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School Library & Media

A program that prepares individuals to serve as librarians and media specialists in elementary and secondary schools as well as special instructional centers.

Types of Degrees School Library & Media Majors Are Earning

Those studying School Library & Media have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Master’s Degree	529

What School Library & Media Majors Need to Know

Studies in School Library & Media emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that School Library & Media graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in School Library & Media emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Administrative — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a School Library & Media program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to School Library & Media careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Information Ordering — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, School Library & Media graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.7 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	3.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.8 / 7
Thinking Creatively	3.8 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.8 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by School Library & Media professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Visio	Process mapping and design software	—
Apple iMovie	Video creation and editing software	—
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
askSam Systems SurfSaver	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Infovision Amlib	Library software	—
CATNYP	Library software	—
WebClarity Software BookWhere	Library software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
WorldCat	Library software	—
Inmagic Genie	Library software	—
Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) databases	Library software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for School Library & Media graduates include:

• Interlibrary Loan Services Librarian
• Special Collections Librarian
• Bibliographer
• Classifier
• Library Associate
• School Librarian
• School Library Media Specialist
• Audio Visual Commissioning Specialist (AV Commissioning Specialist)
• Audio Visual Collections Coordinator (AV Collections Coordinator)
• Elementary School Librarian
• Children’s Librarian
• Acquisitions Librarian
• Library Services Coordinator
• Instructional Technologist
• International Broadcast Music Librarian

What Can You Do With a School Library & Media Degree?

Graduates with a degree in School Library & Media commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists	9.4%	$67,096	$57,552–$76,640

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to School Library & Media graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	64.7%
Some college courses	10.2%
Bachelor’s degree	8.2%
Post-master’s certificate	4.7%
Postsecondary certificate	4.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.6%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.7%
Doctoral degree	1.4%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in School Library & Media?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 92.6% of School Library & Media degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	490	92.6%
Men	39	7.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of School Library & Media graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	409	77.3%
Asian	7	1.3%
Hispanic or Latino	54	10.2%
Black or African American	29	5.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	3	0.6%
Two or More Races	11	2.1%
Race Unknown	16	3.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do School Library & Media Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of School Library & Media graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$49,919
4 years	$50,204
5 years	$56,331

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $56,331 — roughly 13% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online School Library & Media Programs

Fully online options is tracked by IPEDS for School Library & Media. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	12	4

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in School Library & Media Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, School Library & Media graduates earn a median of $50,204 four years after completion — roughly 32% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	39,881
Educational/Instructional Technology	8,879
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching	6,964
Reading Teacher Education	5,986
Music Teacher Education	4,544
English/Language Arts Teacher Education	3,018
Mathematics Teacher Education	2,993
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other	2,352
Social Studies Teacher Education	1,963
Art Teacher Education	1,860
Health Teacher Education	1,472
Agricultural Teacher Education	1,051

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.