Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay range in Boulder
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $58,800 a year or less, while the top 10% make $124,130 or more. The middle half of librarians and media collections specialists in Boulder earn between $64,410 and $105,310.
- $59K10th
- $64K25th
- $82KMedian
- $105K75th
- $124K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $85,730 | $7,144 | $41.22 |
| Median | $81,550 | $6,796 | $39.21 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $64,410 | $5,368 | $30.97 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $105,310 | $8,776 | $50.63 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay in Boulder vs. Colorado and the U.S.
Librarians and media collections specialists in Boulder earn 14% more than the Colorado average ($75,070) and 18% more than the U.S. average ($72,840). At the median the gap is +19% against the U.S. median of $68,270.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder | $85,730 | $81,550 | $58,800 | $124,130 | 170 |
| Colorado | $75,070 | $76,480 | $51,200 | $101,280 | 1,990 |
| United States | $72,840 | $68,270 | $43,660 | $103,990 | 133,790 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary after taxes in Boulder
On the average salary of $85,730, a single filer in Boulder takes home about $66,077 a year, or $5,506 a month and $2,541 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Boulder a good place for librarians and media collections specialists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Boulder area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.2), so the average $85,730 buys what about $81,491 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Boulder ($69,580). A typical home costs $727,954, or 8.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary in other Colorado cities
Boulder ranks 1st of 7 Colorado metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Boulder$85,730
- Denver$79,770
- Fort Collins$72,070
- Greeley$68,130
- Colorado Springs$67,710
- Pueblo$66,410
- Grand Junction$62,240
All Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salaries in Colorado
Highest-paying cities for librarians and media collections specialists
Seattle, WA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($105,400).
- Seattle, WA$105,400
- San Jose, CA$103,650
- Merced, CA$102,870
- San Francisco, CA$101,170
- Bremerton, WA$100,200
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Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary in Boulder: questions
How much do librarians and media collections specialists make an hour in Boulder?
$41.22 an hour on average, and $39.21 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level librarians and media collections specialists salary in Boulder?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $58,800 a year and the 25th percentile is $64,410, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the librarians and media collections specialists take-home pay in Boulder?
About $66,077 a year ($5,506 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $85,730. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do librarians and media collections specialists earn more in Boulder than elsewhere?
The average here is 18% more than the U.S. average for this job ($72,840).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 25-4022; area Boulder, CO (14500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.0%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.02, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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