by our College Data Analytics TeamLibrarians are essential tools for research. They help students and the general public find books, magazines, articles and resources, while providing education on writing, plagiarism and properly referencing sources.
Many students are attracting to this field due to their love of reading. While this major will involve literature classes, you will also be learning how to develop and work with data bases, as well as how to organize, store and retrieve information. Some of the classes you will take are library media methods, resources for young adults, storytelling, cataloging and classification, collection development, and literature.
Concentrations in this major include: Library and Information Science; Children and Youth Library Services; Archives Administration; Library and Science Administration; and Library and Archives Assisting.
Studying Library & Information Science covers Library Science And Administration. Continue reading for the important information every library & information science major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering library & information science programs.
Across the country, library & information science is a widely-pursued major, with 6,432 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Library & Information Science Schools ranking analyzes these 73 schools to determine the best overall colleges for library & information science students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of library & information science programs later in this article.
Programs in Library & Information Science develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations library & information science graduates commonly enter.
Successful students in this field tend to be very organized people. Students should be resourceful and creative as they will be employed in a variety of tasks from day to day. Public speaking skills will help you as a professional leading a workshop for different groups such as writing a resume or avoiding plagiarism. These workshops will help you stay proficient with your skills and will allow you to be confident in your teaching.
Loving books and technology is only part of the major. You should also enjoy working with people of all ages. Depending on your specialization, you could be working with students as young as 4, college students or retired adults. This is a career that involves continual learning. Professionals will need to stay current with understanding data bases and technology.
It will also be helpful to work with students either as a coach, tutor, or camp counselor to practice talking to and explaining things to children. To get experience in the field, you should work as a volunteer or a staff member in the library. This will give you a better understanding of the inner workings of a library.
Skills built by a library & information science program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a library & information science major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several library & information science degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 9 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 13 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 110 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 6,291 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 9 |
People currently working in careers related to library & information science tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 35.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 23.2% |
| Doctoral degree | 23.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.1% |
| Post-doctoral training | 2.9% |
| Some college courses | 2.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.5% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.2% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.0% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 2.0% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in library & information science careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
To be certified in library science you must pursue a Master's Degree. Otherwise you will only be qualified to work as a school librarian or a librarian technician. A library technician is essential to help keep the library running smoothly, but do not get paid as much as librarians. Careers as librarians and library technician are growing slowly, and competition may be high. Those willing to move may have better chances of finding work in their field. However, the skills learned in this major can also be used in a variety of other professions, like education.
Studying library & information science prepares you for numerous career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to library & information science.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to library & information science.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Archivists | 1,193,221 | 1.6% |
| Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,167,030 | 8.0% |
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
| Librarians and Media Collections Specialists | 298,768 | 9.4% |
| Loss Prevention Managers | 265,210 | 2.2% |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | 206,415 | 9.9% |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | 128,884 | 5.2% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of library & information science graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $48,588 |
| 4 years | $51,908 |
| 5 years | $57,391 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for library & information science graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers library & information science grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Managers, All Other | $95,684 |
| Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $80,332 |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | $77,828 |
With 73 different library & information science programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased library & information science school rankings to help you.
Those considering library & information science, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Library and Information Science | 6,141 |
| Archives/Archival Administration | 256 |
| Children and Youth Library Services | 34 |
| Library Science and Administration, Other | 1 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Library and Archives Assisting | 465 |
| Library Science, Other | 145 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
