2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Library & Information Science (Income $0-$30k) in the Far Western US Region

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 5,403 people earned their degree in library and information science, making the major the 124th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, library and information science graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $41,496 and had an average of $36,654 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Far Western US region, there were 826 library and information science graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,680 and $48,922 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 743 library and information science graduates with average earnings and debt of $59,319 and $48,880 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 4 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in library and information science. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent library and information science programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the library and information science program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 4 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Library & Information Science (Income $0-$30k) in the Far Western US Region

#1

University of Washington - Seattle Campus

Seattle, Washington

#3 in overall quality

$30,294 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$42,868 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a public institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 119 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UW Seattle also made our “Best Library & Information Science Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #3. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW Seattle are $30,294, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Library & Information Science at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

#2

San Jose State University

San Jose, California

#2 in overall quality

$18,790 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$48,417 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend San Jose State University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $0-$30k. San Jose, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s library science degrees to 566 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our far western us region master’s degree library science students whose families make $0-$30k list, San Jose State has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Library & Information Science Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at San Jose State University are $18,790, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Library & Information Science at San Jose State University

#3

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Honolulu, Hawaii

#4 in overall quality

$34,550 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$44,356 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Hawaii at Manoa. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UH Manoa is a fairly large school located in Honolulu, Hawaii that handed out 17 masters’s library science degrees in 2019-2020.

UH Manoa also made our “Best Library & Information Science Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #4. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Hawaii at Manoa are $34,550.

Read full report on Library & Information Science at University of Hawaii at Manoa

#4

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

#1 in overall quality

$48,715 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$40,647 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Southern California. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 40 masters’s library science degrees in 2019-2020.

USC also took the #1 spot in our “Best Library & Information Science Master’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Southern California are $48,715, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Library & Information Science at USC

• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Library & Information Science (Income $0-$30k)

Notes and References

References

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
• Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

• *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
• Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

• Credit for the banner image above goes to Diliff.

Featured Library Science Schools

Request Info

Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs ... Learn More >