Labor Relations Specialists: Career Overview
Resolve disputes between workers and managers, negotiate collective bargaining agreements, or coordinate grievance procedures to handle employee complaints.
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What Tasks Do Labor Relations Specialists Take On?
The core tasks performed by labor relations specialists span:
- Negotiate collective bargaining agreements.
- Investigate and evaluate union complaints or arguments to determine viability.
- Propose resolutions for collective bargaining or other labor or contract negotiations.
- Draft contract proposals or counter-proposals for collective bargaining or other labor negotiations.
- Interpret contractual agreements for employers and employees engaged in collective bargaining or other labor relations processes.
- Prepare evidence for disciplinary hearings, including preparing witnesses to testify.
- Mediate discussions between employer and employee representatives in attempt to reconcile differences.
- Review employer practices or employee data to ensure compliance with contracts on matters such as wages, hours, or conditions of employment.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful labor relations specialists draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Labor Relations Specialists Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Appeals and Grievances Specialist
- Arbitration Specialist
- Business Agent
- Business Representative
- Collective Bargaining Specialist
- Conciliator
- Contract Negotiator
- Employee Engagement Specialist
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 210,263 labor relations specialists working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +2.5% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Labor Relations Specialists
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $129,587 |
| Hourly median | $62.30 |
| 10th percentile | $79,440 |
| 25th percentile | $104,513 |
| 75th percentile | $154,661 |
| 90th percentile | $179,735 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Labor Relations Specialists Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $124,930 |
| Alaska | $124,770 |
| New Jersey | $118,940 |
| Washington | $108,110 |
| New Hampshire | $106,070 |
| North Dakota | $105,590 |
| California | $105,320 |
| Oregon | $103,210 |
| Hawaii | $102,070 |
| New Mexico | $100,420 |
| New York | $98,200 |
| Wyoming | $97,620 |
| Massachusetts | $97,490 |
| Connecticut | $96,710 |
| West Virginia | $96,410 |
| Maine | $95,740 |
| Minnesota | $95,640 |
| Maryland | $95,450 |
| Illinois | $95,080 |
| Missouri | $93,910 |
| Virginia | $92,410 |
| Delaware | $91,910 |
| Utah | $91,730 |
| North Carolina | $88,270 |
| Wisconsin | $85,620 |
| Idaho | $84,100 |
| Vermont | $83,420 |
| Colorado | $82,120 |
| Oklahoma | $82,080 |
| Indiana | $81,820 |
| Nebraska | $81,360 |
| Pennsylvania | $79,330 |
| Michigan | $78,600 |
| Iowa | $78,260 |
| South Dakota | $78,180 |
| Texas | $77,750 |
| Arizona | $76,820 |
| Ohio | $76,810 |
| Florida | $76,490 |
| Georgia | $75,910 |
| Nevada | $75,730 |
| Louisiana | $75,280 |
| Kansas | $73,020 |
| Rhode Island | $72,360 |
| Mississippi | $71,550 |
| Tennessee | $66,640 |
| Montana | $64,360 |
| South Carolina | $62,370 |
| Kentucky | $61,800 |
| Puerto Rico | $58,680 |
| Alabama | $56,360 |
| Arkansas | $53,450 |
Where Labor Relations Specialists Earn the Most
Earnings for labor relations specialists vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $104,679 | 21.9% | 1.35 |
| Middle Atlantic | $98,113 | 23.0% | 1.56 |
| New England | $94,059 | 5.9% | 1.35 |
| Plains States | $89,363 | 6.5% | 1.01 |
| Great Lakes | $83,753 | 23.0% | 1.63 |
| Rocky Mountains | $83,136 | 1.5% | 0.43 |
| Southwest | $79,451 | 5.5% | 0.44 |
| Southeast | $75,788 | 12.6% | 0.58 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $145,360 | 590 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $126,460 | 2,110 |
| Worcester, MA | MA | $123,430 | 140 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | WA | $118,970 | 150 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $118,620 | 2,030 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | WA | $116,420 | 110 |
| Anchorage, AK | AK | $115,830 | 90 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | NJ | $115,370 | 140 |
Industry Breakdown
Most labor relations specialists are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 50,610 | $93,670 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 2,410 | $98,450 |
| Finance and Insurance | 1,870 | $89,110 |
| Educational Services | 1,430 | $81,160 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 1,240 | $86,180 |
| Manufacturing | 870 | $97,110 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 850 | $100,000 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 820 | $107,600 |
Below are examples of industries where labor relations specialists work:
Tech Stack
- Application server software: Kubernetes (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Oracle PeopleSoft (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: ServiceNow (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Workday software (hot technology)
- Human resources software: Oracle HRIS (in demand)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for labor relations specialists reflects the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Freedom to Make Decisions
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level labor relations specialists positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Compensation and Benefits Managers (Primary-Long)
- Human Resources Managers (Primary-Short)
- Social and Community Service Managers (Supplemental)
- Compliance Managers (Primary-Long)
- Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers (Primary-Short)
- Human Resources Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Management Analysts (Supplemental)
- Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Future labor relations specialists commonly pursue programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
3 programs across 1 majors
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 13-1075.00 (Labor Relations Specialists).
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