What is the best state to be a librarians and media collections specialists?

By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Washington is the best state for a librarians and media collections specialists: a BLS median of $100,030 is worth $93,475 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 107.0), an index of 139.6 where the average state is 100.

Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?

Not necessarily. Washington has the highest headline BLS median for a librarians and media collections specialists at $100,030, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 51 on real pay (index 139.6). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Librarians and Media Collections Specialists

Best States to Be a Librarians and Media Collections Specialists

After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a librarians and media collections specialists salary goes furthest in Washington — a $100,030 BLS median worth $93,475 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 139.6).

Which US states are best for a librarians and media collections specialists after cost of living and tax?

For a librarians and media collections specialists, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Washington #1: a $100,030 BLS median becomes $93,475 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 139.6). West Virginia ranks last ($46,673, index 69.7). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

Washington ranks #1 of 51 states for a librarians and media collections specialists. Index 100 = the average state; 139.6 means pay goes 39.6% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

139.6

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists — real pay by state (best first)

#	State	BLS median	State tax	Cost (RPP)	Real pay	Index
1	Washington	$100,030	—	107.0	$93,475	139.6
2	Nevada	$84,540	—	100.0	$84,558	126.3
3	District of Columbia	$96,550	$5,332	109.9	$83,000	124.0
4	Maryland	$88,570	$3,874	105.0	$80,694	120.5
5	California	$89,790	$4,229	110.7	$77,277	115.4
6	Alaska	$78,810	—	102.4	$76,994	115.0
7	Georgia	$76,750	$3,490	96.3	$76,080	113.6
8	Minnesota	$77,650	$3,791	98.6	$74,891	111.9
9	Delaware	$77,700	$3,787	99.8	$74,055	110.6
10	Texas	$71,860	—	97.1	$74,039	110.6
11	Connecticut	$79,210	$2,782	103.6	$73,766	110.2
12	Virginia	$77,430	$3,653	101.1	$72,972	109.0
13	Rhode Island	$75,860	$2,245	102.3	$71,974	107.5
14	Colorado	$76,480	$2,705	103.1	$71,590	106.9
15	Massachusetts	$78,540	$3,707	105.8	$70,759	105.7
16	North Dakota	$62,830	—	89.0	$70,628	105.5
17	Oregon	$78,070	$6,027	103.4	$69,700	104.1
18	Kentucky	$65,200	$2,477	90.2	$69,569	103.9
19	New Jersey	$78,380	$2,803	108.8	$69,461	103.7
20	Alabama	$64,650	$2,968	88.8	$69,444	103.7
21	New York	$78,590	$3,717	107.9	$69,377	103.6
22	Nebraska	$64,060	$2,235	90.1	$68,616	102.5
23	Wisconsin	$66,870	$2,392	94.1	$68,524	102.3
24	Tennessee	$62,090	—	91.9	$67,585	100.9
25	Louisiana	$60,650	$1,445	88.2	$67,121	100.3
26	New Mexico	$62,530	$1,825	92.2	$65,832	98.3
27	Kansas	$61,900	$2,654	90.1	$65,779	98.2
28	Florida	$67,060	—	103.4	$64,846	96.9
29	Montana	$63,870	$2,630	94.6	$64,705	96.6
30	Ohio	$60,630	$885	92.8	$64,398	96.2
31	South Carolina	$62,640	$2,276	93.7	$64,389	96.2
32	Iowa	$58,440	$2,181	87.8	$64,104	95.7
33	Oklahoma	$58,180	$2,226	87.8	$63,698	95.1
34	Mississippi	$56,970	$1,701	87.0	$63,561	94.9
35	Arkansas	$56,800	$2,007	86.9	$63,026	94.1
36	North Carolina	$61,420	$2,068	94.3	$62,922	94.0
37	Missouri	$58,700	$1,878	90.8	$62,568	93.4
38	Pennsylvania	$62,880	$1,930	97.6	$62,466	93.3
39	Vermont	$62,360	$1,734	98.0	$61,890	92.4
40	New Hampshire	$63,580	—	104.2	$61,038	91.2
41	Michigan	$60,010	$2,304	96.2	$59,975	89.6
42	Illinois	$62,700	$2,963	100.0	$59,763	89.3
43	Arizona	$60,500	$1,038	100.7	$59,063	88.2
44	Maine	$59,540	$2,404	97.0	$58,873	87.9
45	Hawaii	$68,270	$3,658	110.0	$58,764	87.8
46	South Dakota	$51,210	—	88.6	$57,808	86.3
47	Indiana	$53,500	$1,575	93.3	$55,637	83.1
48	Idaho	$54,130	$1,962	95.5	$54,629	81.6
49	Utah	$53,730	$2,445	98.9	$51,875	77.5
50	Wyoming	$46,530	—	92.7	$50,199	75.0
51	West Virginia	$42,980	$1,209	89.5	$46,673	69.7

"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In Washington, a $100,030 salary is worth about $93,475 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $100,030 · BEA cost of living 107.0 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $112,919, a $19,444 gain over Washington.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$112,919	88.6
2	Arkansas	$110,573	86.9
3	Louisiana	$110,002	88.2
4	Mississippi	$109,977	87.0
5	Iowa	$109,648	87.8
6	North Dakota	$109,634	89.0
7	Tennessee	$108,882	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$108,465	87.8
9	Wyoming	$107,918	92.7
10	Alabama	$106,986	88.8
11	Kentucky	$106,510	90.2
12	West Virginia	$106,382	89.5

Browse US jobs with salaries

Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Librarians and Media Collections Specialists — real pay FAQ

What is the best state to be a librarians and media collections specialists?: By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Washington is the best state for a librarians and media collections specialists: a BLS median of $100,030 is worth $93,475 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 107.0), an index of 139.6 where the average state is 100.
Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?: Not necessarily. Washington has the highest headline BLS median for a librarians and media collections specialists at $100,030, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 51 on real pay (index 139.6). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
Where does a librarians and media collections specialists salary go least far?: West Virginia ranks last of 51 states for a librarians and media collections specialists: a $42,980 BLS median is worth only $46,673 after tax and cost of living (index 69.7). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

Compare other occupations

Get the Gera US Real Pay Index when BLS refreshes OEWS

BLS OEWS updates roughly once a year. Save your email and we’ll send the refreshed real-pay rankings when new wage data lands.

Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a librarians and media collections specialists is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.