Labor Relations Specialists Salary
Labor Relations Specialists in Illinois make a median of $104,180 a year, or about $50.09 an hour. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $144K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $111,007 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 21.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $104K get you in Illinois?
About labor relations specialists
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What this looks like in Illinois
Labor relations specialists pay in Illinois tracks closely to the national median, $104K locally vs. $95K nationwide, a 9% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,407/month, 22.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level labor relations specialists (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $104K. Top earners bring in $144K or more, a $81K spread from bottom to top.
Labor Relations Specialists salary by metro in Illinois
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | $104K | -0% | 70 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $104K | -1% | 3,090 |
| Peoria | $103K | -1% | 100 |
| Springfield | $102K | -2% | 240 |
| Rockford | $100K | -4% | 50 |
| Champaign-Urbana | $100K | -4% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track labor relations specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a labor relations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
Yes — at the median salary of $104K, rent takes 22.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for labor relations specialists in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new labor relations specialists typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,789/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Illinois?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $104K locally vs. $95K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for labor relations specialists?
Illinois pays $104K median vs. the U.S. average of $95K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $111K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do labor relations specialists make in Illinois?
The median is $104,180 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,150, and experienced labor relations specialists can clear $144,200. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $104K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,377/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 22.1% 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 Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median labor relations specialists salary is worth about $111,007 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.