Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay range in Portland
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,680 a year or less, while the top 10% make $118,850 or more. The middle half of librarians and media collections specialists in Portland earn between $66,610 and $103,210.
- $52K10th
- $67K25th
- $82KMedian
- $103K75th
- $119K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $85,840 | $7,153 | $41.27 |
| Median | $82,130 | $6,844 | $39.49 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $66,610 | $5,551 | $32.02 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $103,210 | $8,601 | $49.62 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay in Portland vs. Oregon and the U.S.
Librarians and media collections specialists in Portland earn 9% more than the Oregon average ($78,580) and 18% more than the U.S. average ($72,840). At the median the gap is +20% against the U.S. median of $68,270.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | $85,840 | $82,130 | $51,680 | $118,850 | 1,070 |
| Oregon | $78,580 | $78,070 | $43,740 | $116,250 | 1,690 |
| 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 Portland
On the average salary of $85,840, a single filer in Portland takes home about $63,009 a year, or $5,251 a month and $2,423 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WA | $69,218 | $5,768 |
| Working in OR | $63,009 | $5,251 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Is Portland a good place for librarians and media collections specialists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Portland area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.4), so the average $85,840 buys what about $81,426 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Portland ($60,690). A typical home costs $552,022, or 6.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary in other Oregon cities
Portland ranks 1st of 7 Oregon metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
All Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salaries in Oregon
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 Portland: questions
How much do librarians and media collections specialists make an hour in Portland?
$41.27 an hour on average, and $39.49 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level librarians and media collections specialists salary in Portland?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,680 a year and the 25th percentile is $66,610, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the librarians and media collections specialists take-home pay in Portland?
About $63,009 a year ($5,251 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $85,840. Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Do librarians and media collections specialists earn more in Portland 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (38900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
- 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). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax 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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