Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay range in Seattle
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $80,400 a year or less, while the top 10% make $131,060 or more. The middle half of librarians and media collections specialists in Seattle earn between $94,230 and $127,020.
- $80K10th
- $94K25th
- $102KMedian
- $127K75th
- $131K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $105,400 | $8,783 | $50.67 |
| Median | $101,780 | $8,482 | $48.93 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $94,230 | $7,852 | $45.30 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $127,020 | $10,585 | $61.07 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay in Seattle vs. Washington and the U.S.
Librarians and media collections specialists in Seattle earn 7% more than the Washington average ($98,530) and 45% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $105,400 | $101,780 | $80,400 | $131,060 | 1,590 |
| Washington | $98,530 | $100,030 | $64,440 | $129,690 | 2,750 |
| 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 Seattle
On the average salary of $105,400, a single filer in Seattle takes home about $82,979 a year, or $6,915 a month and $3,191 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
Is Seattle a good place for librarians and media collections specialists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Seattle area are 11% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.1), so the average $105,400 buys what about $94,841 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Seattle ($72,610). A typical home costs $750,279, or 7.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary in other Washington cities
Seattle ranks 1st of 8 Washington metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Seattle$105,400
- Bremerton$100,200
- Kennewick$98,940
- Yakima$93,560
- Olympia$92,620
- Bellingham$90,920
- Mount Vernon$89,500
- Spokane$78,480
All Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salaries in Washington
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 Seattle: questions
How much do librarians and media collections specialists make an hour in Seattle?
$50.67 an hour on average, and $48.93 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level librarians and media collections specialists salary in Seattle?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $80,400 a year and the 25th percentile is $94,230, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the librarians and media collections specialists take-home pay in Seattle?
About $82,979 a year ($6,915 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $105,400. Washington has no state income tax; Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
Do librarians and media collections specialists earn more in Seattle than elsewhere?
The average here is 45% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA (42660). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.8%.
- 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 no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.89, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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