890 | 45 | 2% at 62 |
| Sequoias Community College DistrictTulare County | Tulare | $152,715 | Community college | $88,544 to $167,832 | 5 | Not reported |
| Sonoma County Junior College DistrictSonoma County | Sonoma | $140,888 | Community college | $86,901 to $162,662 | 10 | 2% at 60 |
| Los Rios Community College DistrictSacramento County | Sacramento | $136,991 | Community college | $55,958 to $143,927 | 50 | 2% at 62 |
| Mt. San Jacinto Community College DistrictRiverside County | Riverside | $136,746 | Community college | $46,788 to $168,673 | 10 | 2% at 62 |
| Chabot-Las Positas Community College DistrictAlameda County | Alameda | $135,480 | Community college | $79,370 to $151,686 | 19 | 2% at 55 |
| Glendale Community College DistrictLos Angeles County | Los Angeles | $129,600 | Community college | $1,276 to $144,366 | 16 | 2% at 62 |
| University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara County | Santa Barbara | $128,598 | University | $77,631 to $159,380 | 35 | Not reported |
| University of California, San DiegoSan Diego County | San Diego | $127,949 | University | $77,631 to $159,380 | 52 | Not reported |
| San Mateo County Community College DistrictSan Mateo County | San Mateo | $127,222 | Community college | $96,060 to $156,756 | 8 | 2% at 60 |
| University of California, San FranciscoSan Francisco County | San Francisco | $126,626 | University | $77,631 to $159,380 | 12 | Not reported |
| San FranciscoSan Francisco County | San Francisco | $126,067 | Public library | $102,024 to $151,398 | 288 | 2.3% at 65 |
| University of California, BerkeleyAlameda County | Alameda | $125,309 | University | $73,602 to $159,380 | 88 | Not reported |
| University of California, Santa CruzSanta Cruz County | Santa Cruz | $125,177 | University | $69,781 to $159,380 | 25 | Not reported |
| California State University, Long BeachLos Angeles County | Los Angeles | $123,836 | University | $75,456 to $209,880 | 22 | Not reported |
| Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College DistrictSan Diego County | San Diego | $123,719 | Community college | $82,979 to $148,457 | 15 | 2% at 62 |
| San JoseSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $123,477 | Public library | $93,300 to $150,652 | 114 | 2% at 62 |
| University of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles County | Los Angeles | $123,403 | University | $69,781 to $159,380 | 121 | Not reported |
No employer matches. Clear the search or pick another county or size.
"Fewer than 5": fewer than 5 librarians worked the full year, too few for an average. "Not reported": the employer reported no pay range, so we can't tell who worked the full year. Employers with fewer than 5 librarians aren't listed. The University of California reported its librarians' ranges as zero, so its campuses' ranges come from the University's librarian salary scales in force at the start of 2025.
California librarian and library assistant salaries
Every public employer in California, 2025. Library assistants have their own page. Range: the middle reported bottom and top of each group's official ranges. Pay: full-year staff.1
| Library staff | Positions | Official range | Average total pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Librarians | 5,154 | Varies by employer | $108,032 |
| Library assistants | 7,774 | $50,112 to $66,000 | $68,589 |
Do academic librarians earn more than public librarians in California?
Librarians by where they work, from the employer and each title and department: a county's law library, a state prison's library or a city's public library. Pay: average total pay of full-year librarians.1
| Where they work | Positions | Full year | Average total pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public library | 3,734 | 2,346 | $103,023 |
| University | 831 | 706 | $117,817 |
| Community college | 441 | 198 | $145,133 |
| Prison or state hospital | 75 | 60 | $86,442 |
| State Library | 33 | 29 | $76,792 |
| Law library | 26 | 15 | $109,796 |
| State agency | 14 | 13 | $82,651 |
University: the University of California and California State University campuses; the University of California's ranges come from its librarian salary scales.2 Prison or state hospital: the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Correctional Health Care Services and the Department of State Hospitals. Law library: county law libraries, the Courts of Appeal and the Judicial Center Library.
Which California jobs count as librarians here, and which don't?
The State Controller's files list every public job by title. We decided each library title by hand, from its name and department.
Counted as librarians
- Librarians at every level. Librarian I to V, Senior Librarian and specialist titles such as Children's or Reference Librarian, at city and county libraries and library districts.
- University and college librarians. The University of California's assistant, associate and full librarians, California State University librarians and community college librarians.
- Librarians at state departments and law libraries. Prison librarians at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the State Library's librarians and county and court law librarians.
- Part-time and adjunct librarians. In every headcount; never in pay figures, whatever they were paid.
Shown separately or left out
- Library assistants, technicians, associates and clerks. In the table above, with their own page, not in the librarian figures.
- Supervising and principal librarians, branch heads, managers and directors. Their titles mean different jobs at different employers. A plain Librarian title used for a library's head (San Anselmo) is left out too.
- Pages, aides, shelvers, students, interns and substitutes.
- School librarians. School employers report to the State Controller voluntarily, for an earlier year, and many school librarians are paid on the teacher salary schedule.
Every California employer with a librarian pay page, by county
177 employers with at least 5 librarians. Open a county to see its employers. Employers without an average had fewer than 5 full-year librarians, or their records don't show who worked the full year. The map shades each county by the average total pay of full-year librarians across its employers; click a county to open its list.
Alameda County
10 employers, $114,732- Alameda County$100,479
- Berkeley$95,702
- California State University, East Bay$119,056
- Chabot-Las Positas Community College District$135,480
- Hayward$112,914
- Livermore$116,091
- Oakland$111,842
- Pleasanton$113,281
- San Leandro$108,333
- University of California, Berkeley$125,309
Butte County
2 employers, $97,217- Butte CountyFewer than 5
- California State University, Chico$104,721
Contra Costa County
3 employers, $99,451- Contra Costa Community College District$108,229
- Contra Costa County$97,428
- Richmond$100,783
Fresno County
3 employers, $93,045- California State University, Fresno$120,147
- Fresno County$70,227
- State Center Community College District$110,969
Humboldt County
2 employers, $98,154- California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt$108,774
- Humboldt CountyFewer than 5
Kern County
2 employers, $103,988- California State University, Bakersfield$102,099
- Kern CountyFewer than 5
Los Angeles County
39 employers, $111,114- Alhambra$81,146
- Altadena Library DistrictFewer than 5
- ArcadiaFewer than 5
- AzusaFewer than 5
- Beverly Hills$111,826
- Burbank$90,345
- CalabasasFewer than 5
- California State Polytechnic University, Pomona$104,766
- California State University, Dominguez Hills$104,219
- California State University, Long Beach$123,836
- California State University, Los Angeles$111,833
- California State University, Northridge$107,856
- CerritosFewer than 5
- Cerritos Community College DistrictFewer than 5
- CommerceFewer than 5
- Compton Community College DistrictFewer than 5
- Glendale$88,051
- Glendale Community College District$129,600
- GlendoraFewer than 5
- Inglewood$86,623
- Long Beach$97,200
- Los Angeles$116,589
- Los Angeles Community College District$156,383
- Los Angeles County$104,638
- Monrovia$87,425
- Monterey ParkFewer than 5
- Palos Verdes Library District$107,929
- Pasadena$96,800
- Redondo BeachFewer than 5
- Rio Hondo Community College DistrictFewer than 5
- San MarinoFewer than 5
- Santa Clarita$95,755
- Santa Clarita Community College DistrictFewer than 5
- Santa Fe Springs$92,399
- Santa Monica$115,514
- South PasadenaFewer than 5
- Torrance$92,960
- University of California, Los Angeles$123,403
- Whittier$79,087
Marin County
5 employers, $105,456- Belvedere-Tiburon Library Agency$100,637
- Marin County$103,031
- San AnselmoFewer than 5
- San Rafael$109,739
- SausalitoFewer than 5
Merced County
3 employers, $114,067- Merced Community College District$103,372
- Merced CountyFewer than 5
- University of California, Merced$120,751
Monterey County
5 employers, $92,738- California State University, Monterey Bay$107,819
- MontereyFewer than 5
- Monterey County$103,650
- Pacific GroveFewer than 5
- Salinas$74,862
Orange County
15 employers, $109,523- Anaheim$87,035
- California State University, Fullerton$112,604
- Coast Community College District$170,910
- Fullerton$90,323
- Huntington BeachFewer than 5
- Mission ViejoFewer than 5
- Newport Beach$98,603
- Orange$95,886
- Orange County$102,020
- Placentia Library District$80,659
- Rancho Santiago Community College District$164,507
- Santa Ana$90,626
- South Orange County Community College District$176,731
- University of California, Irvine$112,062
- Yorba LindaFewer than 5
Placer County
2 employers, $80,636- Placer County$92,265
- RosevilleFewer than 5
Riverside County
8 employers, $106,165- Beaumont Library DistrictFewer than 5
- Corona$71,530
- Mt. San Jacinto Community College District$136,746
- Palm DesertFewer than 5
- Palm SpringsFewer than 5
- Rancho MirageFewer than 5
- Riverside$84,144
- University of California, Riverside$114,249
Sacramento County
3 employers, $110,567San Bernardino County
4 employers, $81,512- California State University, San Bernardino$113,452
- Ontario$92,743
- Rancho Cucamonga$70,545
- San Bernardino County$65,037
San Diego County
12 employers, $106,093- California State University, San Marcos$112,918
- Carlsbad$88,423
- Chula Vista$89,876
- Coronado$94,488
- Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District$123,719
- MiraCosta Community College District$199,870
- National CityFewer than 5
- Oceanside$84,980
- San Diego$105,421
- San Diego County$94,087
- San Diego State University$108,909
- University of California, San Diego$127,949
San Francisco County
3 employers, $124,227- San Francisco$126,067
- San Francisco State University$102,712
- University of California, San Francisco$126,626
San Joaquin County
3 employers, $99,169- LodiFewer than 5
- San Joaquin Delta Community College District$156,646
- Stockton$81,152
San Luis Obispo County
2 employers, $94,340San Mateo County
8 employers, $106,472- Burlingame$110,652
- Daly City$113,756
- Menlo Park$99,480
- San BrunoFewer than 5
- San Mateo$94,145
- San Mateo County$103,589
- San Mateo County Community College District$127,222
- South San FranciscoFewer than 5
Santa Barbara County
4 employers, $113,729- Santa Barbara$94,329
- Santa Barbara Community College DistrictFewer than 5
- Santa Maria$96,536
- University of California, Santa Barbara$128,598
Santa Clara County
9 employers, $118,031- Mountain View$116,713
- Palo Alto$109,521
- San Jose$123,477
- San José State University$112,481
- San Jose-Evergreen Community College District$161,981
- Santa Clara$120,144
- Santa Clara County$104,127
- Sunnyvale$107,054
- West Valley-Mission Community College District$179,503
Santa Cruz County
3 employers, $107,295- Santa Cruz$99,100
- University of California, Santa Cruz$125,177
- Watsonville$82,919
Solano County
3 employers, $107,747- BeniciaFewer than 5
- Solano Community College DistrictFewer than 5
- Solano County$97,852
Sonoma County
3 employers, $97,834- Sonoma County Junior College District$140,888
- Sonoma County Library$91,231
- Sonoma State UniversityFewer than 5
Stanislaus County
2 employers, $85,924- California State University, Stanislaus$98,698
- Stanislaus County$79,537
Statewide
6 employers- California Courts of Appeal$115,747
- California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation$87,090
- California Department of JusticeFewer than 5
- California Department of State HospitalsFewer than 5
- California Judicial Center Library$113,779
- California State Library$76,792
Tulare County
2 employers, $101,763- Sequoias Community College District$152,715
- Tulare County$75,186
Ventura County
5 employers, $91,368- California State University, Channel Islands$107,282
- Oxnard$84,608
- Thousand Oaks$92,519
- Ventura County$94,824
- Ventura County Community College DistrictNot reported
Yolo County
2 employers, $117,447- University of California, Davis$118,378
- Yolo County$111,864
Questions about librarian pay in California
How much do librarians make in California?
Librarians in California's public jobs who worked the full year earned an average of $108,032 in 2025. The middle librarian earned $104,981: half earned more, half less. These figures cover public libraries, universities, colleges and state departments, not school librarians.
How much does a library assistant make in California?
Full-year library assistants, technicians and clerks at California public employers averaged $68,589 in 2025, on a middle official range of $50,112 to $66,000.
What is the starting salary for a librarian in California?
It depends on the employer. Across the 90 public employers that report a range for their plain Librarian or Librarian I title, the middle starting salary is $73,707 a year: the bottom of the range. Full-year librarians in level I titles averaged $94,412 in total pay.
Which California public employer pays librarians the most?
Among employers with at least 10 full-year librarians, South Orange County Community College District has the highest average total pay, $176,731, followed by Coast Community College District ($170,910) and Los Angeles Community College District ($156,383).
Which California employers have the most librarians?
Los Angeles (595 librarians), Los Angeles County (304) and San Francisco (288), counting librarian positions held in 2025, without library assistants.
Sources for the California librarian figures
Every person who held a librarian position at any point in 2025 counts toward the headcount. Pay figures use only people who worked roughly the full year: those whose regular pay reached at least 90% of the bottom of their official range. Total pay is gross wages before tax, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formulas and employer contributions as reported by each city, county and special district.
- University of California Office of the President, Academic Salary Scales 2024-25, Table 26B: Represented Librarian Series: annual salary steps for assistant, associate and full librarians, effective November 1, 2024.
- University of California Office of the President, Academic Salary Scales 2024-25, Table 26A: Non-Represented Librarian Series: annual salary steps for librarians outside the union, effective July 1, 2024.