How to Become a Librarian: MLIS Degree & Salary

Updated September 1, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Key takeaway: Librarianship is a master's-entry profession: you need a bachelor's degree in any field, then a master's in library and information studies from an ALA-accredited program (MLIS, MLS, or MSIS). School librarians typically also need state teaching certification or school library media certification. There is no national librarian license analogous to nursing; hiring is the gate, and the gate is the accredited master's. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a national median annual wage of $68,270 for librarians and media collections specialists (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national median).

Librarians organize collections, help people find and evaluate information, teach research skills, and run public, school, campus, or specialized services. Entry is set more by employers and ALA accreditation than by a state practice act. School-library certification is set state by state – confirm yours early. For the wider view of the field, start with the Online MLIS Programs guide.

Step-by-step: how to become a librarian

Step 1: Earn a bachelor’s degree in any field

Start with a four-year bachelor’s degree. You do not need a bachelor’s in library science. English, history, education, communications, a science, or almost any other major is accepted. A library science bachelor’s, where it exists, can support technician work; it does not replace the master’s. If you already hold a bachelor’s, skip this step. Paid or volunteer library work helps the later application. It is not a substitute for the MLIS.

Step 2: Complete an ALA-accredited MLIS

The master’s is the entry-level professional credential. An online MLIS program typically takes about two years of full-time study – shorter year-round, longer part-time – and combines organization, reference and instruction, collections, management, technology, and policy with, in many programs, a practicum.

Public, academic, and many special libraries write an ALA-accredited master’s into librarian job specifications. Verify status in the ALA directory of accredited programs for the delivery mode you will actually attend, and confirm institutional accreditation through the U.S. Department of Education database. Online MLIS coursework is well-established; the practicum, when required, is usually completed at a library or archive near you.

Step 3 (school path only): Earn state educator or library-media certification

If you plan to work in a K-12 school library, the MLIS alone is often not enough. School librarians typically also need state teaching certification or school library media certification. Some states expect a teaching license first; others run a combined library-media route. Confirm the rules with the state department of education where you will work – not where the university is – before you choose a program. See how to become a teacher and the education program guide. Skip this step for public, academic, or special libraries that are not inside a K-12 certification system.

Step 4: Apply for librarian roles (and complete any employer onboarding)

There is no single national licensing exam for librarians. After the MLIS you apply. Public and academic libraries are the largest professional markets; special libraries hire fewer people and often want domain knowledge. Some employers want library experience on top of the degree – a hiring preference, not a substitute. A practicum is often the first line of that experience. Archives roles may use an MLIS archives concentration or a separate archives master’s; Academy of Certified Archivists certification is optional.

Step 5: Keep learning on the job

Continuing education here is professional, not a second license. School librarians also complete whatever their state requires to renew an educator credential. Postsecondary teaching of library science typically requires a doctorate.

What degree do you need to be a librarian?

You need two degrees for the professional path, and the first one can be in anything.

A doctorate exists for faculty and research careers. It is not required to work as a librarian. Library technicians do not need the MLIS; that occupation had a median wage of $44,580 and a projected 6.8 percent decline from 2024 to 2034 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS; BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).

How much do librarians make?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a national median annual wage of $68,270 for librarians and media collections specialists (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national median). Half earn more and half earn less; pay varies by setting, geography, and experience. BLS counted 133,790 jobs and projects 1.7 percent employment growth from 2024 to 2034, with 13,500 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34). Archivists had a median of $64,550; postsecondary library science teachers, a typically doctoral occupation, had a median of $80,340 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS).

How long does it take to become a librarian?

Plan on roughly six years from the start of college: about 4 years for a bachelor’s in any field, about 2 years full-time for the MLIS (shorter year-round, longer part-time), with practicum usually inside the master’s. The school path adds state certification time. Career changers who already have a bachelor’s are looking at the master’s plus a search, not another four years. See Is an MLIS degree worth it?.

Frequently asked questions

What degree do you need to be a librarian?

An ALA-accredited master’s in library and information studies (MLIS, MLS, or MSIS) is the expected credential for professional librarian roles in most public, academic, and many special libraries. You complete a bachelor’s degree first – in any field.

How long does it take to become a librarian?

About six years if you are starting college: roughly four years for a bachelor’s and two years for the MLIS. If you already hold a bachelor’s, plan on the master’s timeline plus a job search. The school path adds state certification time.

How much do librarians make?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a national median annual wage of $68,270 for librarians and media collections specialists (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national median). Half the occupation earns above that figure and half below, and pay varies by setting and location.

Do you need a library science bachelor’s?

No. MLIS programs admit graduates of any major. A bachelor’s in library science, where it exists, leads to technician or assistant work or to MLIS preparation, not to professional librarian jobs in ALA-standard settings.

Do you have to be licensed to work as a librarian?

There is no single national librarian license. Hiring is the gate, and most professional postings expect the ALA-accredited master’s. School librarians typically also need a state teaching or school library media credential. Confirm school rules with your state department of education.

Is the Academy of Certified Archivists required?

No. ACA certification is optional for archivists. Archivists may hold an MLIS with an archives concentration or a separate archives master’s. Treat ACA as an extra some employers value, not as a universal requirement.

Where to go next

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 national medians. School library certification requirements vary by state; confirm current rules with your state department of education before you enroll.

Data verified: September 1, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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