California library assistant salaries by employer, 2025
Library assistants here are titles such as Library Assistant, Library Technician, Library Associate and Library Clerk, counted apart from librarians. Pages, aides and shelvers aren't included. 7,774 people held a library assistant title at 243 California public libraries, universities and colleges in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $68,589, overtime included, against $108,032 for librarians.
What is the average library assistant salary in California?
Highest- and lowest-paying among the 71 employers with at least 10 full-year library assistants. The lists below include every employer with at least 5.
- Library assistants
- 7,774
- 2,864 of them worked the full year
- Median total pay
- $66,100
- the middle library assistant: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $353
- average per full-year library assistant; the middle one $0
- Official range
- $50,112
- to $66,000: the middle reported bottom and top
Which California employers pay library assistants the most?
By average total pay of full-year library assistants, among employers with at least 5 of them.
Highest average total pay
- West Valley-Mission Community College DistrictCommunity college district in Santa Clara County
6 full-year library assistants$104,262 - Santa ClaraCity government
17 full-year library assistants$101,952 - San FranciscoCity government
130 full-year library assistants$101,791 - LivermoreCity in Alameda County
5 full-year library assistants$101,454 - Palo AltoCity in Santa Clara County
17 full-year library assistants$95,474 - SunnyvaleCity in Santa Clara County
6 full-year library assistants$94,747 - MiraCosta Community College DistrictCommunity college district in San Diego County
5 full-year library assistants$94,338 - Sonoma County Junior College DistrictCommunity college district in Sonoma County
7 full-year library assistants$94,252 - OaklandCity in Alameda County
51 full-year library assistants$93,582 - San Jose-Evergreen Community College DistrictCommunity college district in Santa Clara County
7 full-year library assistants$93,315
California average for library assistants, $68,589
Which California counties pay library assistants the most?
Average total pay of full-year library assistants across each county's public libraries, universities and colleges, where at least 5 of them worked the full year. The dashed line marks the California average of $68,589.
Compare library assistant pay at every California employer
Every employer with at least 5 library assistants: what full-year library assistants earned and the official range for the job. Click a column to sort it.
Showing 1 to 25 of 204 employers, highest average total pay first.
| West Valley-Mission Community College DistrictSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $104,262 | $0 | $82,433 to $108,313 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa ClaraSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $101,952 | $0 | $84,954 to $108,894 | 18 |
| San FranciscoSan Francisco County | San Francisco | $101,791 | $196 | $87,620 to $106,496 | 209 |
| LivermoreAlameda County | Alameda | $101,454 | $0 | $41,600 to $62,400 | 33 |
| Palo AltoSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $95,474 | $1,798 | $54,602 to $74,166 | 36 |
| SunnyvaleSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $94,747 | $441 | $59,347 to $75,743 | 41 |
| MiraCosta Community College DistrictSan Diego County | San Diego | $94,338 | $0 | $64,815 to $79,042 | 9 |
| Sonoma County Junior College DistrictSonoma County | Sonoma | $94,252 | $0 | $72,756 to $88,488 | 10 |
| OaklandAlameda County | Alameda | $93,582 | $865 | $70,204 to $86,191 | 113 |
| San Jose-Evergreen Community College DistrictSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $93,315 | $548 | $77,826 to $94,977 | 9 |
| HaywardAlameda County | Alameda | $91,879 | $0 | $72,654 to $87,027 | 15 |
| Ventura CountyVentura County | Ventura | $90,408 | $1,545 | $48,616 to $67,958 | 102 |
| Riverside Community College DistrictRiverside County | Riverside | $88,770 | $4,568 | $68,724 to $92,328 | 10 |
| Chabot-Las Positas Community College DistrictAlameda County | Alameda | $88,768 | $1,503 | $61,798 to $77,747 | 10 |
| Los AngelesLos Angeles County | Los Angeles | $88,517 | $367 | $58,025 to $84,835 | 59 |
| South Orange County Community College DistrictOrange County | Orange | $88,294 | $35 | $59,328 to $83,976 | 13 |
| BurlingameSan Mateo County | San Mateo | $86,743 | $0 | $58,864 to $71,594 | 31 |
| Mountain ViewSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $86,083 | $0 | $67,854 to $100,464 | 20 |
| Yorba LindaOrange County | Orange | $85,689 | $6 | $52,610 to $63,947 | 47 |
| San JoseSanta Clara County | Santa Clara | $85,265 | $202 | $66,290 to $80,546 | 140 |
| Menlo ParkSan Mateo County | San Mateo | $84,375 | $380 | $68,615 to $83,402 | 34 |
| Napa CountyNapa County | Napa | $84,052 | $101 | $75,284 to $89,406 | 55 |
| Thousand OaksVentura County | Ventura | $82,084 | $0 | $62,533 to $83,800 | 11 |
| Daly CitySan Mateo County | San Mateo | $81,820 | $0 | $74,281 to $90,289 | 11 |
| Los Angeles Community College DistrictLos Angeles County | Los Angeles | $80,330 | $669 | $61,587 to $76,295 | 38 |
No employer matches. Clear the search or pick another county or size.
"Fewer than 5": fewer than 5 library assistants worked the full year, too few for an average. Employers with fewer than 5 library assistants aren't listed.
How much less do library assistants earn than librarians in California?
Average total pay of full-year staff at every California public libraries, universities and colleges, overtime included.
- Librarians$108,032
- Library assistants$68,589
Library assistants earn $39,443 less than librarians on average. .
Questions about library assistant pay in California
How much does a library assistant make in California?
Full-year California library assistants at public libraries, universities and colleges earned an average of $68,589 in 2025, including $353 in overtime. The middle library assistant earned $66,100. Librarians averaged $108,032.
Which California employer pays library assistants the most?
Among employers with at least 10 full-year library assistants, Santa Clara has the highest average total pay, $101,952, followed by San Francisco ($101,791) and Palo Alto ($95,474).
Which California county pays library assistants the most?
San Francisco County, where full-year library assistants at its public libraries, universities and colleges averaged $97,349, followed by Santa Clara County ($86,047) and Alameda County ($83,773).
What is the official pay range for a library assistant in California?
Across California's employers, the middle reported range for library assistants runs from $50,112 to $66,000 a year. Each employer's own range is in the table on this page.
Sources for the California library assistant figures
Every person who held a library assistant title at any point in 2025 counts toward the headcount. Pay figures use only people who worked roughly the full year: those whose regular pay reached at least 90% of the bottom of their official range. Total pay is gross wages before tax, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages and pension and health contributions as reported by each city, county, library district, state department, university and community college district.