Career comparison
Librarian 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. $68,270), while librarians usually get to work faster (Bachelor’s plus 1–2 year master’s of training). Librarians help people find information, discover books and build skills. Library science professors train future librarians and information professionals.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Librarian | Library Science Professor | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $68,270 ($32.82/hr) | $80,340 |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $43,660 – $103,990 | $57,200 – $129,120 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +2.6% (about as fast as average) | +2.7% (about as fast as average) |
| Openings per year | 12,600 | 300 |
| Typical entry education | Master's degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | Bachelor’s plus 1–2 year master’s | 6–8 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | MLS or MLIS degree | Ph.D. in library or information science |
| Work setting | Librarians work in public, school, academic and special libraries, mostly indoors at desks and with the public.. | Faculty work in offices, classrooms and online, often remotely.. |
What each job does
Librarian
- Help patrons find information
- Select and manage collections
- Teach research and digital skills
- Plan and run programs
- Manage databases and digital resources
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 and working with information. Both are part of the education & childcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose librarian if…
- I love books and information
- I enjoy helping people learn
- I’m organized
Choose library science professor if…
- I love libraries and information
- I want to teach online
- I like research
Still torn? Take the Librarian fit quiz and the Library Science Professor fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, librarian or library science professor?
Library Science Professors earn more at the median: $80,340 versus $68,270 for librarians, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Librarians typically train faster (Bachelor’s plus 1–2 year master’s) than library science professors (6–8 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects library science professors to grow +2.7% from 2025–35, compared with +2.6% for librarians.