Labor Relations Specialist Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Labor Relations Specialists — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$95,420
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$45.88
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$156,180
entry level starts ~$50,490
Pay Grade
B+
strong pay · 65,000 employed

How much does a Labor Relations Specialist make?

Labor Relations Specialists in the United States bring home a median salary of $95,420 a year, or around $45.88 an hour. Pay spans a wide range: the bottom 10% earn under $50,490, while the top 10% earn $156,180.

That is $34,030 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Labor Relations Specialist salary range by percentile

Half of all Labor Relations Specialists earn between $71,920 and $123,420 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$50,490$24.27
25th percentile (early career)$71,920$34.58
50th percentile (median)$95,420$45.88
75th percentile (experienced)$123,420$59.34
90th percentile (top earners)$156,180$75.09

Highest-paying states for Labor Relations Specialist

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. New Jersey leads the country for Labor Relations Specialist pay at $118,370 a year, followed by District of Columbia ($115,600) and Massachusetts ($111,260). At the other end, Alabama posts the lowest median at $48,120 — a gap of $70,250 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1New Jersey$118,370$56.91+24%
2District of Columbia$115,600$55.58+21%
3Massachusetts$111,260$53.49+17%
4California$105,810$50.87+11%
5Illinois$104,180$50.09+9%

Workforce and education

About 65,000 people work as Labor Relations Specialists in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $98,720 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Labor Relations Specialist make in the United States?
The median Labor Relations Specialist salary in the United States is $95,420 per year, or about $45.88 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $50,490, while the top 10% of earners make $156,180 or more.
How does Labor Relations Specialist pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of B+ (strong pay), the Labor Relations Specialist median of $95,420 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Labor Relations Specialists the most?
New Jersey is the highest-paying state for Labor Relations Specialists, with a median salary of $118,370 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Labor Relations Specialist?
Becoming a Labor Relations Specialist typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Labor Relations Specialists work in the United States?
About 65,000 people were employed as Labor Relations Specialists in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.