# Labor Relations Specialists

> Resolve disputes between workers and managers, negotiate collective bargaining agreements, or coordinate grievance procedures to handle employee complaints.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/labor-relations-specialists
- SOC code: 13-1075.00
- Career family: Business and finance
- Median annual pay: $95,420 (10th percentile $50,490, 90th percentile $156,180)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +2.1%
- Openings a year: 4,800
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ECS)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 5 |
| Investigative (I) | 35 |
| Artistic (A) | 12 |
| Social (S) | 45 |
| Enterprising (E) | 78 |
| Conventional (C) | 60 |

## What you'd do

- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others (importance 87/100)
- Getting Information (importance 86/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 83/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 81/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 78/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 75/100)
- Processing Information (importance 71/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 70/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 68/100)
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others (importance 66/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Speaking, Negotiation, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Persuasion, Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making

## Knowledge

Personnel and Human Resources, English Language, Law and Government, Administration and Management, Education and Training, Customer and Personal Service, Computers and Electronics, Mathematics, Public Safety and Security, Administrative

## Also called

Appeals and Grievances Specialist, Arbitration Specialist, Business Agent, Business Representative, Collective Bargaining Specialist, Conciliator, Contract Negotiator, Employee and Labor Relations Specialist, Employee Engagement Specialist, Employee Experience Specialist

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Human Resources Management and Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5210) (CIP 5210, 758 colleges)
- Dispute Resolution (CIP 3028, 41 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Cornell University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cornell-university-new-york-710) | Human Resources Management and Services | $74,192 | $112,713 | $12,000 |
| [Northwestern University-Illinois](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northwestern-university-illinois-1966) | Human Resources Management and Services | $98,392 | $108,498 | not reported |
| [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-main-campus-2956) | Human Resources Management and Services | $69,663 | $99,594 | $20,596 |
| [George Washington University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/george-washington-university-1066) | Human Resources Management and Services | $58,393 | $97,126 | $20,000 |
| [Brigham Young University-Provo BYU Utah](https://www.collegesref.com/college/brigham-young-university-provo-byu-utah-302) | Human Resources Management and Services | $66,527 | $96,354 | not reported |
| [Waldorf University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/waldorf-university-3151) | Human Resources Management and Services | $68,676 | $94,822 | $25,747 |
| [University of Richmond](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-richmond-3026) | Human Resources Management and Services | $57,533 | $92,389 | $25,000 |
| [University of St Francis](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-st-francis-3054) | Human Resources Management and Services | not reported | $90,495 | $14,553 |

## Related careers

- [Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/arbitrators-mediators-and-conciliators): $75,530 median pay
- [Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/equal-opportunity-representatives-and-officers): $80,730 median pay
- [Human Resources Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/human-resources-managers): $149,280 median pay
- [Human Resources Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/human-resources-specialists): $75,940 median pay
- [Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/compensation-benefits-and-job-analysis-specialists): $78,210 median pay
- [Compensation and Benefits Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/compensation-and-benefits-managers): $149,230 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.