Highest librarian starting salaries in California, 2025
What a new librarian is paid at each of 90 California public employers: the bottom of the official pay range for the employer's plain Librarian or Librarian I title, as reported. The middle employer starts at $73,707.
What is the starting salary for a librarian in California?
Middle starting salary, California librarians1
$73,707
half of the 90 employers start higher, half lower
- Employers compared
- 90
- with an official range for their librarian titles
- Starting at $100,000 or more
- 1
- employers
- Average total pay
- $108,032
- what full-year librarians earned, overtime included
- Above the start
- $20,874
- full-year pay above the starting salary, middle employer
Which California employers pay new librarians the most?
The 25 highest starting salaries: the bottom of the official range for each employer's plain Librarian or Librarian I title, as reported for 2025.
Highest starting salary
- San FranciscoCity government
Librarian 1$102,024 - San JoseCity in Santa Clara County
Librarian I$93,300 - PleasantonCity in Alameda County
Librarian$92,102 - HaywardCity in Alameda County
Librarian I$91,312 - SunnyvaleCity in Santa Clara County
Librarian 1$91,302 - Napa CountyCounty government
Librarian I$90,612 - Los AngelesCity government
Librarian I$89,345 - Mountain ViewCity in Santa Clara County
Librarian I$87,545 - Santa Clara CountyCounty government
Librarian I$87,323 - BurlingameCity in San Mateo County
Librarian I$86,486 - Daly CityCity in San Mateo County
Librarian I$85,963 - San Mateo CountyCounty government
Librarian I$85,488 - San RafaelCity in Marin County
Librarian I$85,428 - Santa ClaritaCity in Los Angeles County
Librarian$84,864 - Palm DesertCity in Riverside County
Librarian I$84,573 - Palos Verdes Library DistrictLibrary district in Los Angeles County
Librarian I$84,391 - OaklandCity in Alameda County
Librarian I$83,731 - CalabasasCity in Los Angeles County
Librarian$83,691 - San LeandroCity in Alameda County
Librarian I$83,544 - Palo AltoCity in Santa Clara County
Librarian$82,975 - OntarioCity in San Bernardino County
Librarian$82,534 - Menlo ParkCity in San Mateo County
Librarian I$82,337 - Alameda CountyCounty government
Librarian I$80,925 - MontereyCity government
Librarian$79,968 - LivermoreCity in Alameda County
4230 Librarian I$79,869
Middle California employer, $73,707
Which California counties pay new librarians the most?
The middle starting salary across each county's employers, where at least 3 report one.
- Santa Clara County5 employers$87,545
- San Mateo County6 employers$83,913
- Alameda County6 employers$83,638
- Marin County3 employers$76,713
- Riverside County5 employers$75,262
- Los Angeles County21 employers$73,968
- Orange County8 employers$72,387
- San Diego County7 employers$68,266
- Monterey County3 employers$59,542
- San Bernardino County3 employers$57,408
Compare librarian starting salaries at every California employer
Starting salary, the title it belongs to, and what full-year librarians at the same employer earned. Click a column to sort it.
Showing 1 to 25 of 90 employers, highest starting salary first.
| San FranciscoSan Francisco County | San Francisco | $102,024 | Librarian 1 | $126,067 | 288 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San JoseSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $93,300 | Librarian I | $123,477 | 114 |
| PleasantonAlameda County | Alameda | $92,102 | Librarian | $113,281 | 9 |
| HaywardAlameda County | Alameda | $91,312 | Librarian I | $112,914 | 23 |
| SunnyvaleSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $91,302 | Librarian 1 | $107,054 | 24 |
| Napa CountyNapa County | Napa | $90,612 | Librarian I | $109,568 | 13 |
| Los AngelesLos Angeles County | Los Angeles | $89,345 | Librarian I | $116,589 | 595 |
| Mountain ViewSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $87,545 | Librarian I | $116,713 | 19 |
| Santa Clara CountySanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $87,323 | Librarian I | $104,127 | 119 |
| BurlingameSan Mateo County | San Mateo | $86,486 | Librarian I | $110,652 | 22 |
| Daly CitySan Mateo County | San Mateo | $85,963 | Librarian I | $113,756 | 8 |
| San Mateo CountySan Mateo County | San Mateo | $85,488 | Librarian I | $103,589 | 46 |
| San RafaelMarin County | Marin | $85,428 | Librarian I | $109,739 | 10 |
| Santa ClaritaLos Angeles County | Los Angeles | $84,864 | Librarian | $95,755 | 21 |
| Palm DesertRiverside County | Riverside | $84,573 | Librarian I | Fewer than 5 | 5 |
| Palos Verdes Library DistrictLos Angeles County | Los Angeles | $84,391 | Librarian I | $107,929 | 21 |
| OaklandAlameda County | Alameda | $83,731 | Librarian I | $111,842 | 127 |
| CalabasasLos Angeles County | Los Angeles | $83,691 | Librarian | Fewer than 5 | 12 |
| San LeandroAlameda County | Alameda | $83,544 | Librarian I | $108,333 | 14 |
| Palo AltoSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $82,975 | Librarian | $109,521 | 10 |
| OntarioSan Bernardino County | San Bernardino | $82,534 | Librarian | $92,743 | 13 |
| Menlo ParkSan Mateo County | San Mateo | $82,337 | Librarian I | $99,480 | 26 |
| Alameda CountyAlameda County | Alameda | $80,925 | Librarian I | $100,479 | 60 |
| MontereyMonterey County | Monterey | $79,968 | Librarian | Fewer than 5 | 10 |
| LivermoreAlameda County | Alameda | $79,869 | 4230 Librarian I | $116,091 | 14 |
No employer matches. Clear the search or pick another county or size.
Starting salary: the bottom of the official range for the employer's plain Librarian or Librarian I title, as reported. Community colleges aren't listed: several report one range for full-time and adjunct librarians alike, so its bottom isn't a starting salary. "Fewer than 5": fewer than 5 librarians worked the full year, too few for an average.
Questions about librarian starting salaries in California
Which California employer has the highest starting salary for librarians?
San Francisco: $102,024 a year, the bottom of the official range for its Librarian 1 title in 2025. San Jose ($93,300) and Pleasanton ($92,102) follow.
What is the starting salary for a librarian in California?
It depends on the employer. Across the 90 California employers that report a range, the middle starting salary is $73,707 a year; the highest is $102,024, the lowest $43,253.
How much more do librarians earn than their starting salary?
At the middle employer, full-year librarians earned $20,874 more on average than the starting salary in 2025. Steps with years of service, promotions within the job and overtime make up the difference.
Which California county pays new librarians the most?
Santa Clara County, where the middle starting salary across 5 employers is $87,545, followed by San Mateo County ($83,913) and Alameda County ($83,638).
Sources for the California starting salaries
Starting salaries are the bottom of the official pay range for the employer's plain Librarian or Librarian I title, as the employer reported it. Community colleges aren't listed: several report one range for full-time and adjunct librarians alike, so its bottom isn't a starting salary. Some employers report the range for a title that already needs experience or a certificate; the table names the title so you can check. Average total pay covers only people who worked roughly the full year, and every pay figure covers at least 5 people.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: official pay ranges and wages as reported by each employer.