Placements and Salaries 2004: Closing the Gap
By Stephanie Maatta -- Library Journal, 10/15/2005
As the economy across the U.S. strengthened in 2004, so did the outlook for library salaries and job prospects. Graduates from the 2004 class of American Library Association (ALA)-accredited library and information science programs reported salaries that show modest growth. Though long job searches remain the norm, they result for most in a variety of jobs that are increasingly stable, as the cobbled part-time positions of the previous class have given way to more full time spots. The news is best for women and minorities who are closing the longstanding salary gap with their male counterparts.
Salaries increased fastest in the Southeast and Midwest and saw the greatest gains at academic libraries and vendors. Positions in reference/information services and in school media centers continue to dominate the placement trends for new LIS graduates, but positions in children’s and youth services and in “other” types of assignments are on the rise.
Salaries across the board are improving and salary differentials are stabilizing. Some numbers: In 2004, graduates reported an average starting salary of $39,079, an increase of 2.91% over the 2003 average of $37,975. This almost matches the combined growth of salaries in 2002 and 2003 ($1,157 for the two years compared to $1,104 in 2004). This remains below the national inflation rate of 3.5% and doesn’t touch the average annual salary growth of the late 1990s (4.35%), but it is a significant improvement over 2003’s 1.48% increase.
Job trendsAn impressive 1,951 graduates responded to the 2004 LJ Placements and Salary Survey, a solid response of 40 percent of the total graduates, the most in 10 years. Of these graduates 1,779 reported employment status of some type (92.8%), both within the profession and outside of it. Approximately 78.5% of those employed (1,397) are in full-time positions. On another positive note, 14.1% of the 2004 graduates have part time jobs(a slight increase from 2003’s 13.35%), but less than 1% of the graduates hold two or more part time jobs in order to earn a full-time salary(down from 2% last year).
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Getting a full-time job in the Southeast and Southwest looks easier this year. While the inclusion of graduates in the Washington, DC, area in the total responses helped improve numbers in the Southeast, reported full-time placements increased 37% from 2003 (201 in 2003 up to 275 in 2004). More significant growth showed up in the Southwest, with reported full-time placements almost doubling between 2003 (73) and 2004 (141). Mirroring patterns of the general U.S. population, an increasing number of graduates moved into the Southeast and Southwest, especially from the Northeast and Midwest.
Minority placementThe pool of LIS graduates is slowly getting more diverse, with 16% of the 2004 LIS graduates claiming minority status, up from approximately 11.5% in 2000 and 15% in 2003. Approximately 89% of graduates claiming minority status reported full-time positions in libraries and other types of agencies, a significant improvement over the 75% of last year.
Starting salaries for new minority graduates recovered in 2004. Minority graduates reported an average starting salary of $39,795, a healthy 8% ($3,129) rise from 2003. And, minority graduates earned 2% more when compared to the average starting salary of all graduates ($39,079). Surprisingly minority graduates fared very well in the Southeast, which historically has had the lowest salary ranges overall, with 23% reporting placement and an average starting salary of $39,567 (7.64% higher than overall reported salaries in the Southeast). The minority graduates in the Southeast reported jobs split evenly among academic and public libraries and school media centers with approximately 20% in each type of library. While 17% of the minority graduates found full-time jobs in the Southwest, this is the one region where salaries fell off sharply from the average. Minority salaries in the Southwest were 11% below the overall average, $33,161 compared to $36,759.
Improved salaries and placements for minority graduates may be a reflection of the profession’s increased awareness of the need for greater diversity in the library workforce. One method of attracting strong recruits is to improve salaries and opportunities, and this appears to be happening.
Between the sexesIn 2004, women comprised 81% of the LIS graduates reporting placement, with starting salaries approximately 4.04% lower than men. However, the gender gap has narrowed. Women reported average starting salaries of $38,704, while men reported average starting salaries of $40,332. The difference ($1,628) is an improvement over 2003, when the salary gap was $3,071 or 7.59%. Additionally, women have experienced salary growth of 3.51% compared to 2003, while starting salaries for men have remained almost flat, decreasing less than 0.5% from $40,462 in 2003.
Women are now earning higher starting salaries in public libraries ($35,505) and with library vendors ($44,875) compared to starting salaries of men ($34,825 and $38,625, respectively). Additionally, salaries for men have fallen below 2003 levels in public libraries, school media centers, special libraries, and library vendors. Much like those for minority recruitment, strong advocacy programs at annual and national conferences and through professional organizations build awareness of the salary differentials, and the career planning workshops offered by many of the LIS programs may be helping graduates negotiate higher salaries.
Women reported the majority of the positions in public libraries (83.7%), school media centers (93%), and special libraries (89.4%). However men reported 64% more full-time postings in public libraries than 2003, indicating a significant increase in the number of men entering public service-related positions. In 2004, 21.8% more women reported full-time placements in academic libraries than the previous year, but their numbers continue to be disproportionately low compared to men and their salaries are lagging (6.41% lower).
The lure of the “other”Jobs in the “other” category fill a broad array of areas from private industry and corporate entities to nonprofit agencies and scientific research. Employment opportunities for LIS graduates encompass jobs in nontraditional settings, such as banks and financial institutions, as well as those directly related to traditional library services in government agencies and academic departments. Placements in these types of agencies and positions increased significantly, from 2.61% of the total placements in 2003 to 9.08% of the placements in 2004.
The survey suggests that graduates continue to receive significantly higher compensation in these positions with an annual average of $47,626 in 2004 (17.94% higher than the overall average). Women, in particular, are benefiting from these nontraditional settings, with annual salaries approximately 16.14% higher than the overall averages ($46,605 compared to $39,079). Salary gaps between men and women in “other” types of agencies have decreased significantly between 2002 (28% difference) and 2004 (6.1% difference).
Career changersThere has long been a sense that many of the graduates of LIS programs were pursuing the degree to change careers. To get a picture of how large this group is, for the first time the 2004 placements and salary survey asked graduates to discuss their backgrounds. A total of 1,611 graduates responded to questions about career aspirations. Some 53% of them were seeking a second or third career. First careers in education topped the list at 33%. Graduates had taught a wide range of subjects for students in K-12 schools, including art, biology, music, physical education, and the social science. Approximately 3% of the graduates were from backgrounds loosely affiliated with library and information services, involved in bookselling, editing, and publishing. The LIS profession draws from many interesting disciplines, including the clergy (especially youth ministry), social work and the allied health fields, air traffic control, agriculture, and environmental policy. These backgrounds bring diversity to the profession and create connections to many other types of agencies.
Innovative primary jobs2004 graduates reported jobs in a wide array of primary assignments. Traditional positions continue to be popular, including those in reference/information services and school media centers. However, these two types of assignments have decreased again, dropping from 26.50% and 21.47% respectively in 2003 to 22.92% and 19.52% in 2004. Children’s and youth services experienced healthy growth in 2004, with 42.6% more graduates reporting these positions. Combined, children’s and youth services comprise 10.65% of the overall placements of LIS graduates. Salaries for children’s and youth services have also gained modestly, with an increase of 3.3% from 2003.
In their responses, many graduates indicate that they hold dual or multiple primary assignments. Several reference librarians reported combined responsibilities in both “subject specializations” and “rights and reproductions” or “reference” and “instruction/instructional design.” Children’s and youth services librarians also report dual roles as community outreach coordinators. And many graduates agree with the one who wrote: “I do it all— everything from adult and reference services to coordinating special events at the library.” Trends in specialization are changing for new graduates as they are expected to take on responsibility in multiple areas of the library operation.
“Other” job assignments indicate dynamic and diverse responsibilities. While the overall total is small, several graduates indicated placement with non-profit agencies other than libraries. They provide assistance with community information technology, archival services, and computer training. Several LIS graduates responded that they are involved in funding and research foundations, including those that focus on public humanities programs. Graduates described challenging positions in information consulting, geospatial information and mapping (GIS), and software development. How do they find these positions? Overwhelmingly they noted, “past experience,” “networking and communicating with professionals outside of the field,” and “customer service and people skills.”
Graduates on the moveThere has been a discernable shift in where LIS graduates are finding jobs. Approximately 18% have moved from their home regions to other areas of the United States, Canada, and international locales. In 2002 and 2003, the majority of graduates reported placements in the Northeast and in the Midwest. In 2004, placements in the Southeast and Southwest have increased considerably. 2003 placements in the Northeast comprised 34% of the jobs reported; 28% of the graduates reported placements in areas of the Northeast in academic year 2004. And, placements in the Midwest for 2003 and 2004 follow a similar pattern, with 35% of the reported placements in 2003 falling to 31% in 2004.
In the Southwest, jobs in public libraries, academic libraries, and school media centers saw the most impressive growth. Public library jobs in the Southwest were up 57% from the previous year, but salaries did not follow suit, increasing by only 1.7% (up from $32,916 to $33,543 in 2004). More impressive, academic library positions saw an increase of 62% in reported positions and 7.28% higher salaries ($32,720 to $35,291). Jobs as school media specialists grew by 41% in 2004, and salaries for these positions also had modest growth (5%) from $36,196 in 2003 to $38,378 in 2004. This follows a similar pattern that was reported nationwide, with public library positions increasing by 22%, academic librarians increasing by 15.8%, and school media specialists increasing by 15.4%.
Public library positions in the Southeast reflected a similar pattern of growth. Graduates reported approximately 22% more jobs in public libraries than the prior year. Salaries, while certainly not keeping pace with growth in positions, also measured approximately 3.78% higher than 2003, a slightly faster growth than salaries overall (2.91%). School media specialists in the Southeast reported 40% more placements in 2004 and average annual salaries of $37,209, which was 6.14% higher than 2003 ($34,291). Academic positions, on the other hand, saw a significant drop in reported placements (approximately 31.8% decrease) even though average salaries increased approximately 6% from $34,729 to $36,951.
Finding the right jobFor graduates who did not return to an employer or who did not find employment prior to graduation the job search was arduous. As in 2003, graduates reported an average of almost 4.5 months to find the right job. The length of time to gain employment ranged from less than a week to more than 15 months. However, several of the LIS programs pointed out that the graduates who experienced the longest job searches tended to be the ones who were actively seeking jobs outside of their home regions.
LIS schools reported that they did not encounter any serious difficulties in placing their 2004 graduates. Of the 46 schools that participated in this year’s survey, 35% indicated that the number of jobs available for graduates seemed to increase over last year’s availability, ranging from 5% more to 40% more than 2003. The areas where there appeared to be fewer jobs were academic libraries and library cooperatives/networks.
Graduates had mixed emotions about the job search. For some the search took “long, grueling months to find the right job in the right area,” while others reported “two or three job offers within a week or two of graduation.” Others told about the decision to accept one of multiple job offers. One stated, “My heart was with the public library position, but I couldn’t make it on the salary they could offer. I had to take an academic job in order to make ends meet. School loans and life made the decision.”
Graduates discussed the resources they consulted to find jobs. The large majority used multiple resources for job announcements, including career placement services offered by the graduate institutions, professional and student listserv announcements, and state/regional library association resources. Professional listserv announcements were by far the most popular choice, while career placement services at state and national professional conferences were the least highly used resources. This corresponds to what the graduate programs are reporting also, with approximately 24% reporting career counseling services compared to at least 75% providing announcements on student listserv. Some other resources included specific websites of libraries and corporations, using head hunters, and participating in an internship or fieldwork activity prior to graduation. Academic librarians frequently consulted The Chronicle of Higher Education while the school media specialist went directly to the boards of education job lines and websites for the school districts.
Networking with professionals continues to be an effective method for locating jobs. Graduates also frequently mentioned that “my people skills” or “my customer service training helped me get the job.” Experience counted for a lot, with numerous graduates saying that their years of experience were their greatest asset. Graduates advise “perseverance,” “flexibility,” “a willingness to move,” and “old fashioned job hunting” will help get the job.
Further education continues to be an option for a small number of graduates. Perhaps due to a lengthy job search or accepting a non-professional position, approximately 2.9% of LIS graduates continued their education, with only 39% of them seeking advanced graduate studies in library and information science. They suggest that a second master’s degree in another discipline is making a difference in who gets the jobs, stating that “the combination of my MLIS and second master’s degree will get me the position I want.”
The final outcomeFor 2004 LIS graduates, the job search was lengthy but productive. They experienced modest salary increases compared to their peers from previous years, and they found interesting jobs in dynamic environments, as the Master’s degree in library and information science is being sought by employers outside of the traditional library environment. The patterns are shifting for job availability with increasing options in the Southeast and Southwest, though job placement continues to be strong in the Northeast and Midwest. This is a positive outlook for the profession and for graduates.
| Author Information |
| Stephanie Maatta, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor, University of South Florida School of Library and Information Science, Tampa |
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