WHAT’S AN MLIS WORTH? STATISTICS FROM LIBRARY JOURNAL

Library Journal (15 October 2007) has published its annual look at placements and salaries for US library school graduates. Here are some of the more interesting statistics.

Only 45 of the 62 library schools, with a total of 1,992 graduates, participated in the survey. Sixty-five percent of the graduates were placed in permanent professional jobs, 8 percent in temporary professional jobs, 9 percent in non-professional jobs, and 9 percent outside of the profession. However, in another table, there was a total of 5355 graduates, 4186 women (78 percent) and 1149 men. Thirty-three percent were employed, 2 percent were unemployed, and less than 1 percent were pursuing further education.

Mean salaries were US$40,566 for women, US$43,194 for men, and US$41,040 overall.

Thirty-three percent were employed in public libraries, 15 percent in schools, 26 percent in academic institutions, 7 percent in special libraries, and 2 percent in government. Three percent of the 1425 listed by job assignment identified themselves as solo librarians, with a mean salary of US$39,550, about 4 percent below the national average. (The salary range was US$18,00-74,000.) The library schools with the largest number of placements in special libraries are Simmons University (22, 17 percent of all SL placements) and San Jose State University (14, 11 percent).