Labor Relations Specialists Salary
Labor Relations Specialists in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN make a median of $103,570 a year, or about $49.79 an hour. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $135K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $99,981 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,781/month, or 27.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $104K get you in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin’s Regional Price Parity (103.59). 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Labor relations specialists pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin tracks closely to the national median, $104K locally vs. $95K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $1,781/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for labor relations specialists in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Springfield | $102K | $110K |
| Peoria | $103K | $113K |
| Decatur | $104K | $117K |
| Rockford | $100K | $109K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Entry-level labor relations specialists (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $104K. Top earners bring in $135K or more, a $79K 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Yes — at the median salary of $104K, rent takes 28.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,781/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for labor relations specialists in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new labor relations specialists typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,375/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $104K locally vs. $95K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for labor relations specialists?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $104K median vs. the U.S. average of $95K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $100K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do labor relations specialists make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $103,570 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,250, and experienced labor relations specialists can clear $135,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $104K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,343/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 28.1% 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (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 $99,981 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.