Labor Relations Specialists Salary
Labor Relations Specialists in Portland-South Portland, ME make a median of $95,300 a year, or about $45.82 an hour. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $136K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.86), that's roughly $93,560 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,130/month, about 35.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $95K get you in Portland-South Portland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-South Portland’s Regional Price Parity (101.86). 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 Portland-South Portland
Labor relations specialists pay in Portland-South Portland tracks closely to the national median, $95K locally vs. $95K nationwide, a 0% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,130/month, which is 36.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for labor relations specialists in metros near Portland-South Portland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester-Nashua | $76K | $72K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-South Portland, ME
Entry-level labor relations specialists (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $95K. Top earners bring in $136K or more, a $80K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Portland-South Portland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a labor relations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-South Portland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $95K, rent takes 36.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,130/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for labor relations specialists in Portland-South Portland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new labor relations specialists typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,332/month. At HUD’s $2,130/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $95K locally vs. $95K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Portland-South Portland compare to the national average for labor relations specialists?
Portland-South Portland pays $95K median vs. the U.S. average of $95K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $94K — below the national median.
How much do labor relations specialists make in Portland-South Portland, ME?
The median is $95,300 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $55,530, and experienced labor relations specialists can clear $135,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $95K enough to live in Portland-South Portland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,844/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,130/month, which eats 36.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a labor relations specialists salary go in Portland-South Portland?
Portland-South Portland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.86 (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 $93,560 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.