Labor Relations Specialists Career, Salary and Skills
Labor Relations Specialists have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $95,420 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 64,810. Wage data is published for 244 locations.
Occupation description
Resolve disputes between workers and managers, negotiate collective bargaining agreements, or coordinate grievance procedures to handle employee complaints.
O*NET code
13-1075.00
Job zone
4
Typical education
Bachelor's Degree
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$95,420
Hourly median
$45.87
Employment
64,810
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
$50,490
10th
$71,920
25th
$95,420
Median
$123,420
75th
$156,180
90th
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.38 | 4.50 |
| Speaking | 4.25 | 4.75 |
| Negotiation | 4.12 | 4.38 |
| Writing | 4.00 | 4.50 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.25 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.00 | 4.12 |
| Persuasion | 3.88 | 4.38 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.62 | 4.00 |
Typical tasks
- Develop employee health and safety policies.
- 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.
- Negotiate collective bargaining agreements.
Technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Internet Grievance System IGS
- Kubernetes
- LaborSoft LaborForce Arbitration/Appeals Manager module
- LaborSoft LaborForce Discipline Manager module
- LaborSoft LaborForce EEO Claims Manager module
- LaborSoft LaborForce Grievance Manager module
- LaborSoft LaborForce Incident Tracking module
- LaborSoft LaborForce Personnel Manager module
- LaborSoft LaborForce Reporting/Dashboard Manager module
- Micropact entellitrak Labor Relations Edition
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
Labor Relations Specialists salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Labor Relations Specialists Salary in CAMedian $105,810 · Employment 8,830
- Labor Relations Specialists Salary in New York, NYMedian $107,470 · Employment 6,930
- Labor Relations Specialists Salary in NYMedian $100,500 · Employment 6,860
- Labor Relations Specialists Salary in OHMedian $80,150 · Employment 4,100
- Labor Relations Specialists Salary in NJMedian $118,370 · Employment 3,700
- Labor Relations Specialists Salary in ILMedian $104,180 · Employment 3,670
- Labor Relations Specialists Salary in PAMedian $91,320 · Employment 3,470
- Labor Relations Specialists Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $102,980 · Employment 3,300
- Labor Relations Specialists Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $103,570 · Employment 3,090
- Labor Relations Specialists Salary in WAMedian $104,100 · Employment 2,760
- Labor Relations Specialists Salary in INMedian $77,190 · Employment 2,600
- Labor Relations Specialists Salary in TXMedian $79,640 · Employment 2,590
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- Administrative Services ManagersNational median $114,130
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersNational median $69,500
- Social and Community Service ManagersNational median $80,390
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsNational median $54,210
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.