Intelligence Brief Humanities Sector

Library & Information Science

Master's · 1-2 years

D+

Scorecard

$65,790
Median salary: 3%
Projected growth: 49/100
Difficulty: 5
Career paths

AI Resilience 55

Overall Score 40

CollegeRanker Degree Outlook Score™

out of 100 · C

Mixed Outlook

Earnings 33

Growth 11

Demand Gap 32

AI Resilience 55

Career Breadth 70

Remote Flexibility 65

Composite of earnings, projected growth, demand gap, AI resilience, career breadth, and remote flexibility — CollegeRanker's proprietary degree outlook model.

Supply vs Demand

Competitive

Market Demand32

Graduate Supply68

Graduate supply meets or exceeds demand — projected 3% occupational growth (slower than average).

Salary Trajectory

~1.8%/yr

$60K 21

$61K 22

$62K 23

$63K 24

$65K 25

$66K 26

$67K 27

$68K 28

Modeled from BLS median wage and occupational growth. Dashed bars are forecast. Illustrative, not a guarantee.

Where Graduates Work

Common Employers

Universities
Publishers
Museums
Media Companies
Nonprofits

Representative employers that commonly hire Humanities graduates — illustrative of where graduates concentrate, not a guarantee.

Industry Mix

Education 30%
Media & Publishing 22%
Nonprofits 18%
Government 14%
Other 16%

Estimated distribution of Humanities graduates across hiring industries.

Executive Summary

Library & Information Science scores 40/100 (D+), reflecting a challenging profile among master's programs.
Median salary of $65,790 reflects moderate earning potential.
Projected growth of 3% is below the national average.
AI resilience score of 55 indicates moderate disruption risk across associated careers.

Library & Information Science scores 40/100 — D+. The strongest dimension is remote potential (65/100), followed by salary (33/100). The biggest challenge: growth (11/100).

Research Insights

At Risk Future-proof

Library & Information Science faces headwinds for long-term value (40/100). Projected growth of 3% is below average. Graduates should develop skills that complement, not compete with, AI-driven workflows.

Score 40 /100
Limited ROI

Library & Information Science offers a challenging ROI profile (37/100). Median earnings of $65,790 are below many peers. The time and cost of the credential may not proportionally increase earning potential.

Score 37 /100
Narrow Career Breadth

Library & Information Science leads to a focused set of career paths (42/100). With 5 primary career trajectories, graduates benefit from clear direction but have less flexibility to pivot.

Score 42 /100

Decision Intelligence

Evaluate Closely Overall Recommendation

Library & Information Science presents a more complex risk/reward profile. Outcomes are less predictable and depend heavily on specific career targeting and graduate school plans.

Who Benefits Most

Students who value career stability and meet the academic prerequisites. Those with a related undergraduate background will see the strongest ROI. The moderate AI risk makes it important to specialize.

Who Should Think Twice

Individuals who thrive on high-paced, high-revenue environments may find this degree unsatisfying, as many roles in this field are in non-profit or government settings with limited budgets. Additionally, those who dislike detailed organizational tasks or working with the public may struggle in this career path.

Student Archetypes

The Career Switcher Recommended

This type of student is transitioning from a different field and seeks a stable career with a service-oriented focus. They may have a passion for information organization but lack prior experience in libraries or information systems.

Economic Importance

The Library & Information Science degree plays a vital role in sectors such as education, government, and healthcare, where the organization and accessibility of information are essential. The market values this degree as it equips professionals with the skills to manage, curate, and preserve information resources, which are increasingly critical in a data-driven economy.

Scorecard Analysis

Our proprietary scorecard evaluates degrees across five dimensions from BLS wage and growth data, O*NET work context, and standard education requirements.

Salary 33/100

Below-average earning

Job Growth 11/100

Below-average growth

Education Barrier 78/100

Moderate barrier

Remote / Online Compatibility 65/100

Moderate remote compatibility

Competition 56/100

Less competitive

Difficulty Score

49/100

Composite reflecting the combined demands of salary, growth, barrier, remote compatibility, and competition.

AI Resilience Assessment

Automation risk for careers linked to this degree.

AI Resilience 55/100

Adaptable

Library & Information Science faces moderate AI disruption risk (55/100). While AI will automate routine components within many associated careers, core responsibilities still require human oversight and strategic thinking. Upskilling in AI collaboration tools is recommended.

Domain expertise from this degree provides some protection against full automation.
AI can handle routine reporting, data aggregation, and first-pass analysis in many associated careers.
Risk factor: entry-level roles in fields linked to this degree may face headcount reduction as AI handles more data processing.

Intelligence Deep Dive

Reality Check

While the degree offers a pathway into a fulfilling career, the slower-than-average job growth and competitive barriers should not be overlooked. Many graduates find themselves in roles that may not fully utilize their skills or offer competitive salaries, especially in more saturated markets.
Hiring Market Signal

The current hiring market for Library & Information Science graduates is stable, with public libraries and educational institutions actively seeking professionals. However, the growth rate is modest, suggesting that while jobs exist, competition may be fierce due to the number of graduates entering the field.
Risk Factors
- Potential for job saturation in certain geographic areas
- Automation of some library functions
- Debt load from graduate programs
- Limited salary growth compared to tech fields
- Dependence on government and institutional funding
ROI Timeline

Typically, graduates can expect to recoup their investment within 5-7 years, depending on factors such as initial salary and any debt incurred. Those entering higher-paying roles or securing positions in urban areas may see a quicker return.

What You'll Study

This curriculum uniquely blends traditional library science with modern digital tools, preparing graduates for a diverse range of roles in both physical and digital information environments. The focus on metadata, information architecture, and digital libraries ensures that students are well-equipped to handle contemporary information challenges.

Students typically engage in coursework that covers topics such as information retrieval, cataloging, and data management. The program often includes practical components like internships in libraries or archives, allowing students to apply their learning in real-world settings. Challenges may arise in mastering various information technologies and understanding complex data systems, but these experiences are key to developing expertise in the field.

Typical Curriculum

Information Organization
Reference Services
Digital Libraries
Collection Development
Metadata
Information Architecture
Archives
Research Methods

Career Pipeline

From entry to executive.

Entry-Level

Library Assistant
Data Technician
Research Analyst

Mid-Career

Librarian
Archivist
Information Manager

Advanced

Director of Libraries
Chief Information Officer
Digital Collections Manager

Pipeline Insight

Graduates typically advance from entry-level roles by gaining experience and additional certifications, with those who actively network and pursue professional development opportunities often moving up more rapidly than their peers who do not.

Career Outcomes

Graduates with a Master's in Library & Information Science can pursue careers as librarians, archivists, data managers, information architects, or digital collections managers. While job growth in this field is projected at 3%, opportunities may arise as organizations increasingly rely on data management and digital resources, influencing the demand for skilled professionals.

Librarian
Archivist
Data Manager
Information Architect
Digital Collections Manager

Compensation Context

The median salary for this degree is influenced by the relatively stable demand for librarians and information professionals in public and academic sectors, which do not always offer high revenue impact compared to tech fields. Geographic location also plays a significant role, with urban areas often providing higher salaries due to cost of living and demand for services.

Alternative Routes

Similar or competing pathways students consider alongside Library & Information Science:

Master's in Data Science
Master's in Education
Library Technician Certificate
Self-taught coding and information management skills
Master's in Archival Studies

Getting In & Timeline

Typical time to complete: 1-2 years full-time

Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
Letters of recommendation
Statement of purpose
Some programs may require GRE scores

Advice

To succeed, focus on gaining practical experience through internships or volunteer work in relevant settings, as this will enhance your employability.

Is This Degree Worth It?

The ROI for a Library & Information Science degree can be positive for those who find employment in stable sectors where job security is high. However, those expecting rapid salary growth or opportunities in high-tech industries may find the compensation lagging, especially in regions with fewer job openings.

Schools With Strong Outcomes in Humanities

Ranked by median graduate earnings 10 years after enrollment. Schools grouped into tiers by outcome level.

Top Tier2schools

Strong Outcomes2schools

Solid Options2schools

Methodology & Data Sources

Every score, grade, and verdict on this page is built from a consistent framework designed to answer one question: what is the expected return on this degree?

Scorecard dimensions. We evaluate programs on five proprietary axes — Salary, Job Growth, Education Barrier, Remote/Online Compatibility, and Competition — each normalized to a 0–100 scale. The Overall Score is a weighted composite: salary (30%), job growth (20%), AI resilience (15%), barrier proximity (15%), competition inverse (10%), and career breadth (10%). Letter grades follow a standard scale from A+ (95+) down to F.

AI Resilience. Measures automation risk across the degree's associated career pathways. Each degree receives a category-level baseline adjusted upward for AI-adjacent fields (e.g., machine learning, computer science) and downward for fields with higher routine-task exposure. The score represents the degree's resistance to labor-market disruption, not a prediction of elimination.

Verdict scores. Future-Proof, ROI, and Career Breadth are secondary composites weighting AI resilience, growth, salary, barrier, and career count to answer specific decision questions: is this career durable (Future-Proof), financially worthwhile (ROI), and flexible (Career Breadth)?

Data sources. Salary and growth figures are drawn from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (O*NET) and the Occupational Outlook Handbook (2023–2033 projections). Education requirement data and work context scores come from O*NET 28.2. School-level earnings data is sourced from the Opportunity Insights Economic Tracker (median earnings 10 years after enrollment, based on federal tax records). Program rankings and school lists reflect CollegeRanker's proprietary classification and filtering methodology.

This page is built on disclosed, reproducible data. No affiliate bias, no survey-based rankings, no undisclosed weighting.

Data Behind This Page Updated 2025

2025 Last updated

100% Public / federal sources

Source datasets

Methodology

Degrees are scored on five normalized axes — salary (30%), job growth (20%), AI resilience (15%), education barrier (15%), and competition (10%), plus career breadth (10%) — each on a 0–100 scale.

See the full methodology and weights →

Confidence notes

Salary and growth figures come from federal Bureau of Labor Statistics data — administrative wage records and official projections, not surveys.
AI-resilience scores are computed from O*NET task and work-context data, applied consistently across every program.
Every measure is normalized to a fixed 0–100 scale, so degrees are directly comparable.

Limitations

BLS wage data reflect national medians; actual pay varies widely by region, employer, and experience.
Job growth is a 2023–2033 projection, not a guarantee — labor markets shift with technology and the economy.
AI-resilience is a directional estimate of automation exposure, not a prediction about any specific role.
Figures describe typical outcomes for the field, not a promise for any individual graduate.