Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,870 a year or less, while the top 10% make $113,150 or more. The middle half of librarians and media collections specialists in Chicago earn between $59,420 and $92,560.
- $47K10th
- $59K25th
- $66KMedian
- $93K75th
- $113K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $75,090 | $6,258 | $36.10 |
| Median | $66,250 | $5,521 | $31.85 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $59,420 | $4,952 | $28.57 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $92,560 | $7,713 | $44.50 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay in Chicago vs. Illinois and the U.S.
Librarians and media collections specialists in Chicago earn 8% more than the Illinois average ($69,420) and 3% more than the U.S. average ($72,840). At the median the gap is -3% against the U.S. median of $68,270.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $75,090 | $66,250 | $46,870 | $113,150 | 3,740 |
| Illinois | $69,420 | $62,700 | $38,650 | $103,540 | 5,390 |
| 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 Chicago
On the average salary of $75,090, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $58,080 a year, or $4,840 a month and $2,234 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $59,433 | $4,953 |
| Working in IL | $58,080 | $4,840 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for librarians and media collections specialists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $75,090 buys what about $72,484 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 4.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 1st of 8 Illinois metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Chicago$75,090
- Champaign$69,810
- Bloomington$66,190
- Rockford$64,350
- Decatur$62,950
- Springfield$62,760
- Kankakee$56,210
- Peoria$51,400
All Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salaries in Illinois
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 Chicago: questions
How much do librarians and media collections specialists make an hour in Chicago?
$36.10 an hour on average, and $31.85 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level librarians and media collections specialists salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,870 a year and the 25th percentile is $59,420, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the librarians and media collections specialists take-home pay in Chicago?
About $58,080 a year ($4,840 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $75,090.
Do librarians and media collections specialists earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 3% 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
- 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 (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.96, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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