Labor Relations Specialists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for labor relations specialistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $98,720 ≈ $47/hr
National median salary $95,420
Total employment 64,810 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth -0.1%
Decline
Annual openings 5,100 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 65,400 → 65,400 (-100)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$124,610
- New Jersey$114,980
- Washington$113,530
- California$112,210
- New York$111,230
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $124,610 | $115,600 | $60 | +26.2% | 160 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $114,980 | $118,370 | $55 | +16.5% | 3,700 |
| 3 | Washington | $113,530 | $104,100 | $55 | +15% | 2,760 |
| 4 | California | $112,210 | $105,810 | $54 | +13.7% | 8,830 |
| 5 | New York | $111,230 | $100,500 | $53 | +12.7% | 6,860 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $111,180 | $111,260 | $53 | +12.6% | 1,660 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $109,510 | $100,760 | $53 | +10.9% | 1,710 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $106,360 | $77,310 | $51 | +7.7% | 510 |
| 9 | Delaware | $103,470 | $97,390 | $50 | +4.8% | 280 |
| 10 | Illinois | $102,970 | $104,180 | $50 | +4.3% | 3,670 |
| 11 | Virginia | $102,830 | $98,730 | $49 | +4.2% | 990 |
| 12 | Iowa | $100,350 | $79,140 | $48 | +1.7% | 610 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $98,890 | $91,320 | $48 | +0.2% | 3,470 |
| 14 | Maine | $97,890 | $96,680 | $47 | -0.8% | 210 |
| 15 | Maryland | $97,500 | $94,030 | $47 | -1.2% | 890 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $97,430 | $79,620 | $47 | -1.3% | 1,240 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $97,310 | $84,780 | $47 | -1.4% | 150 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $97,290 | $101,220 | $47 | -1.4% | 90 |
| 19 | Missouri | $97,100 | $93,840 | $47 | -1.6% | 1,190 |
| 20 | Colorado | $96,780 | $87,150 | $47 | -2% | 470 |
| 21 | Arizona | $95,740 | $97,070 | $46 | -3% | 790 |
| 22 | Oregon | $95,650 | $80,490 | $46 | -3.1% | 1,210 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $95,640 | $88,030 | $46 | -3.1% | 410 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $94,600 | $88,020 | $45 | -4.2% | 420 |
| 25 | Nevada | $94,360 | $77,240 | $45 | -4.4% | 610 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $94,030 | $95,750 | $45 | -4.8% | 1,690 |
| 27 | Vermont | $93,600 | $85,870 | $45 | -5.2% | 120 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $90,870 | $86,270 | $44 | -8% | 690 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $89,510 | $81,910 | $43 | -9.3% | 270 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $89,090 | $87,310 | $43 | -9.8% | 60 |
| 31 | Kansas | $89,040 | $82,750 | $43 | -9.8% | 370 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $88,560 | $83,770 | $43 | -10.3% | 120 |
| 33 | Florida | $87,120 | $81,700 | $42 | -11.8% | 1,970 |
| 34 | Ohio | $86,380 | $80,150 | $42 | -12.5% | 4,100 |
| 35 | Texas | $85,200 | $79,640 | $41 | -13.7% | 2,590 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $83,770 | $57,900 | $40 | -15.1% | 100 |
| 37 | Alaska | $83,600 | $77,870 | $40 | -15.3% | 380 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $83,360 | $76,930 | $40 | -15.6% | 560 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $82,000 | $79,360 | $39 | -16.9% | 200 |
| 40 | Idaho | $81,760 | $93,110 | $39 | -17.2% | 190 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $81,590 | $78,050 | $39 | -17.4% | 340 |
| 42 | Utah | $81,260 | $61,190 | $39 | -17.7% | 250 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $81,160 | $78,110 | $39 | -17.8% | 170 |
| 44 | Montana | $80,900 | $70,360 | $39 | -18.1% | 160 |
| 45 | Georgia | $78,300 | $81,480 | $38 | -20.7% | 920 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $77,270 | $62,070 | $37 | -21.7% | 180 |
| 47 | Michigan | $76,020 | $73,760 | $37 | -23% | 2,430 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $75,640 | $62,400 | $36 | -23.4% | 250 |
| 49 | Indiana | $74,700 | $77,190 | $36 | -24.3% | 2,600 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $70,710 | $73,550 | $34 | -28.4% | 640 |
| 51 | Alabama | $55,100 | $48,120 | $26 | -44.2% | 590 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 224 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $133,270 | $132,160 | 510 |
| 2 | Vallejo, CA | $131,680 | $165,310 | 100 |
| 3 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $128,320 | $126,580 | 40 |
| 4 | Bellingham, WA | $126,160 | $136,810 | 30 |
| 5 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $124,400 | $125,990 | 2,000 |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $119,200 | $118,910 | 1,990 |
| 7 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $118,520 | $113,790 | 1,280 |
| 8 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $115,940 | $110,240 | 160 |
| 9 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $112,740 | $114,010 | 100 |
| 10 | Worcester, MA | $112,230 | $111,130 | 140 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing labor relations specialistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chemical Manufacturing | $158,730 | $162,110 | 40 |
| 2 | Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services | $143,400 | $139,310 | 40 |
| 3 | Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services | $143,400 | $139,310 | 40 |
| 4 | Other Specialty Trade Contractors | $134,150 | $127,780 | — |
| 5 | Natural Gas Distribution | $133,540 | $126,230 | 90 |
| 6 | Software Publishers | $128,370 | $138,070 | 50 |
| 7 | Utilities | $128,120 | $125,350 | 220 |
| 8 | Sector 22 - Utilities | $128,120 | $125,350 | 220 |
| 9 | Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $127,910 | $123,120 | 80 |
| 10 | Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $125,520 | $124,280 | 130 |
| 11 | Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation | $124,660 | $129,390 | 30 |
| 12 | Publishing Industries | $124,390 | $128,850 | 70 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do labor relations specialists make in the U.S.?
The median labor relations specialists salary in the United States is $95,420 per year (mean $98,720), and about 80% earn between $50,490 and $156,180.
How much do labor relations specialists make per hour?
Roughly $47 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $98,720 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays labor relations specialists the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for labor relations specialists at $124,610 per year (median $115,600).
What is the job outlook for labor relations specialists?
Employment is projected to change -0.1% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 5,100 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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