How to become a librarian

1. 1Earn a bachelor's degree in any field

   Time: 4 yearsCost: Varies by collegeSources 1

   Library schools accept any major. Pick one that fits where you want to work: English, history or education for public and school libraries, a science for medical libraries, or a subject area you could later serve as an academic subject librarian. Take courses that build research, writing and data skills. A part-time job as a library page or student assistant gives you a real look at the work and strengthens your application.

2. 2Get library work experience

   Time: During college or 1-2 years afterSources 2

   Many future librarians work as library assistants, technicians or pages before or during graduate school. The experience shows you which setting suits you, helps you write a focused application, and gives you hands-on experience to point to when you apply for librarian jobs. Ask your employer whether it offers tuition help for graduate study.

3. 3Complete an ALA-accredited MLS or MLIS

   Time: 1-2 years full timeCost: About $25,628 tuition at one public online programSources 2, 3, 1

   Most employers require the master's to come from a program accredited by the American Library Association, and ALA's directory lets you filter programs by online options. Coursework covers reference and research methods, cataloging and metadata, collection development, information technology and management. Choose a concentration that matches your goal, such as youth services, archives, data or academic libraries, and do an internship or practicum if the program offers one.

4. 4For school libraries: earn a teaching license and library endorsement

   Time: Varies by state; often part of the master'sCost: $130 for Praxis School Librarian, where requiredSources 4, 1, 6

   Public school librarians usually need a state teaching license with a school library media endorsement. Requirements vary by state: some accept an MLS with a school library concentration, others want an education degree. Some states require the Praxis School Librarian (5312) test, a two-hour, 120-question computer-based exam costing $130. Make sure your library program qualifies for certification in the state where you plan to work.

5. 5Meet any state public librarian certification

   Time: Usually at hireCost: Varies by stateSources 7, 1, 8

   Some states certify librarians who work in public libraries, often tied to the MLS and the size of the library; others have no such rule. Check your state library agency's requirements and the CareerOneStop License Finder. Then apply for entry-level roles such as reference, children's or branch librarian, and plan on continuing education, which many state certifications require for renewal.

Programs, tuition and graduates’ earnings

U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15). Scorecard groups programs by 4-digit field, so a row can include related programs. Tuition is the median published undergraduate tuition and fees of the colleges offering the program (shown only for undergraduate credentials); debt is the median of programs’ median federal loan debt at completion; earnings are the national median for the field and credential four years after completion.

Requirements differ by state. Check your state’s rules in the CareerOneStop License Finder (U.S. Department of Labor) before you enroll.

Search and research skills

Librarians find answers in databases, catalogs and archives that patrons cannot get to through a quick web search.

Teaching

Much of the job is showing students, researchers and job seekers how to search, judge sources and use technology.

Organization and cataloging

A book or file that is described or shelved wrong is effectively lost, so careful cataloging and metadata keep collections usable.

Patience with the public

Public librarians help everyone who walks in, including people in stressful situations, children and patrons who struggle with computers.

Budget and vendor management

Librarians stretch limited budgets across books, e-books and costly database subscriptions and negotiate the contracts.

O*NET 31.0 rates these skills as most important for the occupation: reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, writing, critical thinking.

Training cost

$25.6K–$32.7K

Before financial aid

Time

6 years

Typical path

Median pay

$68,270

All US jobs: $50,980

Payback once qualified

1.5–1.9 yrs

Pay above the all-jobs median vs. cost

Master's degree only. Low: San José State University's fully online, ALA-accredited MLIS at the 2026-27 rate of $596 per unit x 43 required units = $25,628 in tuition. High: College Scorecard median federal loan debt for library science master's graduates, $32,593, used as a stand-in for programs that cost more, plus the Praxis School Librarian fee of $130 = $32,723. Not included: the bachelor's degree, books, technology and living costs, and state license fees. Private programs and out-of-state tuition can cost well above this range.

Rough guide only: ignores taxes, aid, interest and earnings given up during training. How we calculate it.

• Library director or branch manager

  Experienced librarians move into supervising a department or branch, then a whole system, managing staff, budgets and boards. Director jobs usually expect prior supervisory experience.

• College librarian or professor of library science$82,250 median

  Academic librarians may hold faculty rank at some colleges; teaching in a library school generally means earning a doctorate.

• School principal$105,870 median

  School librarians with a teaching license can earn an education leadership master's and administrator certification to move into school leadership.

• Data analyst$120,230 median

  Librarians with data, metadata or research data management skills sometimes move into analyst roles after adding statistics and SQL training.