SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Resolve disputes between workers and managers, negotiate collective bargaining agreements, or coordinate grievance procedures to handle employee complaints. Excludes equal employment opportunity (EEO) officers, who are included in “Compliance Officers” (13-1041).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 13-1075.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $50,490 | $4,208 | $971 | $24.27 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $71,920 | $5,993 | $1,383 | $34.58 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $95,420 | $7,952 | $1,835 | $45.87 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $123,420 | $10,285 | $2,373 | $59.34 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $156,180 | $13,015 | $3,003 | $75.09 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Labor Relations Specialists is $95,420, which is 87% higher. Among the 32 occupations of the field Business and Financial Operations, it ranks number 6 by median pay. With 64,810 jobs, it makes up about 4.2 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Labor Relations Specialists pay by state
The highest median pay was in New Jersey ($118,370), District of Columbia ($115,600) and Massachusetts ($111,260). The lowest was in Alabama ($48,120), South Dakota ($57,900) and Puerto Rico ($58,830). The most jobs were in California (8,830), New York (6,860) and Ohio (4,100). The occupation is most concentrated in Alaska, where its share of all jobs is 2.8 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 3,700 | $118,370 | $114,980 | $56.91 |
| District of Columbia | 160 | $115,600 | $124,610 | $55.58 |
| Massachusetts | 1,660 | $111,260 | $111,180 | $53.49 |
| California | 8,830 | $105,810 | $112,210 | $50.87 |
| Illinois | 3,670 | $104,180 | $102,970 | $50.09 |
| Washington | 2,760 | $104,100 | $113,530 | $50.05 |
| North Dakota | 90 | $101,220 | $97,290 | $48.66 |
| Minnesota | 1,710 | $100,760 | $109,510 | $48.44 |
| New York | 6,860 | $100,500 | $111,230 | $48.32 |
| Virginia | 990 | $98,730 | $102,830 | $47.47 |
| Delaware | 280 | $97,390 | $103,470 | $46.82 |
| Arizona | 790 | $97,070 | $95,740 | $46.67 |
| Maine | 210 | $96,680 | $97,890 | $46.48 |
| Wisconsin | 1,690 | $95,750 | $94,030 | $46.04 |
| Maryland | 890 | $94,030 | $97,500 | $45.21 |
| Missouri | 1,190 | $93,840 | $97,100 | $45.11 |
| Idaho | 190 | $93,110 | $81,760 | $44.77 |
| Pennsylvania | 3,470 | $91,320 | $98,890 | $43.90 |
| Rhode Island | 410 | $88,030 | $95,640 | $42.32 |
| West Virginia | 420 | $88,020 | $94,600 | $42.32 |
| Wyoming | 60 | $87,310 | $89,090 | $41.98 |
| Colorado | 470 | $87,150 | $96,780 | $41.90 |
| North Carolina | 690 | $86,270 | $90,870 | $41.48 |
| Vermont | 120 | $85,870 | $93,600 | $41.29 |
| New Hampshire | 150 | $84,780 | $97,310 | $40.76 |
| New Mexico | 120 | $83,770 | $88,560 | $40.28 |
| Kansas | 370 | $82,750 | $89,040 | $39.79 |
| Nebraska | 270 | $81,910 | $89,510 | $39.38 |
| Florida | 1,970 | $81,700 | $87,120 | $39.28 |
| Georgia | 920 | $81,480 | $78,300 | $39.17 |
| Oregon | 1,210 | $80,490 | $95,650 | $38.70 |
| Ohio | 4,100 | $80,150 | $86,380 | $38.54 |
| Texas | 2,590 | $79,640 | $85,200 | $38.29 |
| Connecticut | 1,240 | $79,620 | $97,430 | $38.28 |
| Mississippi | 200 | $79,360 | $82,000 | $38.15 |
| Iowa | 610 | $79,140 | $100,350 | $38.05 |
| Louisiana | 170 | $78,110 | $81,160 | $37.55 |
| South Carolina | 340 | $78,050 | $81,590 | $37.53 |
| Alaska | 380 | $77,870 | $83,600 | $37.44 |
| Hawaii | 510 | $77,310 | $106,360 | $37.17 |
| Nevada | 610 | $77,240 | $94,360 | $37.13 |
| Indiana | 2,600 | $77,190 | $74,700 | $37.11 |
| Tennessee | 560 | $76,930 | $83,360 | $36.98 |
| Michigan | 2,430 | $73,760 | $76,020 | $35.46 |
| Kentucky | 640 | $73,550 | $70,710 | $35.36 |
| Montana | 160 | $70,360 | $80,900 | $33.83 |
| Oklahoma | 250 | $62,400 | $75,640 | $30.00 |
| Arkansas | 180 | $62,070 | $77,270 | $29.84 |
| Utah | 250 | $61,190 | $81,260 | $29.42 |
| Puerto Rico | 120 | $58,830 | $55,410 | $28.29 |
| South Dakota | 100 | $57,900 | $83,770 | $27.84 |
| Alabama | 590 | $48,120 | $55,100 | $23.13 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Financial and Investment Analysts$102,740 a year
- Project Management Specialists$102,320 a year
- Management Analysts$101,860 a year
- Financial Examiners$94,160 a year
- Budget Analysts$91,640 a year
- Accountants and Auditors$83,680 a year
Common questions
How much do Labor Relations Specialists earn in the United States?
The median pay was $95,420 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $50,490 and the highest-paid 10% more than $156,180.
How many people work as Labor Relations Specialists?
About 64,810 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.