by our College Data Analytics TeamA 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]. Read on to learn the essential details every children & youth library services major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering children & youth library services programs.
Nationwide, children & youth library services is a popular field of study, with 34 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Children & Youth Library Services Schools ranking analyzes these 3 schools to determine the best overall colleges for children & youth library services students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of children & youth library services programs later in this article.
Coursework for Children & Youth Library Services emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations children & youth library services graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a children & youth library services program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a children & youth library services major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several children & youth library services degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 34 |
People currently working in careers related to children & youth library services tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| 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% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in children & youth library services careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying children & youth library services opens doors to numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to children & youth library services.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to children & youth library services.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,167,030 | 8.0% |
| Librarians and Media Collections Specialists | 298,768 | 9.4% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of children & youth library services graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $48,588 |
| 4 years | $51,908 |
| 5 years | $57,391 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for children & youth library services graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers children & youth library services grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $80,332 |
| Librarians and Media Collections Specialists | $67,096 |
With 3 different children & youth library services programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased children & youth library services school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in children & youth library services, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Library and Information Science | 6,141 |
| Archives/Archival Administration | 256 |
| Library Science and Administration, Other | 1 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
