Labor Relations Specialists Salary
Labor Relations Specialists in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC make a median of $95,760 a year, or about $46.04 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $145K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.94), that's roughly $97,774 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,713/month, or 28.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $96K get you in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk’s Regional Price Parity (97.94). 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Labor relations specialists pay in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk tracks closely to the national median, $96K locally vs. $95K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $1,713/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.94) 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $99K | $102K |
| Roanoke | $93K | $99K |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $105K | $97K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $80K | $77K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Entry-level labor relations specialists (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $96K. Top earners bring in $145K or more, a $95K 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Yes — at the median salary of $96K, rent takes 29% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,713/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for labor relations specialists in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new labor relations specialists typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,007/month. At HUD’s $1,713/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $96K locally vs. $95K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk compare to the national average for labor relations specialists?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk pays $96K median vs. the U.S. average of $95K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do labor relations specialists make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median is $95,760 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,110, and experienced labor relations specialists can clear $145,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $96K enough to live in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,897/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,713/month, which eats 29% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk has a Regional Price Parity of 97.94 (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 $97,774 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.