Placements and Salaries 2005: Starting Pay Breaks $40K

Bring on the party hats and noisemakers; library and information science (LIS) graduates have a milestone to celebrate. While it took almost ten years since the last significant salary breakthrough in 1997, starting salaries for American Library Association (ALA)–accredited master’s degree graduates breached the $40,000 barrier. In 2005, the average annual starting salary for new LIS grads was $40,118. Additionally, it was a stellar year for minority graduates, with average starting salaries increasing a full 6%, to $42,333.

Other surprises were in store for this edition of LJ’s annual Placements & Salaries survey, with unexpected growth and more salary balance among specific regions of the United States. For a second year in a row, average starting salaries in the South have risen, increasing 8%, to $39,412, and starting salaries earned in the Western region continued upward, increasing 11%, from $44,216 in 2004 to $48,990 in 2005. Average starting salaries in the Northeast and the Southeast (historically among the highest and lowest, respectively) were nearly equal, at $39,419 (Northeast) and $39,412 (Southeast). Also, LIS graduates reporting from Canada and internationally had average starting salaries of $40,719 (converted to USD), a slim 2% higher than all graduates.

Job assignment had significant impact on salaries in 2005. Positions in database management, for solo librarians, and in usability testing helped drive the rise in overall average earnings. These increases leveled some of the downward turns of other positions, including those in technical services and government documents.

Across the United States and Canada, the overall average starting salary for new graduates increased modestly by approximately 2.58%, to $40,118, from 2004’s $39,079, though still considerably lower than the national inflation rate of 3.4%. The most frequently reported salary for 2005 graduates was $40,000 annually. Once again, men fared better in the salary race than women, with average starting salary increases of 4.2% (from $40,332 in 2004 to $42,143 in 2005).

Yet employment decisions are not consistently driven by the need for income. Though they represent only a small portion of the pool, approximately 2.5% (40 graduates) of the 2005 class chose to delay the job search or enter the work force on a part-time basis.

Notable trends

On a positive note, of the 1,572 graduates reporting employment, 37% either returned to their current employer after graduation or remained in their positions while completing the master’s degree. It seems the job search was easier for some graduates; approximately 25.22% of the graduates reporting employment found a position prior to graduation. This is a small increase from 2004 (23%), though it remains lower than 2003 (30%). In some cases respondents were hired several months before being granted the master’s degree, with continued employment contingent upon graduation.

The unemployment status of LIS graduates prompted an enlightening discussion from survey participants. While the initial reaction to unemployment was negative, a small number of graduates indicated that, much like part-time status, not being employed can be a personal choice. In 2005, approximately 1.73%, or about 30, of the LIS graduates stated that they opted to remain out of the professional work force and enter another advanced degree program, both in LIS and in other fields. Though the proportion is small, some graduates decided to “remain home with young families,” or chose to “move abroad with spouses on foreign assignments” rather than seek work upon graduation. Other job seekers acknowledged the desire to find the right position rather than accept the first available job.

While the percentage of most job assignments remained stable between 2004 and 2005, children’s services experienced a rise in reported placements, from 4.75% in 2004 to 6.46% in 2005. Combined with youth services in 2005, services to children and teens comprised 11.4% of the primary jobs reported, up slightly from 2004. Along with the increased number of placements, salaries for children’s librarians rose by approximately 2%, from $35,739 (2004) to $36,363 in 2005. Mirroring a similar pattern, school library media specialists, while dropping slightly in reported placements, earned an approximate 4% higher starting salary than their counterparts in 2004. Figures from Table 6 indicate that in 2005 school library media specialists reported an average starting salary of $42,731, compared to $41,114 in 2004.

Two information science spots experienced significant salary growth in 2005: database management (15%, from $37,218 in 2004 to $42,833 in 2005) and usability testing (12%, from $57,778 in 2004 to $65,611 in 2005). However, neither showed a significant increase in placements. A third primary occupation, that of solo librarian, also displayed impressive salary growth during this same period, increasing 9.81% between 2004 and 2005 ($37,353 to $41,416), while reported placements decreased from 3.97% to 2.62% overall.

When looking to the nature of some of these positions—information technology/information science—it appears that technology-based employment continues to command higher annual pay. Automation/systems ($44,972), electronic/digital services ($41,344), and knowledge management ($51,451) all follow this trend of compensating for technological skills; adult services ($36,047), reference/information services ($38,522), and cataloging/classification ($37,130), all more traditional library activities, fall below the starting average salary for 2005 LIS graduates.

One particular area for concern is technical services and serials. In 2005, graduates in these roles reported a significant decrease in initial salary. The reported average salary dropped approximately $5,771 (16%) to $29,869. The immediate assumption is that the placements were classified as “nonprofessional” or library technical assistant positions, thus compressing the salaries; however, that was not the case. There also doesn’t appear to be a regional correlation. This suggests that perhaps technical service positions are being described in other ways by survey participants, perhaps as part of another job.

A banner year for minorities

Graduates who claimed minority status in 2005 report employment in academic libraries (31.79%) and public libraries (27.81%) most frequently, continuing the trend of previous years. The word must be getting out that there is great value in hiring individuals with an ALA-accredited master’s degree. Minority students are taking full advantage of the opportunities, evidenced in the significant increase in the number of minority graduates reporting job placement in “other” agencies. In 2005, 11.25% of minority graduates were hired by other agencies, including private industry, compared to 8.24% of the minority graduates in 2004.

Like for all graduates, location plays a role in the earnings of minority graduates. They received the highest salaries in the Western region, an average starting pay of $46,612, yet the reported average salary decreased by 6% from 2004 levels. The salary surprise comes from the Southwest, where minority graduates reported a hefty 16% increase in starting wages for 2005, at $38,482; however, average earnings in the Southwest continue to be among the lowest reported.

Women still struggling

Women still eclipse the LIS professions, comprising 85% of the graduate pool reporting employment status. In 2005, the gender gap persisted and even widened. Average starting salaries for women have yet to reach $40,000. They reported an average of $39,587 for 2005 (2.28% increase—less than $1000—from 2004), and this increase was significantly less than that experienced by their male counterparts. Men garnered an average starting salary of $42,143 (a 4.49% increase from 2004), which is 6.46% higher than women’s starting salaries.

There are areas, however, primarily the Northeast, where women outpaced men with relation to specific types of jobs. In school libraries in the Northeast, for example, women earned on average 4.4% higher starting salaries ($41,775 compared to $39,936 for men). Similarly with vendors located in the Northeast, women reported 7.02% higher salaries ($41,680) than men ($38,750). Surprisingly, women are reporting higher salaries than men when pursuing careers in “other” organizations in the Northeast, with average starting salaries of $44,284 and $40,543, respectively (an 8.44% difference).

Vendor organizations are one type of setting where women are making strides. Women are accepting more positions with library vendors, increasing by 11% from 2004. Women’s salaries, though dropping slightly from 2004 (down 1.86% to $44,057 from $44,875), outpaced men’s salaries by 16% (averaging $44,057 to $36,875). The most impressive growth in women’s salaries at vendor spots was in the West, where average annual salaries increased by 15% over 2004, to $55,000, though the Northeast and Southeast demonstrated growth as well.

Men experienced the best 2005 salary growth in special libraries (up 11.8%), government libraries (up 5.9%), and other organizations (up 4.3%). Yet the most impressive increases were for men starting in school library media centers in the Midwest, averaging $52,400 (23% higher than 2004), while the average for all men remained steady at $44,410 (rising only $117 from 2004 averages). By comparison, men in the Northeast hired in school library media centers lost ground, with an average annual salary at initial placement of $39,936 in 2005 from $46,431 in 2004 (down 14%).

Movin’ on

LIS graduates are still relocating in order to find jobs in their fields of expertise. However, in 2005 the movement across regions of the United States and Canada and internationally slowed slightly to 14.7% from 18% in 2004. While the Northeast and the Midwest continue to have higher than a combined 60% of the reported placements (notably where the majority of the LIS schools/colleges are situated), graduates once again reported shifts in locale.

The Southeast remains a popular destination for graduates. Of those who reported moving, 39% went to the South and Southeast, compared to 10% who moved to the Midwest. Unanticipated salary increases came with the growing number of individuals who relocated to the Southeast. The average starting salaries for the Southeast rose approximately 7.85% from 2004 ($39,412 in 2005 from $36,542 in 2004). Average starting salaries in the Southeast continue to lag slightly behind, but they are catching up to the Northeast ($39,419) and have surpassed the Midwest ($38,840). Graduates fared best in other organizations in the Southeast, including nonprofits and private industry. Salaries increased in these organizations by approximately 9%, to an average of $53,170.

Placements in the West also experienced substantial growth, with 18% of respondents who reported relocating heading west along Route 66, I-10, and up the Yukon Trail. The westward journey was worth the trip, as salaries rose approximately 24% from the Northeast ($39,419) to the West ($48,990). This was also a healthy increase from the 2004 Western average of $44,216 (10.8% growth). Placements in special libraries and school library media centers had some of the best growth in 2005, as did average salaries in both of these types of libraries. Reported placements in special libraries grew by a whopping 54% over 2004, with average salaries increasing by 14.6% from $40,850 to $47,867. While not quite as dramatic, school library media center positions grew by approximately 30% and salaries by approximately 5.42% ($52,762 in 2005 from $50,045 in 2004).

Mixing it up

Multitasking, while not a new phenomenon, is increasingly prevalent among new LIS professionals. Mixed duties or multiple responsibilities appear to be the norm, especially in the more traditional areas of librarianship. In 2005, approximately 8% of graduates reported multiple job assignments and noted they didn’t have a single, specific area of responsibility. Several of these respondents reported their job title as “library generalist,” with primary responsibility of “providing customer service for all library users, including other librarians.” Some of the popular job combinations include reference service with interlibrary loan; equal time to children services and cataloging; community outreach and adult reference service; and database management with collection development. Other graduates suggested that it is impossible to describe the job in one or two words since “the job title does not fit the job duties very well.” Not surprisingly, mixed duties seem to be most visible in public libraries, followed closely by academic institutions.

“Other” job assignments comprise approximately 10.5% of reported 2005 placements. Much like the diversity of their backgrounds, LIS graduates came across great variety in the types of jobs available. A strong component of the “other” category is community outreach and community relations, including placement with nonprofits other than libraries (about 2% of the graduates reporting). Fundraising, grant-writing, and fiscal management were cited frequently as a part of “other” job responsibilities in all types of agencies.

However, other placements were not limited to nonprofits. Approximately 4% of the graduates reported working specifically in the private sector and corporate environment (excluding corporate libraries and information centers). Their job responsibilities encompass competitive intelligence and business research and analysis. Management of visual resources (photographs and images), information architecture and design, and project specialist were frequently identified with positions in private industry.

Numerous LIS graduates wrote that they are not “librarians” in the traditional sense, but they do make use of the skills and competencies learned in their master’s programs. They engage in research, aid in the development of user interfaces, develop and maintain corporate web resources, all with an eye on user needs and behaviors. These graduates report a strong sense of customer service and commitment to meeting the needs of their clients, including other librarians and information professionals.

A professional melting pot

In 2004, we began to explore the notion that LIS graduates are career changers. Similar to last year’s data, approximately 49% of the 2005 graduates who responded to questions about career aspirations were seeking second, and even third and fourth, careers. Their previous work environments were dynamic and exciting, from business and finance to wildlife management. Not surprisingly, careers in education continue to rank highest, at approximately 35%. Graduates were involved with students of all ages—early childhood educators to college professors—and all abilities, including English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) and special ed. They also taught a wide range of subjects, from arts and biology to English and plant science.

Some of the other careers and industries that are represented by the 2005 LIS graduates include business and finance (17%), social work and human services (5%), and healthcare (4%). Approximately 5% of the graduates have backgrounds in areas loosely affiliated with library and information science, including the book arts and publishing, writing, and editing. Two additional areas that have relationships to libraries are nonprofit management and fundraising (2%) and museum and arts management (2%). The LIS professions continue to attract graduates with highly varied interests. In 2005, individuals reported former careers in food service, including chefs, hoteliers, restaurateurs, and caterers; in anthropology, archaeology, and forensic anthropology; and information technology, telecommunications, and computer science. This diversity brings new opportunities and views to professional ideas and values and forges new links to other agencies and institutions.

Did you say “Google”?

For many, the job search is long and frustrating. As in previous years, the average length of the job search is approximately four months. The lucky graduates reported a job search of less than a month, while some reported a maximum of 20 months. A small cadre said, “I’m still looking a year later. Have you heard of anything?”

Graduates reported that there is no surefire method for finding the right job. They identify a variety of resources and strategies for landing a professional gig. Serendipity played a key role in some placements. Positions became available while graduates were completing an internship or fieldwork experience or while student teaching. Other respondents discussed googling the job titles they desired and using other web-based resources, such as LISJOBS and Monster.com. Googling companies and agencies where gradutes wanted to work also provided insight into available positions and human resource contacts.

Most frequently, graduates discussed the double-edged sword of the job search: employers express the requirement or at least the preference for experience in library and information science work, but many graduates don’t have that experience upon graduation. This leaves many of them taking more time to find a job or accepting positions just to gain the preferred experience. These graduates spoke less about disappointing salary expectations and more about getting a job, any job. Some of the respondents recommended to their future colleagues that realistic fieldwork or internships will help build a good skills base and contacts for finding that first professional position.

The old phrase “It’s not what you know, but who you know” holds true for many graduates. When commenting on how they found work, phrases such as “word of mouth,” “networking,” and “inside information from friends and former classmates” came up regularly. The 2005 survey participants advise other new graduates to ask for what they want of the people they know: professors and current employers, library directors in organizations where they want to work, and fieldwork supervisors and mentors.

Many LIS graduates express concern about the “ballyhoo of impending retirements.” For some graduates, the job market is tight in their areas, evidenced by the decrease in the number of available positions and the flat salary growth. Graduates report they are not seeing LIS professionals retiring at high rates. Even the phenomenon of multiple duties suggests that some organizations are being required to do more with fewer positions.

Where are we now?

The health of the LIS professions is improving. Average starting salaries for graduates broke the $40,000 barrier, and minority graduates are experiencing success with positions that pay well. Graduates have diverse and dynamic opportunities, not limited to a narrow discipline. Movement and flexibility play key roles in finding broad and unique positions.

Is there room for improvement? Absolutely! Salaries in public libraries, in the Southwest, and for women need to grow in order to be competitive within the marketplace. There needs to be continued recruitment and retention of minority graduates. Employers need to recognize that graduates bring to the job LIS skills as well as background and experience that will enhance the organization’s ability to grow and compete.