As of May 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Reference Librarian in Columbia, SC is $66,164, equivalent to $32 per hour, $1,272 weekly, or $5,514 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Reference Librarian in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Reference Librarian in Columbia, SC vary widely, spanning from $51,547 to $79,317. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($58,513) and 75th percentile ($73,049), while top earners (90th percentile) make $79,317 per year. This $14,536 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Customer Service or Information Sciences, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, Columbia Reference Librarian often earn 1.4% lower than national averages. However, Columbia currently ranks 674 statewide for Reference Librarian job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Reference Librarian Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Reference Librarian Salary $51,547 Columbia, SC May 01, 2026
25th Percentile Reference Librarian Salary $58,513 Columbia, SC May 01, 2026
50th Percentile Reference Librarian Salary $66,164 Columbia, SC May 01, 2026
75th Percentile Reference Librarian Salary $73,049 Columbia, SC May 01, 2026
90th Percentile Reference Librarian Salary $79,317 Columbia, SC May 01, 2026
25% $58,513 10% $51,547 90% $79,317 75% $73,049 $66,164 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What is a Reference Librarian ?

The reference desk or information desk of a library is a public service counter where professional librarians provide library users with direction to library materials, advice on library collections and services, and expertise on multiple kinds of information from multiple sources....

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

See user submitted job responsibilities for Reference Librarian.

Job Openings for Reference Librarian in Columbia, SC

Career Path for this job

  1. This Job:

    Reference Librarian

    2 - 4 years experience
    Master's Degree or MBA

  2. Up a level:

    Senior Librarian

    4 - 7 years experience
    Master's Degree or MBA

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Reference Librarian, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
58513
73049
66164

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
63639
84782
73384
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Reference Librarian in Columbia, SC. The base salary for Reference Librarian ranges from $58,513 to $73,049 with the average base salary of $66,164. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $63,639 to $84,782 with the average total cash compensation of $73,384.
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58513
73049

 

About Columbia, South Carolina    One of Columbia's more prominent geographical features is its fall line, the boundary between the upland Piedmont region and the Atlantic Coastal Plai....More

Columbia, South Carolina  area prices were up 1.5% from a year ago

Reference Librarian Salary in popular cities: CharlestonNorth CharlestonMount Pleasant

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