Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay in Illinois
$69,420avg. a year
$33.38 an hour · 5,390 employed
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists in Illinois earn an average of $69,420 a year. That is $3,420 (5%) less than the U.S. average of $72,840. The best-paying metro area is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN at $75,090.
$62,700Median pay
$33.38Average hourly
+14%Avg. pay since 2020
#20Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Illinois metro areas
Average pay for librarians and media collections specialists by metro area. Swipe to see all 11.
13,740 jobs
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$75,090
$36.10 an hour
2160 jobs
Champaign-Urbana, IL
$69,810
$33.56 an hour
3130 jobs
Bloomington, IL
$66,190
$31.82 an hour
41,220 jobs
St. Louis, MO-IL
$66,110
$31.78 an hour
5100 jobs
Rockford, IL
$64,350
$30.94 an hour
640 jobs
Decatur, IL
$62,950
$30.27 an hour
790 jobs
Springfield, IL
$62,760
$30.18 an hour
8200 jobs
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL
$62,230
$29.92 an hour
950 jobs
Paducah, KY-IL
$60,690
$29.18 an hour
1050 jobs
Kankakee, IL
$56,210
$27.03 an hour
11150 jobs
Peoria, IL
$51,400
$24.71 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists pay in Illinois, charted
Pay over time
Illinois, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Illinois librarians and media collections specialists work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Illinois highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $62k$62k–$66k$66k–$77k$77k+Illinois
Illinois vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $72,840 | $35.02 |
| Illinois | $69,420 | $33.38 |
| Wisconsin | $68,360 | $32.87 |
| Kentucky | $65,970 | $31.72 |
| Missouri | $59,470 | $28.59 |
| Iowa | $58,520 | $28.14 |
| Indiana | $55,660 | $26.76 |
Related jobs in Illinois
- Library Technicians$48,950
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$38,950
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$74,630
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$89,320
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$75,870
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$43,430
Average pay, Illinois, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do librarians and media collections specialists make in Illinois?
The average is $69,420 a year, and the median is $62,700. That is $3,420 (5%) less than the U.S. average of $72,840.
What is the hourly wage in Illinois?
$33.38 an hour on average; the median is $30.14.
Where in Illinois do they earn the most?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN ($75,090), followed by Champaign-Urbana, IL ($69,810). The lowest average among 11 metro areas with data is Peoria, IL ($51,400).
How does Illinois rank?
Illinois ranks #20 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 25-4022. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national librarians and media collections specialists page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.