As of April 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Reference Librarian in Washington, DC is $79,315, equivalent to $38 per hour, $1,525 weekly, or $6,610 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Reference Librarian in cities like Santa Clara, San Jose, and Fremont.

Annually Salaries for Reference Librarian in Washington, DC vary widely, spanning from $61,773 to $95,058. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($70,133) and 75th percentile ($87,556), while top earners (90th percentile) make $95,058 per year. This $17,423 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, Washington Reference Librarian often earn 0.0% higher than national averages. However, Washington currently ranks 84 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 $61,773 Washington, DC April 01, 2026
25th Percentile Reference Librarian Salary $70,133 Washington, DC April 01, 2026
50th Percentile Reference Librarian Salary $79,315 Washington, DC April 01, 2026
75th Percentile Reference Librarian Salary $87,556 Washington, DC April 01, 2026
90th Percentile Reference Librarian Salary $95,058 Washington, DC April 01, 2026
25% $70,133 10% $61,773 90% $95,058 75% $87,556 $79,315 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

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Job Openings for Reference Librarian in Washington, DC

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

 
 
 
70133
87556
79315

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
76091
101372
87745
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Reference Librarian in Washington, DC. The base salary for Reference Librarian ranges from $70,133 to $87,556 with the average base salary of $79,315. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $76,091 to $101,372 with the average total cash compensation of $87,745.
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70133
87556

 

About Washington, District of Columbia    Washington, D.C. is located in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. East Coast. Due to the District of Columbia retrocession, the city has a total area....More

Washington, District of Columbia  area prices were up 1.3% from a year ago

Reference Librarian Salary in popular cities:

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