Labor Relations Specialists Salary
Labor Relations Specialists in Tennessee make a median of $76,930 a year, or about $36.98 an hour. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $141K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $85,687 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,215/month, or 22.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $77K get you in Tennessee?
About labor relations specialists
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for labor relations specialists in Tennessee runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $95K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,215/month, 23.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Tennessee can be a reasonable trade-off for labor relations specialistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level labor relations specialists (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $141K or more, a $112K spread from bottom to top.
Labor Relations Specialists salary by metro in Tennessee
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga | $97K | +26% | 50 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $79K | +3% | 200 |
| Memphis | $74K | -3% | 140 |
| Knoxville | $57K | -25% | 80 |
Compare to other states
Track labor relations specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a labor relations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
Yes — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 23.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for labor relations specialists in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new labor relations specialists typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,774/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 Tennessee?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $77K here vs. $95K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for labor relations specialists?
Tennessee pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $95K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — below the national median.
How much do labor relations specialists make in Tennessee?
The median is $76,930 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,570, and experienced labor relations specialists can clear $141,290. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,209/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 23.3% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $85,687 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.