---
title: Is a Library Science, Other degree worth the debt?
cip: 2599
source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard — Field of Study (2026-06-10 release)
sourceId: src:doe:college-scorecard:field-of-study:2026-06-10
---

# Is a Library Science, Other degree worth the debt?

Leading with the **Master's**, across **3** colleges (3 of 3 programs report earnings):

- **Median pay, 1 year after completion:** $47,582 ($48,198 at 2 years)
- **Median federal debt:** $36,750 (federal loans only)
- **Debt-to-earnings:** 0.57× a first year's pay


**How to read this:** these are MEDIANS across college programs, measured **1–2 years after completion** (early career, graduates only) — NOT lifetime earnings, and NOT comparable to a college's 10-years-after-entry figure. They cover **federally-aided completers at programs large enough to report**; small programs are suppressed. A field median is not a prediction of your outcome, not causal (who enters a field differs by field), and **not a "best majors" ranking** — earnings are one dimension of worth. Verify by field at the official College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/).

## By degree level

| Level | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt | Debt/pay | Colleges | Programs reporting |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Master's | $47,582 | $36,750 | 0.57× | 3 | 3/3 |

## Where a Master's in this field reports the highest early-career pay

Reflects who enrolls and where, not causal program quality.

| College | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Long Island University (NY) | $64,044 | $36,750 |
| University of California-Los Angeles (CA) | $47,582 | $56,259 |
| University of Central Arkansas (AR) | $46,140 | $18,060 |

RECORDED College Scorecard figures + one DERIVED ratio (debt-to-earnings). Informs and compares; not advice on what to major in. Each college's full record: `/education/<slug>`.

Structured data: `/education/fields/library-science-other.jsonld` · `/education/fields/library-science-other.json`