Labor Relations Specialists Salary
Labor Relations Specialists in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN make a median of $79,050 a year, or about $38 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $101K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.43), which stretches that salary to about $84,609 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,242/month, or 23.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $79K get you in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lafayette-West Lafayette’s Regional Price Parity (93.43). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Lafayette-West Lafayette
Pay for labor relations specialists in Lafayette-West Lafayette runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $95K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,242/month, 24.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.43 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Lafayette-West Lafayette can be a reasonable trade-off for labor relations specialistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for labor relations specialists in metros near Lafayette-West Lafayette, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $77K | $80K |
| Evansville | $73K | $80K |
| Fort Wayne | $77K | $84K |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $76K | $82K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN
Entry-level labor relations specialists (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $101K or more, a $57K 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 states
Track labor relations specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Lafayette-West Lafayette numbers change.
Related careers in Business & Finance
Frequently asked questions
Can a labor relations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 24.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,242/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for labor relations specialists in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new labor relations specialists typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,681/month. At HUD’s $1,242/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $79K here vs. $95K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Lafayette-West Lafayette compare to the national average for labor relations specialists?
Lafayette-West Lafayette pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $95K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.43), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — below the national median.
How much do labor relations specialists make in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN?
The median is $79,050 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,680, and experienced labor relations specialists can clear $101,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,132/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,242/month, which eats 24.2% 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Lafayette-West Lafayette has a Regional Price Parity of 93.43 (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 $84,609 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.