Labor Relations Specialists Salary
Labor Relations Specialists in Bellingham, WA make a median of $126,160 a year, or about $60.65 an hour. The range runs from $75K at the entry level to $228K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.33), that's roughly $122,094 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,794/month, or 22.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $126K get you in Bellingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bellingham’s Regional Price Parity (103.33). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About labor relations specialists
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What this looks like in Bellingham
Bellingham sits well above the national pay line for labor relations specialists, local pay runs about 32% higher than the U.S. median of $95K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,794/month, 22.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 103.33) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Bellingham offers a genuinely strong financial position for labor relations specialistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for labor relations specialists in metros near Bellingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $119K | $107K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $102K | $98K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $78K | $77K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $113K | $113K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bellingham, WA
Entry-level labor relations specialists (10th percentile) start around $75K. Mid-career wages sit at $126K. Top earners bring in $228K or more, a $154K spread from bottom to top.
Labor Relations Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Labor Relations Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $118K | +24% | 3,700 |
| District of Columbia | $116K | +21% | 160 |
| Massachusetts | $111K | +17% | 1,660 |
| California | $106K | +11% | 8,830 |
| Illinois | $104K | +9% | 3,670 |
| Washington | $104K | +9% | 2,760 |
| North Dakota | $101K | +6% | 90 |
| Minnesota | $101K | +6% | 1,710 |
| New York | $101K | +5% | 6,860 |
| Virginia | $99K | +3% | 990 |
| Delaware | $97K | +2% | 280 |
| Arizona | $97K | +2% | 790 |
| Maine | $97K | +1% | 210 |
| Wisconsin | $96K | +0% | 1,690 |
| Maryland | $94K | -1% | 890 |
| Missouri | $94K | -2% | 1,190 |
| Idaho | $93K | -2% | 190 |
| Pennsylvania | $91K | -4% | 3,470 |
| Rhode Island | $88K | -8% | 410 |
| West Virginia | $88K | -8% | 420 |
| Wyoming | $87K | -8% | 60 |
| Colorado | $87K | -9% | 470 |
| North Carolina | $86K | -10% | 690 |
| Vermont | $86K | -10% | 120 |
| New Hampshire | $85K | -11% | 150 |
| New Mexico | $84K | -12% | 120 |
| Kansas | $83K | -13% | 370 |
| Nebraska | $82K | -14% | 270 |
| Florida | $82K | -14% | 1,970 |
| Georgia | $81K | -15% | 920 |
| Oregon | $80K | -16% | 1,210 |
| Ohio | $80K | -16% | 4,100 |
| Texas | $80K | -17% | 2,590 |
| Connecticut | $80K | -17% | 1,240 |
| Mississippi | $79K | -17% | 200 |
| Iowa | $79K | -17% | 610 |
| Louisiana | $78K | -18% | 170 |
| South Carolina | $78K | -18% | 340 |
| Alaska | $78K | -18% | 380 |
| Hawaii | $77K | -19% | 510 |
| Nevada | $77K | -19% | 610 |
| Indiana | $77K | -19% | 2,600 |
| Tennessee | $77K | -19% | 560 |
| Michigan | $74K | -23% | 2,430 |
| Kentucky | $74K | -23% | 640 |
| Montana | $70K | -26% | 160 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -35% | 250 |
| Arkansas | $62K | -35% | 180 |
| Utah | $61K | -36% | 250 |
| South Dakota | $58K | -39% | 100 |
| Alabama | $48K | -50% | 590 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track labor relations specialists salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a labor relations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bellingham?
Yes — at the median salary of $126K, rent takes 22.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,794/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for labor relations specialists in Bellingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new labor relations specialists typically earn — is $75K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,471/month. At HUD’s $1,794/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is labor relations specialist a high-paying job in Bellingham?
Local pay is 32% above the national median — $126K here vs. $95K nationally.
How does Bellingham compare to the national average for labor relations specialists?
Bellingham pays $126K median vs. the U.S. average of $95K — that’s +32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $122K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do labor relations specialists make in Bellingham, WA?
The median is $126,160 a year, that works out to about $61 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $74,520, and experienced labor relations specialists can clear $228,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $126K enough to live in Bellingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,082/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,794/month, which eats 22.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a labor relations specialists salary go in Bellingham?
Bellingham has a Regional Price Parity of 103.33 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median labor relations specialists salary is worth about $122,094 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do labor relations specialists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.