Syracuse iSchool MSLIS graduates earn highest average salaries

Graduates of the M.S. in library and information science program at Syracuse University School of Information Studies (iSchool) commanded the highest average salary compared with graduates from other library and information science programs, according to the Oct. 16 issue of Library Journal. The journal issued the results of its annual Placements & Salaries Survey, which showed a decline overall in starting salaries and full-time job placements.

In 2008, MSLIS grads from the iSchool received an average salary of $49,978. That places iSchool graduates’ earning power just above that of graduates from the University of Michigan, who earned the second-highest average salary ($49,576). Graduates of Long Island University, San José State and the University of Maryland finish out the top five.

The iSchool’s number-one ranking in average salaries represents a significant improvement. In 2007, the iSchool’s MSLIS graduates earned average salaries slightly below the national average. Between 2007 and 2008, average salaries for Syracuse grads grew by a whopping 16 percent, from $42,000 to $49,978. Syracuse iSchool graduates reported high placement rates in academic libraries, one of the few types of libraries that experienced salary growth in 2008. Surprisingly, iSchool MSLIS graduates did not report placement in private industry, an area known for awarding high average salaries.

Library Journal’s survey also revealed other tidbits of good news. Graduates who found positions in the Northeast earned better-than-average starting salaries. Also, academic libraries continued to experience growth in the number of available full-time positions, while academic libraries in the Northeast saw salaries increase for the second year in a row. New graduates seeking opportunities in children’s libraries and youth/teen services earned higher average starting salaries than in 2007.