Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay range in Milwaukee
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,230 a year or less, while the top 10% make $83,550 or more. The middle half of librarians and media collections specialists in Milwaukee earn between $60,230 and $79,290.
- $48K10th
- $60K25th
- $74KMedian
- $79K75th
- $84K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $71,270 | $5,939 | $34.26 |
| Median | $74,240 | $6,187 | $35.69 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $60,230 | $5,019 | $28.96 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $79,290 | $6,608 | $38.12 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay in Milwaukee vs. Wisconsin and the U.S.
Librarians and media collections specialists in Milwaukee earn 4% more than the Wisconsin average ($68,360) and about the same as the U.S. average ($72,840). At the median the gap is +9% against the U.S. median of $68,270.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | $71,270 | $74,240 | $48,230 | $83,550 | 610 |
| Wisconsin | $68,360 | $66,870 | $46,350 | $85,970 | 2,450 |
| 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 Milwaukee
On the average salary of $71,270, a single filer in Milwaukee takes home about $56,246 a year, or $4,687 a month and $2,163 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Milwaukee a good place for librarians and media collections specialists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Milwaukee area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.9), so the average $71,270 buys what about $73,522 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Milwaukee ($51,160). A typical home costs $390,238, or 5.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary in other Wisconsin cities
Milwaukee ranks 2nd of 13 Wisconsin metro areas for this job; Madison pays the most ($75,570).
- Madison$75,570
- Milwaukee$71,270
- Wausau$70,170
- Kenosha$70,150
- Green Bay$69,380
- Oshkosh$68,900
- Racine$68,570
- Fond du Lac$68,430
- Appleton$67,730
- Janesville$66,090
All Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salaries in Wisconsin
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 Milwaukee: questions
How much do librarians and media collections specialists make an hour in Milwaukee?
$34.26 an hour on average, and $35.69 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level librarians and media collections specialists salary in Milwaukee?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,230 a year and the 25th percentile is $60,230, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the librarians and media collections specialists take-home pay in Milwaukee?
About $56,246 a year ($4,687 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $71,270.
Do librarians and media collections specialists earn more in Milwaukee than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI (33340). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.86, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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