Librarian and Media Collections Specialist Salary in Washington, DC
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earn a median $95,480 a year — 40% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $70,853 take-home, or $5,904 a month.
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Pre-filled with the median librarian and media collections specialist salary in Washington, DC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$12,176
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,920
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,384
- District of Columbia income tax$5,147
- Take-home pay$70,853
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 8.50% state
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro spans District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Librarian and Media Collections Specialist pay by experience in Washington, DC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $62,290 | $29.95 | $49,628 | $4,136 |
| 25th percentile | $76,960 | $37.00 | $59,398 | $4,950 |
| Median (50th) | $95,480 | $45.90 | $70,853 | $5,904 |
| 75th percentile | $110,200 | $52.98 | $79,957 | $6,663 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $126,660 | $60.89 | $90,041 | $7,503 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, District of Columbia resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $95,480 buys in Washington, DC
Prices in Washington, DC are 8.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median librarian and media collections specialist's $70,853 take-home pay has the buying power of $65,072 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Washington, DC has 1.4× the national concentration of librarian and media collections specialist jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for librarians and media collections specialists, adjusted for cost of living
Washington, DC ranks #1 of 7 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $95,480 | $70,853 | $65,072 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $97,510 | $71,322 | $62,802 |
| 3 | Philadelphia, PA | $77,330 | $60,858 | $59,342 |
| 4 | Dallas, TX | $74,340 | $61,128 | $59,296 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $79,450 | $60,971 | $56,316 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $81,670 | $62,472 | $55,499 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $66,250 | $52,277 | $50,463 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 7 metros →
About the job: librarians and media collections specialists
Administer and maintain libraries or collections of information, for public or private access through reference or borrowing. Work in a variety of settings, such as educational institutions, museums, and corporations, and with various types of informational materials, such as books, periodicals, recordings, films, and databases. Tasks may include acquiring, cataloging, and circulating library materials, and user services such as locating and organizing information, providing instruction on how to access information, and setting up and operating a library’s media equipment.
- Typical education
- Master's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +2.6% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a librarian and media collections specialist make in Washington, DC?
The median librarian and media collections specialist salary in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area is $95,480 a year, or about $45.90 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $76,960 and $110,200.
What is a librarian and media collections specialist’s take-home pay in Washington, DC?
On the median $95,480 salary, a single filer living in District of Columbia takes home about $70,853 a year ($5,904 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $5,147 in District of Columbia taxes in 2026.
Is Washington, DC a good place to work as a librarian and media collections specialist?
Pay here is 40% above the national median of $68,270. Local prices are 8.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $65,072 would in a typical U.S. city. Washington, DC ranks #1 of 7 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a librarian and media collections specialist afford rent in Washington, DC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Washington, DC is $1,990 a month ($2,223 for two bedrooms) — 34% of a median librarian and media collections specialist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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