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The average salary for an Industrial Relations Specialist in the United States is approximately $55,600 annually or $27 per hour. This position plays a crucial role in managing workforce relations and addressing employee grievances. Factors such as geographical location, years of experience, and specific industry can significantly impact earnings.
In states like California and New York, salaries tend to be higher due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. For instance, professionals in California can earn upwards of $70,000 annually, compared to those in less populated states.
Those interested in pursuing a career as an Industrial Relations Specialist can expect various job opportunities in sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, and education. Advanced degrees or certifications may enhance earning potential and career advancement.
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The highest-paying states for industrial relations specialists are New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. The lowest average industrial relations specialist salary states are Louisiana, Hawaii, and Indiana.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $88,296 | $42.45 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $83,361 | $40.08 |
| 3 | Nevada | $73,014 | $35.10 |
| 4 | Delaware | $72,653 | $34.93 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $72,026 | $34.63 |
| 6 | Maryland | $87,797 | $42.21 |
| 7 | Iowa | $65,237 | $31.36 |
| 8 | New York | $70,770 | $34.02 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $95,423 | $45.88 |
| 10 | Vermont | $67,016 | $32.22 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $72,803 | $35.00 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $71,656 | $34.45 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $75,850 | $36.47 |
| 14 | Oregon | $64,742 | $31.13 |
| 15 | Michigan | $64,361 | $30.94 |
| 16 | Arizona | $63,444 | $30.50 |
| 17 | Illinois | $67,491 | $32.45 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $66,521 | $31.98 |
| 19 | Virginia | $69,380 | $33.36 |
| 20 | Alabama | $64,414 | $30.97 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $64,634 | $31.07 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $56,666 | $27.24 |
| 23 | Utah | $59,384 | $28.55 |
| 24 | Kansas | $62,316 | $29.96 |
| 25 | Idaho | $59,964 | $28.83 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $53,169 | $25.56 |
| 27 | California | $63,441 | $30.50 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $53,152 | $25.55 |
| 29 | Colorado | $63,958 | $30.75 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $49,392 | $23.75 |
| 31 | Maine | $54,376 | $26.14 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $53,974 | $25.95 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $58,527 | $28.14 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $58,371 | $28.06 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $54,168 | $26.04 |
| 36 | Ohio | $51,657 | $24.84 |
| 37 | Washington | $60,128 | $28.91 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $46,416 | $22.32 |
| 39 | Texas | $55,044 | $26.46 |
| 40 | Alaska | $47,397 | $22.79 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $41,986 | $20.19 |
| 42 | Montana | $46,917 | $22.56 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $48,640 | $23.38 |
| 44 | Georgia | $47,519 | $22.85 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $44,111 | $21.21 |
| 46 | Florida | $37,588 | $18.07 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $43,570 | $20.95 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $49,778 | $23.93 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $37,527 | $18.04 |
| 50 | Indiana | $40,419 | $19.43 |
| 51 | Missouri | $38,173 | $18.35 |
The highest-paying cities for industrial relations specialists are Edison, NJ, Washington, DC, and Annapolis, MD.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edison, NJ | $95,510 | $45.92 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $88,318 | $42.46 |
| 3 | Annapolis, MD | $87,882 | $42.25 |
| 4 | Horsham, PA | $83,946 | $40.36 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $75,631 | $36.36 |
| 6 | Las Vegas, NV | $72,146 | $34.69 |
| 7 | Pleasanton, CA | $70,714 | $34.00 |
| 8 | Richmond, VA | $69,352 | $33.34 |
| 9 | Buffalo Grove, IL | $68,070 | $32.73 |
| 10 | Rochester, NY | $68,001 | $32.69 |
| 11 | Davenport, IA | $65,872 | $31.67 |
| 12 | Sterling Heights, MI | $64,857 | $31.18 |
| 13 | Birmingham, AL | $64,327 | $30.93 |
| 14 | Englewood, CO | $64,024 | $30.78 |
| 15 | Phoenix, AZ | $63,842 | $30.69 |
| 16 | Portland, OR | $63,635 | $30.59 |
| 17 | Olympia, WA | $61,564 | $29.60 |
| 18 | Salt Lake City, UT | $59,117 | $28.42 |
| 19 | Dallas, TX | $55,103 | $26.49 |
| 20 | Memphis, TN | $53,109 | $25.53 |
An industrial relations specialist's salary ranges from $38,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $79,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| 75th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
| Average | $55,600 | $4,633 | $27 |
| 25th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
The highest paying types of industrial relations specialists are labour relations manager, labour relations consultant, and labour relations representative.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employee Relations Representative | $60,816 | $5,068 | $29.24 | 35,780 |
| Employee Relations Coordinator | $53,308 | $4,442 | $25.63 | 46,224 |
| Labour Relations Manager | $86,150 | $7,179 | $41.42 | 31,787 |
| Labour Relations Representative | $67,214 | $5,601 | $32.31 | 32,650 |
Top companies hiring industrial relations specialists now:
Industrial relations specialist salaries at ConocoPhillips and Salesforce are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average industrial relations specialist salary at companies like Amazon and Crown Castle International are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ConocoPhillips | $98,562 | $47.39 |
| 2 | Salesforce | $92,659 | $44.55 |
| 3 | Amazon | $86,407 | $41.54 |
| 4 | Crown Castle International | $84,211 | $40.49 |
| 5 | American Senior Benefits | $67,602 | $32.50 |
| 6 | EAB | $65,134 | $31.31 |
| 7 | Deloitte | $63,787 | $30.67 |
| 8 | Acument Global Technologies | $63,669 | $30.61 |
| 9 | United States Army Corps of Engineers | $60,471 | $29.07 |
| 10 | Jeppesen | $60,168 | $28.93 |
| 11 | Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City | $60,116 | $28.90 |
| 12 | Hawthorne Cat | $60,006 | $28.85 |
| 13 | H-E-B | $58,995 | $28.36 |
| 14 | Cogent Communications | $58,579 | $28.16 |
| 15 | Blood Heroes | $58,373 | $28.06 |
| 16 | Alliance Physical Therapy Partners | $57,102 | $27.45 |
| 17 | Spire | $56,622 | $27.22 |
| 18 | Washington State University | $55,707 | $26.78 |
| 19 | Texas | $55,500 | $26.68 |
| 20 | Vanguard Services | $53,658 | $25.80 |
The average industrial relations specialist salary has risen by $14,636 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average industrial relations specialist earned $40,964 annually, but today, they earn $55,600 a year. That works out to a 18% change in pay for industrial relations specialists over the last decade.
Compare industrial relations specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare industrial relations specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $55,600 | $26.73 | +5.8% |
| 2024 | $52,400 | $25.19 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | $51,500 | $24.74 | +6.8% |
| 2022 | $48,000 | $23.07 | +1.4% |
| 2021 | $47,300 | $22.74 | +5.6% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington Health | Patient Relations Specialist | Pasadena, TX | 06/28/2025 | $48,001 |
| Seabreeze Management Company | HOA Resident Relations Specialist | Apple Valley, CA | 06/27/2025 | $35,479 |
| State of Washington | L&I Industrial Relations Agent 2-Bilingual (Spanish) | Ione, WA | 06/27/2025 | $54,204 |
| Columbia University In The City of New York | Industry Relations Specialist, Career Design Lab | New York, NY | 06/13/2025 | $69,000 |
| Abbtech Professional Resources, Inc. | EN Industrial Professional NS & E | Oak Ridge, TN | 05/23/2025 | $56,746 |
| Amazon | Privacy Industry Specialist | Nashville, TN | 05/16/2025 | $99,900 |
| CDI | Industry Relations Specialist | Visalia, CA | 05/11/2025 | $75,989 |
| California Dairies | Industry Relations Specialist | Visalia, CA | 05/08/2025 | $75,989 |
| Mms Group | Resident Relations Specialist | Largo, MD | 04/28/2025 | $12,000 |
| Accenture | Industry X-Rockwell Factorytalk Pharmasuite (Ftps) MES Specialist | Minneapolis, MN | 04/11/2025 | $64,008 |
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