Library and Information Science: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Library and Information Science is a dynamic field dedicated to the systematic management, organization, and delivery of information across diverse formats and environments. It equips professionals with the expertise to design, maintain, and optimize information systems that support research, learning, and informed decision-making in academic, cultural, and public institutions.
- Information Organization: Develops methods for classifying and structuring data using standardized systems like Dewey Decimal Classification and Library of Congress Classification to ensure efficient access and retrieval.
- Information Technology Integration: Focuses on the application of digital tools and platforms to manage electronic resources, databases, and online catalogs in modern library and information environments.
- Research and Information Literacy: Emphasizes the development of strategies to guide users in evaluating, locating, and effectively using credible information sources across disciplines.
- Collection Development and Management: Involves strategic planning for acquiring, preserving, and maintaining physical and digital collections that meet the needs of diverse user communities.
- User Services and Engagement: Addresses the design of inclusive, accessible, and user-centered services that support education, lifelong learning, and equitable access to knowledge.
- Information Ethics and Policy: Explores legal, social, and ethical dimensions of information use, including privacy rights, copyright, data governance, and intellectual freedom.
Library and Information Science Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Library and Information Science Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Library and Information Science degrees, including Managers, All Other, Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary and Librarians and Media Collections Specialists. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 766,910 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, All Other 11-9199 | $136,550 | $68,860 - $227,590 | 630,980 | $65.65 |
| Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1082 | $78,630 | $53,590 - $126,200 | 4,100 | N/A |
| Librarians and Media Collections Specialists 25-4022 | $64,320 | $38,920 - $100,880 | 131,830 | $30.92 |
Library and Information Science Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $64,820 in Utah to $132,825 in District of Columbia—a 105% difference. The highest-paying states include District of Columbia, California, and Delaware. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 766,910 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Library and Information Science by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 70 institutions offering Library and Information Science programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Library and Information Science is found at San Jose State University (SJSU) (764 graduates), Texas Woman's University (TWU) (312 graduates), University of North Texas (UNT) (267 graduates), University of Southern Mississippi (USM) (205 graduates), and Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (LSU) (180 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 6,141 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose State University (SJSU) |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
764 | San Jose, California | Public | sjsu.edu |
| Texas Woman's University (TWU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
312 | Denton, Texas | Public | twu.edu |
| University of North Texas (UNT) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
267 | Denton, Texas | Public | unt.edu |
| University of Southern Mississippi (USM) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
205 | Hattiesburg, Mississippi | Public | usm.edu |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (LSU) |
Master's
|
180 | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Public | lsu.edu |
| University of South Carolina (USC) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Post-Master's
|
174 | Columbia, South Carolina | Public | sc.edu |
| Emporia State University (ESU) |
Master's
|
162 | Emporia, Kansas | Public | emporia.edu |
| Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest) |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
161 | California, Pennsylvania | Public | pennwest.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Post-Master's
Other Award
|
158 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Public | uwm.edu |
| Kent State University |
Master's
|
147 | Kent, Ohio | Public | kent.edu |
| Rutgers University |
Master's
|
144 | New Brunswick, New Jersey | Public | newbrunswick.rutgers.edu |
| Indiana University (IU Indianapolis) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
142 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Public | indianapolis.iu.edu |
| Simmons University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
141 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | simmons.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) |
Master's
|
138 | Greensboro, North Carolina | Public | uncg.edu |
| University at Buffalo (UB) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
135 | Buffalo, New York | Public | buffalo.edu |
| University of Washington (UW) |
Master's
|
126 | Seattle, Washington | Public | washington.edu |
| The University of Alabama (UA) |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
123 | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Public | ua.edu |
| Wayne State University (WSU) |
Master's
|
122 | Detroit, Michigan | Public | wayne.edu |
| Dominican University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
116 | River Forest, Illinois | Private | dom.edu |
| The University of Tennessee |
Master's
|
115 | Knoxville, Tennessee | Public | utk.edu |
| University of South Florida (USF) |
Master's
|
112 | Tampa, Florida | Public | usf.edu |
| Syracuse University |
Master's
|
107 | Syracuse, New York | Private | syracuse.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMCP) |
Master's
|
106 | College Park, Maryland | Public | umd.edu |
| Valdosta State University (VSU) |
Master's
|
102 | Valdosta, Georgia | Public | valdosta.edu |
| University of Kentucky (UK) |
Master's
|
98 | Lexington, Kentucky | Public | uky.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Master's
|
97 | Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
96 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| University of Oklahoma (OU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
91 | Norman, Oklahoma | Public | ou.edu |
| University of Denver (DU) |
Master's
|
90 | Denver, Colorado | Private | du.edu |
| University of Missouri (Mizzou) |
Master's
|
83 | Columbia, Missouri | Public | missouri.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Master's
|
77 | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Public | unc.edu |
| CUNY Queens College |
Master's
|
74 | Queens, New York | Public | qc.cuny.edu |
| North Carolina Central University (NCCU) |
Master's
|
69 | Durham, North Carolina | Public | nccu.edu |
| University of Pittsburgh |
Master's
|
68 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Public | pitt.edu |
| Old Dominion University (ODU) |
Master's
|
68 | Norfolk, Virginia | Public | odu.edu |
| Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
57 | New Haven, Connecticut | Public | southernct.edu |
| Indiana University (IUB) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
56 | Bloomington, Indiana | Public | indiana.edu |
| St. John's University (SJU) |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
55 | Queens, New York | Private | stjohns.edu |
| University of Rhode Island (URI) |
Master's
|
55 | Kingston, Rhode Island | Public | web.uri.edu |
| East Carolina University (ECU) |
Master's
|
54 | Greenville, North Carolina | Public | ecu.edu |
| Drexel University |
Master's
|
52 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | drexel.edu |
| Long Island University (LIU) |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
50 | Brookville, New York | Private | liu.edu |
| University of Iowa |
Master's
|
48 | Iowa City, Iowa | Public | uiowa.edu |
| Sam Houston State University (SHSU) |
Master's
|
45 | Huntsville, Texas | Public | shsu.edu |
| Appalachian State University (App State) |
Master's
|
38 | Boone, North Carolina | Public | appstate.edu |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus |
Master's
|
37 | Denver, Colorado | Public | ucdenver.edu |
| Texas A & M University |
Master's
|
37 | Commerce, Texas | Public | tamuc.edu |
| Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) |
Master's
|
32 | Murfreesboro, Tennessee | Public | mtsu.edu |
| Western Kentucky University (WKU) |
Master's
|
30 | Bowling Green, Kentucky | Public | wku.edu |
| University of Maine (UMA) |
Bachelor's
|
30 | Augusta, Maine | Public | uma.edu |
| Northeastern State University (NSU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
30 | Tahlequah, Oklahoma | Public | nsuok.edu |
| St Catherine University (St. Kate’s) |
Master's
|
29 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Private | stkate.edu |
| University of Central Missouri (UCM) |
Master's
|
27 | Warrensburg, Missouri | Public | ucmo.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Master's
|
25 | Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| The Catholic University of America |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Master's
|
24 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | catholic.edu |
| University of Northern Iowa (UNI) |
Master's
|
24 | Cedar Falls, Iowa | Public | uni.edu |
| Chicago State University (CSU) |
Master's
|
21 | Chicago, Illinois | Public | csu.edu |
| University of Houston (UHCL) |
Master's
|
18 | Houston, Texas | Public | uhcl.edu |
| University of Hawaii (UHM) |
Master's
|
17 | Honolulu, Hawaii | Public | manoa.hawaii.edu |
| University of Nebraska (UNO) |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Omaha, Nebraska | Public | unomaha.edu |
| Trevecca Nazarene University (TNU) |
Master's
|
16 | Nashville, Tennessee | Private | trevecca.edu |
| Ashford University (UAGC) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | San Diego, California | Private | uagc.edu |
| Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (KU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
9 | Kutztown, Pennsylvania | Public | kutztown.edu |
| Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) |
Associate's
|
8 | Eau Claire, Wisconsin | Public | cvtc.edu |
| Illinois State University (ISU) |
Postbac Cert.
|
7 | Normal, Illinois | Public | illinoisstate.edu |
| Pueblo Community College (PCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
6 | Pueblo, Colorado | Public | pueblocc.edu |
| College of Southern Idaho (CSI) |
Associate's
|
3 | Twin Falls, Idaho | Public | csi.edu |
| Fresno Pacific University (FPU) |
Master's
|
1 | Fresno, California | Private | fresno.edu |
| Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) |
Associate's
|
1 | Perkinston, Mississippi | Public | mgccc.edu |
| University of Memphis (UofM) |
Postbac Cert.
|
1 | Memphis, Tennessee | Public | memphis.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Library and Information Science programs
How much can I earn with a Library and Information Science degree?
Salaries for Library and Information Science graduates vary by role and location. Managers, All Other earn a median of $136,550 annually, while Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary earn around $78,630. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in District of Columbia average $132,825 compared to $64,820 in Utah. Approximately 766,910 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Library and Information Science programs?
Currently 70 accredited institutions offer Library and Information Science degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include San Jose State University (SJSU) (764 graduates), Texas Woman's University (TWU) (312 graduates), and University of North Texas (UNT) (267 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Library and Information Science growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 7,561 in 2010 to 6,141 in 2023-24. This represents a 19% decrease overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Library and Information Science degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Managers, All Other, Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary, and Librarians and Media Collections Specialists. Related occupations employ approximately 766,910 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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