Career comparison
Archivist vs. Library Science Professor
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Library science professors earn more at the median ($80,340 vs. $64,550), while archivists usually get to work faster (2 years after a bachelor’s of training). Archivists preserve historical records and help people find them. Library science professors train future librarians and information professionals.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Archivist | Library Science Professor | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $64,550 ($31.03/hr) | $80,340 |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $39,970 – $110,550 | $57,200 – $129,120 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +3.4% (about as fast as average) | +2.7% (about as fast as average) |
| Openings per year | 1,100 | 300 |
| Typical entry education | Master's degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 2 years after a bachelor’s | 6–8 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | Certified Archivist | Ph.D. in library or information science |
| Work setting | Archivists work in archives, libraries, museums, government offices and corporations.. | Faculty work in offices, classrooms and online, often remotely.. |
What each job does
Archivist
- Appraise records
- Arrange and describe collections
- Write finding aids
- Preserve materials
- Digitize collections
Library Science Professor
- Teach library science courses
- Supervise practicums
- Conduct research
- Develop online courses
- Mentor students
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working independently, working with information, and desk work. Both are part of the education & childcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose archivist if…
- I love history
- I’m very organized
- I like quiet work
Choose library science professor if…
- I love libraries and information
- I want to teach online
- I like research
Still torn? Take the Archivist fit quiz and the Library Science Professor fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, archivist or library science professor?
Library Science Professors earn more at the median: $80,340 versus $64,550 for archivists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Archivists typically train faster (2 years after a bachelor’s) than library science professors (6–8 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects archivists to grow +3.4% from 2025–35, compared with +2.7% for library science professors.