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Library & Archives Assisting

Instructional content is defined in code 25.0301.

Types of Degrees Library & Archives Assisting Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Library & Archives Assisting have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	26
Associate’s Degree	161
Master’s Degree	253

What Library & Archives Assisting Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Library & Archives Assisting emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Administrative — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills built by a Library & Archives Assisting program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Service Orientation — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Library & Archives Assisting careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Speech Recognition — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Library & Archives Assisting graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.8 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	3.6 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	3.5 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.5 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.5 / 7
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	3.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.4 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Library & Archives Assisting professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) databases	Library software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Inmagic TextWorks	Data base user interface and query software	—
FileMaker Pro	Data base user interface and query software	—
Ex Libris Group Aleph	Data base user interface and query software	—
Dynix Digital Library	Library software	—
WorldCat	Library software	—
Adobe Dreamweaver	Web page creation and editing software	—
National Library of Medicine DOCLINE	Library software	—
National Library of Medicine Medline	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Library & Archives Assisting graduates include:

• Loan Technician
• Library Technician
• Librarian Helper
• Book Sorter
• School Library Media Specialist
• Library Clerk
• Page Technician
• Bindery Library Technical Assistant
• Media Specialist
• Accessioner
• Media Center Specialist
• Library Media Technician
• Bibliographer
• Library Circulation Assistant
• Library Cataloging Technician

What Can You Do With a Library & Archives Assisting Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Library & Archives Assisting commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Library Technicians	-2.6%	$37,590	$31,054–$44,127

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

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	29.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	27.7%
Postsecondary certificate	17.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	15.0%
Some college courses	8.8%
Master’s degree	1.8%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Library & Archives Assisting?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 83.9% of Library & Archives Assisting degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	390	83.9%
Men	75	16.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	221	47.5%
Asian	42	9.0%
Hispanic or Latino	151	32.5%
Black or African American	14	3.0%
Two or More Races	17	3.7%
Race Unknown	20	4.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Library & Archives Assisting Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Library & Archives Assisting graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$31,514
4 years	$21,685
5 years	$26,675

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $26,675 — roughly -15% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Library & Archives Assisting Programs

Online study are documented by IPEDS for Library & Archives Assisting. 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
Associate’s	6	1

^{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 Library & Archives Assisting Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Library & Archives Assisting graduates earn a median of $21,685 four years after completion — about 43% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{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
Library Science	7,042
Library Science and Administration	6,432
Library Science, Other	145
LIBRARY SCIENCE	—

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.