Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,200 a year or less, while the top 10% make $130,710 or more. The middle half of librarians and media collections specialists in San Francisco earn between $78,260 and $122,500.
- $61K10th
- $78K25th
- $101KMedian
- $122K75th
- $131K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $101,170 | $8,431 | $48.64 |
| Median | $101,490 | $8,458 | $48.79 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $78,260 | $6,522 | $37.62 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $122,500 | $10,208 | $58.89 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay in San Francisco vs. California and the U.S.
Librarians and media collections specialists in San Francisco earn 10% more than the California average ($92,300) and 39% more than the U.S. average ($72,840). At the median the gap is +49% against the U.S. median of $68,270.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $101,170 | $101,490 | $61,200 | $130,710 | 1,940 |
| California | $92,300 | $89,790 | $50,750 | $132,870 | 10,180 |
| 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 San Francisco
On the average salary of $101,170, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $74,686 a year, or $6,224 a month and $2,873 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Francisco a good place for librarians and media collections specialists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $101,170 buys what about $87,507 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 11.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 3rd of 23 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($103,650).
- San Jose$103,650
- Merced$102,870
- San Francisco$101,170
- Santa Maria$99,340
- Santa Cruz$96,420
- San Diego$95,150
- Los Angeles$94,680
- Modesto$94,630
- San Luis Obispo$92,500
- Bakersfield$90,440
All Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salaries in California
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 San Francisco: questions
How much do librarians and media collections specialists make an hour in San Francisco?
$48.64 an hour on average, and $48.79 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level librarians and media collections specialists salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,200 a year and the 25th percentile is $78,260, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the librarians and media collections specialists take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $74,686 a year ($6,224 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $101,170. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do librarians and media collections specialists earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 39% 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.6%.
- 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). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.95, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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