Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay range in Madison
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,840 a year or less, while the top 10% make $97,180 or more. The middle half of librarians and media collections specialists in Madison earn between $63,470 and $82,450.
- $48K10th
- $63K25th
- $78KMedian
- $82K75th
- $97K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $75,570 | $6,298 | $36.33 |
| Median | $78,050 | $6,504 | $37.52 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $63,470 | $5,289 | $30.51 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $82,450 | $6,871 | $39.64 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay in Madison vs. Wisconsin and the U.S.
Librarians and media collections specialists in Madison earn 11% more than the Wisconsin average ($68,360) and 4% more than the U.S. average ($72,840). At the median the gap is +14% against the U.S. median of $68,270.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | $75,570 | $78,050 | $47,840 | $97,180 | 440 |
| Wisconsin | $68,360 | $66,870 | $46,350 | $85,970 | 2,450 |
| 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 Madison
On the average salary of $75,570, a single filer in Madison takes home about $59,016 a year, or $4,918 a month and $2,270 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Madison a good place for librarians and media collections specialists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Madison area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.3), so the average $75,570 buys what about $77,677 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Madison ($58,080). A typical home costs $452,769, or 6.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salary in other Wisconsin cities
Madison ranks 1st of 13 Wisconsin metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Madison$75,570
- Milwaukee$71,270
- Wausau$70,170
- Kenosha$70,150
- Green Bay$69,380
- Oshkosh$68,900
- Racine$68,570
- Fond du Lac$68,430
- Appleton$67,730
- Janesville$66,090
All Librarians and Media Collections Specialists salaries in Wisconsin
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 Madison: questions
How much do librarians and media collections specialists make an hour in Madison?
$36.33 an hour on average, and $37.53 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level librarians and media collections specialists salary in Madison?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $47,840 a year and the 25th percentile is $63,470, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the librarians and media collections specialists take-home pay in Madison?
About $59,016 a year ($4,918 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $75,570.
Do librarians and media collections specialists earn more in Madison than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% 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 Madison, WI (31540). 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.25, this job is 1.2 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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