by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 5 U.S. colleges awarded 38 degrees and certificates in Children & Youth Library Services. Graduates earn a median $48,588 one year after completing, rising to $56,663 after four years.
A degree in Children & Youth Library Services explores Children And Youth Library Services. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Provide Library And Information Services And Programming For Children And Young Adults. Includes Instruction In Information Needs Of Children And Young Adults, Resources And Services For Children And Young Adults, Literature For Youth, Storytelling, Multi-Ethnic Materials, Library Management, And Information Technology For Librarians. Examples: [Children's Library Services], [Youth Library Services], [Young Adult Library Services].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, children & youth library services is a popular field of study, with 38 degrees awarded annually. 5 colleges award children & youth library services degrees, an average of 8 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 28.
All 38 of the awards are master’s degrees, the only level colleges reported.
Women earned 92% of children & youth library services degrees and certificates in the latest year (35 of 38). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (32) and Hispanic or Latino (2).
O*NET rates Reading Comprehension the most important skill for jobs related to children & youth library services, at 4.1 out of 5. The key knowledge areas are English Language, Education and Training and Computers and Electronics. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension and Written Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a children & youth library services degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 38 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to children & youth library services, at 52.4%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 52.4% |
| Master’s degree | 32.7% |
| Post-doctoral training | 6.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 2.4% |
| Some college courses | 2.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.9% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.6% |
Source: O*NET Online.
2 occupations are related to Children & Youth Library Services, with an average median salary of $73,714; the strongest outlook belongs to Librarians and Media Collections Specialists, at 9.4% projected job growth. Typical job titles include University Faculty Member, Associate Professor, Classification Instructor and College Professor.
The occupation related to children & youth library services with the most projected jobs is Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,167,030.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,167,030 | 8.0% |
| Librarians and Media Collections Specialists | 298,768 | 9.4% |
Children & Youth Library Services graduates earn a median $48,588 one year after completing their program, $56,663 after four years and $57,411 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $48,588 |
| 4 years | $56,663 |
| 5 years | $57,411 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to children & youth library services, with a median salary of $80,332.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $80,332 |
| Librarians and Media Collections Specialists | $67,096 |
Children & Youth Library Services has 3 similar majors in the Library Science field, which together award 6,633 degrees a year; the largest are Library and Information Science (6,308), Archives/Archival Administration (324) and Library Science and Administration, Other (1). Browse all Library Science majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Library and Information Science | 6,308 |
| Archives/Archival Administration | 324 |
| Library Science and Administration, Other | 1 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.