Labor Relations Specialists pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $56,250 a year or less, while the top 10% make $135,290 or more. The middle half of labor relations specialists in Chicago earn between $77,190 and $116,340.
- $56K10th
- $77K25th
- $104KMedian
- $116K75th
- $135K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $99,990 | $8,332 | $48.07 |
| Median | $103,570 | $8,631 | $49.79 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $77,190 | $6,432 | $37.11 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $116,340 | $9,695 | $55.93 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Labor Relations Specialists pay in Chicago vs. Illinois and the U.S.
Labor relations specialists in Chicago earn about the same as the Illinois average ($102,970) and about the same as the U.S. average ($98,720). At the median the gap is +9% against the U.S. median of $95,420.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $99,990 | $103,570 | $56,250 | $135,290 | 3,090 |
| Illinois | $102,970 | $104,180 | $63,150 | $144,200 | 3,670 |
| United States | $98,720 | $95,420 | $50,490 | $156,180 | 64,810 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Labor Relations Specialists salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $99,990, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $74,365 a year, or $6,197 a month and $2,860 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $76,203 | $6,350 |
| Working in IL | $74,365 | $6,197 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for labor relations specialists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $99,990 buys what about $96,520 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 3.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Labor Relations Specialists salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 5th of 6 Illinois metro areas for this job; Rockford pays the most ($106,520).
- Rockford$106,520
- Peoria$102,700
- Champaign$101,740
- Decatur$101,360
- Chicago$99,990
- Springfield$99,050
Highest-paying cities for labor relations specialists
Vallejo, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($165,310).
- Vallejo, CA$165,310
- Bellingham, WA$136,810
- San Jose, CA$132,160
- Santa Cruz, CA$126,580
- San Francisco, CA$125,990
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Labor Relations Specialists salary in Chicago: questions
How much do labor relations specialists make an hour in Chicago?
$48.07 an hour on average, and $49.79 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level labor relations specialists salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $56,250 a year and the 25th percentile is $77,190, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the labor relations specialists take-home pay in Chicago?
About $74,365 a year ($6,197 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $99,990.
Do labor relations specialists earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($98,720).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 13-1075; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.0%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.64, this job is 1.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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