Library Science and Administration, Other.
Data details: Graduation rate, gender, ethnicity, and summary are for this specific degree (6-digit CIP) from IPEDS. Salary, debt, and related financial outcomes are based on the degree category (4-digit CIP) from the College Scorecard API. ← Back to search
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Please use your own discretion when interpreting these results. For certain degrees, a limited number of institutions report to the government's College Scorecard API, which may cause the data to be skewed or less representative of national trends. Consider these figures as informative but not definitive, and consult additional sources or advisors for important decisions.
Debt to Income Ratio
Debt-to-income analysis for Library Science and Administration, Other.: The DTI for this program is 69.0%, which is within the generally accepted range for higher education. While not as low as some top-performing degrees, this ratio suggests that most graduates can manage their student loan payments, especially if they secure employment in related fields. If you are considering Library Science and Administration, Other., compare your expected starting salary (currently $43890) to the average debt ($30264) to ensure it fits your financial goals in .
Degrees with a DTI between 0.5 and 0.8 are common, but it's wise to plan your budget and consider loan repayment options.
Important financial note for Library Science and Administration, Other.: The debt-to-income ratio for this program is 69.0%, which is above the recommended maximum of 80%. This means that, on average, graduates may need to dedicate a significant portion of their first-year earnings to student loan payments. If you are considering Library Science and Administration, Other., be sure to weigh the average starting salary ($43890) against the typical student debt ($30264), and explore scholarships, grants, or alternative funding sources to reduce your financial burden in and beyond.
Key Insights
If you’re thinking about Library Science and Administration, Other., you’re looking at a field that’s both challenging and rewarding. Typical starting salaries are around $43890, with grads carrying about $30264 in student loans and a debt-to-income ratio of 0.69—which is manageable for most.
Each year, over 6224 students complete this major, so you’ll have plenty of peers to connect with. Whether you’re motivated by salary, job outlook, or the chance to build something meaningful, Library Science and Administration, Other. can help you get there. Make the most of your college years by seeking out hands-on experiences and building your network.
Degree Overview
Library Science and Administration, Other (CIP 25.0199) is a specialized category for information architects and digital curators who manage the explosion of human knowledge in the age of Big Data. While traditional library science focuses on physical book collections, professionals in this "Other" category are "Information Strategists." They study knowledge management, digital preservation, metadata engineering, and the ethics of algorithmic information retrieval. It is a path for "intellectual organizers" who want to build the systems that ensure information is not just stored, but accessible, searchable, and verified.
This field is ideal for "data detectives"—individuals who are fascinated by how information is classified and who want to apply that knowledge to corporate intelligence, medical databases, or the preservation of digital cultural heritage.
What Is an "Other" Library Science Degree?
A degree in this category is a technical STEM-adjacent path that emphasizes informatics, taxonomy, and digital asset management. You will study the "Knowledge Core"—how to organize and retrieve information—but your focus will be on advanced or non-traditional environments. Because this code houses emerging specialties, your studies might focus on Bio-Informatics (managing genetic data), Corporate Knowledge Management, or the Digital Archiving of social media and web history. It prepares you to be an "Information Governance Expert" capable of managing the massive data "lakes" of modern corporations and research institutions.
Schools offer this degree to:
- Train "Digital Asset Managers" who oversee the massive video, image, and text libraries for media companies like Disney or Netflix
- Develop experts in Metadata Engineering, focusing on how to tag and categorize digital information so it can be found by AI and search engines
- Prepare professionals for Specialized Research Librarianship in law firms, hospitals, or government intelligence agencies
- Study Information Ethics, exploring the challenges of data privacy, censorship, and the "digital divide" in the 21st century
What Will You Learn?
Students learn that "information is only as valuable as its findability." You focus on the logical structures and technical tools used to organize human thought at scale.
Core Skills You’ll Build
Most students learn to:
- Master Taxonomy and Ontology Construction—building the "category trees" that allow software to understand how different concepts are related
- Use "Digital Preservation Tools" to ensure that files created today will still be readable 100 years from now
- Design User-Centric Search Interfaces—making complex databases intuitive for human researchers
- Perform Competitive Intelligence—gathering and organizing data on industry trends and competitors for corporate leadership
- Utilize Database Management Systems (DBMS)—understanding the back-end architecture of information storage
- Understand Intellectual Property and Licensing—navigating the complex laws of digital copyright and open-access data
Topics You May Explore
Coursework is a blend of computer science, sociology, and traditional research methods:
- Knowledge Management Systems: How to capture and share the collective expertise of a large organization's employees.
- Digital Curation and Forensics: The science of verifying the authenticity of digital records and artifacts.
- Information Architecture: The study of how to structure websites and apps to improve the flow of information.
- Bibliometrics and Altmetrics: Using data to measure the impact and reach of scientific research and publications.
- Rare Books and Special Collections: The preservation of physical artifacts using modern chemical and digital techniques.
- Community Informatics: How libraries and information centers can drive social and economic development in underserved areas.
What Jobs Can You Get With This Degree?
Graduates find roles as specialists and directors in tech companies, law firms, research hospitals, and government agencies.
Common job roles include:
- Digital Asset Manager: Managing the massive digital libraries of marketing agencies, film studios, or museums.
- Knowledge Management Director: Helping large corporations organize their internal data to improve efficiency and innovation.
- Taxonomist/Ontologist: Working for tech companies like Amazon or Google to refine search categories and AI understanding.
- Medical Information Specialist: Managing the complex data flows in research hospitals or pharmaceutical companies.
- Corporate Researcher: Providing high-level data and analysis for law firms or investment banks.
- Digital Archivist: Preserving historical records for universities, governments, or private foundations.
Where Can You Work?
These specialists are the "navigators of the information age" in several high-stakes sectors:
- Tech Giants: Organizing the world's information at companies like Google, Microsoft, or Meta.
- Government and Intelligence: Working for the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, or the CIA.
- Healthcare and Biotech: Managing the vast data sets required for modern medical breakthroughs.
- Entertainment and Media: Overseeing the digital "vaults" of major broadcasting and streaming services.
- Academic Research Centers: Supporting the work of scientists and scholars through advanced data management.
How Much Can You Earn?
Because of the technical and corporate applications of this "Other" category, salaries often exceed those of traditional public librarians.
- Knowledge Managers/Directors: Median annual salary of approximately $95,000–$145,000+.
- Digital Asset Managers: Salaries typically range from $80,000 to $120,000.
- Taxonomists/Information Architects: Median annual salary of around $90,000–$130,000.
- Specialized Research Librarians: Often start between $60,000 and $80,000.
Is This Degree Hard?
The difficulty is in the technical and logical rigor. You must be comfortable with both complex software and abstract philosophical concepts of "meaning." It requires a highly meticulous, organized, and data-driven mindset—you must enjoy the "invisible work" of creating the structures that make everyone else's work possible. It is a major that rewards those who are "Systems Thinkers" and who find satisfaction in bringing order to chaos.
Who Should Consider This Degree?
This degree may be a good fit if you:
- Are the person who is naturally obsessed with organizing your digital files and photos
- Love the idea of a library but want to work in a high-tech or corporate environment
- Are fascinated by how search engines work and how AI "learns" from data
- Want a career that is "future-proof" as the world continues to generate more data every second
- Enjoy a mix of academic research, technology, and organizational strategy
How to Prepare in High School
- Take AP Computer Science; understanding the logic of code and databases is essential
- Take AP English or History; high-level research and critical analysis are your core tools
- Volunteer at a Library or Museum to see the basics of archiving and classification in action
- Practice Data Organization—try building a database for a collection you own (books, music, or digital files)
- Read about The History of Information—from the Library of Alexandria to the modern internet
The ability to apply logical systems and informational mastery to the complexities of the digital age is the hallmark of a successful professional in this field.
Personality Fit (RIASEC Profile)
Official assessment tool by the U.S. Department of Labor