Library Science Teachers
O*NET title: Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in library science. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Also called: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Classification Instructor, College Faculty Member, College Professor, Film and Media Program Instructor
Median pay
$80,340
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$57,200 – $129,120
People employed
3,630
Holland code
SIC
Social · Investigative · Conventional
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want variety, with new tasks often?
- 2.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 3.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
- 4.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 5.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 6.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Library Science Teachers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (28 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What library science teachers do
- 01Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and present findings in professional journals, books, electronic media, or at professional conferences.
- 02Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- 03Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, giving presentations at conferences, and serving on committees in professional associations.
- 04Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as collection development, archival methods, and indexing and abstracting.
- 05Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- 06Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Learning Strategies
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Computers and Electronics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Communications and Media
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Cooperation
- Social Orientation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years.
- On-the-job training: none or short demonstration.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from library science teachers
- Instructional Coordinators89% · −4%
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education83% · −10%
- Librarians and Media Collections Specialists80% · −15%
- Sociologists80% · +32%
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School78% · −8%
Change into library science teachers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Librarians and Media Collections Specialists83% · $68,270
- Archivists81% · $64,550
- Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary80% · $42,910
- Instructional Coordinators79% · $77,440
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School76% · $74,260
Majors that lead here
- Library and Information Science
- Children and Youth Library Services
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.