Career comparison
Education Professor 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. $75,350), while library science professors usually get to work faster (6–8 years after a bachelor’s of training). Education professors prepare future teachers and research how people learn. Library science professors train future librarians and information professionals.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Education Professor | Library Science Professor | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $75,350 | $80,340 |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $39,530 – $126,860 | $57,200 – $129,120 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +2.5% (about as fast as average) | +2.7% (about as fast as average) |
| Openings per year | 5,300 | 300 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 8+ years including teaching | 6–8 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | Ed.D. or Ph.D. | Ph.D. in library or information science |
| Work setting | Faculty work in classrooms, K–12 schools and offices.. | Faculty work in offices, classrooms and online, often remotely.. |
What each job does
Education Professor
- Teach teacher preparation courses
- Supervise student teachers
- Conduct education research
- Partner with schools
- Advise students
Library Science Professor
- Teach library science courses
- Supervise practicums
- Conduct research
- Develop online courses
- Mentor students
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with people, working independently, and high-pay. Both are part of the education & childcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose education professor if…
- I’m an experienced teacher
- I want to train teachers
- I like research
Choose library science professor if…
- I love libraries and information
- I want to teach online
- I like research
Still torn? Take the Education Professor fit quiz and the Library Science Professor fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, education professor or library science professor?
Library Science Professors earn more at the median: $80,340 versus $75,350 for education professors, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Library Science Professors typically train faster (6–8 years after a bachelor’s) than education professors (8+ years including teaching).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects library science professors to grow +2.7% from 2025–35, compared with +2.5% for education professors.