Library Assistants, Clerical: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Office and Administrative Support · SOC 43-4121 · O*NET 43-4121.00
Library Assistants, Clerical fall under the Office and Administrative Support category in the U.S. occupational classification. Library Assistants, Clerical earn a median salary of $36,910 per year, ranking in the top 94% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -6.4% job growth through 2035, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Entry into this field typically requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do library assistants, clerical earn?
The median annual wage for library assistants, clerical is $36,910. That puts library assistants, clerical at #775 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
Is library assistants, clerical a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for library assistants, clerical is -6.4%, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Employment is projected to move from approximately 89K positions in 2024 to 83K in 2034, a net change of <1K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.
What education does my child need to become library assistants, clerical?
Many library assistants, clerical enter the field with a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, though employers increasingly favor candidates with certifications or some postsecondary coursework. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Related careers your child might also consider
- Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks$35,070 median
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$76,590 median
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$69,500 median
- Brokerage Clerks$65,750 median
- Postal Service Clerks$62,130 median
- Postal Service Mail Carriers$60,550 median
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about library assistants, clerical
What is the median salary for library assistants, clerical?
The median annual salary for library assistants, clerical is $36,910 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is library assistants, clerical a growing career?
BLS projects -6.4% growth for library assistants, clerical from 2025 through 2035, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2035.
What education does my child need to become library assistants, clerical?
The typical entry path requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to library assistants, clerical?
Related occupations within the Office and Administrative Support category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 release.