Labor Relations Specialists Salary
Labor Relations Specialists in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV make a median of $105,210 a year, or about $50.58 an hour. The range runs from $70K at the entry level to $158K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $96,629 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 34.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $105K actually covers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Labor relations specialists pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $105K locally vs. $95K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 35.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for labor relations specialists in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $80K | $77K |
| Richmond | $99K | $102K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $96K | $98K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level labor relations specialists (10th percentile) start around $70K. Mid-career wages sit at $105K. Top earners bring in $158K or more, a $88K 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 annually. We'll email you when Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
Related careers in Business & Finance
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a labor relations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $105K, rent takes 35.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,900/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new labor relations specialists typically earn — is $70K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,531/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 50% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $105K locally vs. $95K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for labor relations specialists?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $105K median vs. the U.S. average of $95K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do labor relations specialists make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $105,210 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,910, and experienced labor relations specialists can clear $158,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $105K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,358/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 35.3% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (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 $96,629 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.