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The average salary for a Professional Recruiter is approximately $54,615 per year as of October 2025. This figure can vary based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which one works.
Entry-level recruiters typically start at lower salaries, while those with several years of experience can earn significantly more. For instance, recruiters with over five years of experience can expect salaries exceeding $70,000 annually.
Geographic location plays a crucial role in salary potential. States like California and New York offer some of the highest salaries for recruiters, with average earnings reaching upwards of $80,000. Additionally, urban areas like San Francisco and New York City are known for their competitive salaries due to the high demand for skilled recruiters.
Whether you’re just starting or looking to advance your career in recruiting, understanding salary trends is essential. By focusing on gaining relevant experience and considering relocation to higher-paying areas, professional recruiters can enhance their earning potential.
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The average professional recruiter salary in New York, New Jersey, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average professional recruiter salary states are Ohio, Nevada, and Nebraska.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $70,134 | $33.72 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $71,236 | $34.25 |
| 3 | Maine | $57,931 | $27.85 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $61,768 | $29.70 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $61,065 | $29.36 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $56,556 | $27.19 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $66,361 | $31.90 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $59,532 | $28.62 |
| 9 | Washington | $63,969 | $30.75 |
| 10 | Alaska | $61,601 | $29.62 |
| 11 | Vermont | $57,826 | $27.80 |
| 12 | Oregon | $57,830 | $27.80 |
| 13 | Kentucky | $55,384 | $26.63 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $53,277 | $25.61 |
| 15 | California | $61,958 | $29.79 |
| 16 | Alabama | $58,314 | $28.04 |
| 17 | Montana | $53,827 | $25.88 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $56,409 | $27.12 |
| 19 | Colorado | $55,333 | $26.60 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $51,232 | $24.63 |
| 21 | Texas | $55,414 | $26.64 |
| 22 | Delaware | $52,369 | $25.18 |
| 23 | Maryland | $58,355 | $28.06 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $55,648 | $26.75 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $50,204 | $24.14 |
| 26 | Illinois | $53,490 | $25.72 |
| 27 | Arizona | $52,213 | $25.10 |
| 28 | Kansas | $51,642 | $24.83 |
| 29 | Indiana | $49,506 | $23.80 |
| 30 | Connecticut | $53,510 | $25.73 |
| 31 | Missouri | $53,170 | $25.56 |
| 32 | Idaho | $51,758 | $24.88 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $53,095 | $25.53 |
| 34 | Iowa | $47,988 | $23.07 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $48,095 | $23.12 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $47,221 | $22.70 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $49,701 | $23.89 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $48,481 | $23.31 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $50,331 | $24.20 |
| 40 | Michigan | $48,858 | $23.49 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $48,689 | $23.41 |
| 42 | Virginia | $51,770 | $24.89 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $47,544 | $22.86 |
| 44 | Nevada | $46,481 | $22.35 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $47,792 | $22.98 |
| 46 | Ohio | $46,594 | $22.40 |
| 47 | Utah | $41,146 | $19.78 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $43,100 | $20.72 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $42,675 | $20.52 |
| 50 | Georgia | $47,083 | $22.64 |
| 51 | Florida | $41,677 | $20.04 |
The highest-paying cities for professional recruiters are New York, NY, Bellevue, WA, and Philadelphia, PA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $70,067 | $33.69 |
| 2 | Bellevue, WA | $64,174 | $30.85 |
| 3 | Philadelphia, PA | $62,030 | $29.82 |
| 4 | Goleta, CA | $61,600 | $29.62 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $59,564 | $28.64 |
| 6 | Birmingham, AL | $58,543 | $28.15 |
| 7 | Catonsville, MD | $58,469 | $28.11 |
| 8 | Charlotte, NC | $56,132 | $26.99 |
| 9 | Richardson, TX | $55,375 | $26.62 |
| 10 | Butte-Silver Bow, MT | $54,525 | $26.21 |
| 11 | Hartford, CT | $53,741 | $25.84 |
| 12 | Buffalo Grove, IL | $53,636 | $25.79 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $52,309 | $25.15 |
| 14 | Greenwood, IN | $49,296 | $23.70 |
| 15 | Troy, MI | $48,922 | $23.52 |
| 16 | Olive Branch, MS | $48,174 | $23.16 |
| 17 | Milwaukee, WI | $48,054 | $23.10 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $47,220 | $22.70 |
| 19 | Columbus, OH | $46,311 | $22.26 |
| 20 | Las Vegas, NV | $46,085 | $22.16 |
A professional recruiter's salary ranges from $40,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $74,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| Average | $54,615 | $4,551 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
The highest paying types of professional recruiters are senior technical recruiter, recruitment manager, and executive recruiter.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Talent Acquisition Consultant | $69,315 | $5,776 | $33.32 | 44,216 |
| Staffing Consultant | $40,837 | $3,403 | $19.63 | 41,815 |
| Recruiting Coordinator | $45,459 | $3,788 | $21.86 | 56,602 |
| Human Resources Coordinator | $44,074 | $3,673 | $21.19 | 53,322 |
| Recruitment Manager-Sales | $57,523 | $4,794 | $27.66 | 79,349 |
| Recruiting Internship | $35,951 | $2,996 | $17.28 | 65,341 |
Top companies hiring professional recruiters now:
Professional recruiter salaries at McKinsey & Company Inc and Yukon Kuskokwim Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average professional recruiter salary at companies like Yuma Regional Medical Center and McKee Foods are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McKinsey & Company Inc | $64,204 | $30.87 |
| 2 | Yukon Kuskokwim Health | $62,562 | $30.08 |
| 3 | Yuma Regional Medical Center | $60,261 | $28.97 |
| 4 | McKee Foods | $59,251 | $28.49 |
| 5 | The Restaurant | $58,485 | $28.12 |
| 6 | SOS Healthcare Staffing | $58,224 | $27.99 |
| 7 | Cooley | $57,708 | $27.74 |
| 8 | Day & Zimmermann | $56,962 | $27.39 |
| 9 | Bon Secours Community Hospital | $56,857 | $27.34 |
| 10 | Advantage Solutions | $56,295 | $27.06 |
| 11 | Vaco Binary Semantics | $56,157 | $27.00 |
| 12 | Alsco, Inc. | $56,110 | $26.98 |
| 13 | The Hartford | $56,071 | $26.96 |
| 14 | Voca | $55,655 | $26.76 |
| 15 | OSF HealthCare | $55,358 | $26.61 |
| 16 | Hormel Foods | $55,135 | $26.51 |
| 17 | U.S. Auto Parts | $55,058 | $26.47 |
| 18 | Comcast | $54,618 | $26.26 |
| 19 | Psg | $53,926 | $25.93 |
| 20 | GEICO | $53,902 | $25.91 |
The average professional recruiter salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Insurance | $60,015 | $28.85 |
| 2 | Health Care | $56,618 | $27.22 |
| 3 | Telecommunication | $56,334 | $27.08 |
| 4 | Media | $56,287 | $27.06 |
| 5 | Professional | $55,240 | $26.56 |
The average professional recruiter salary has risen by $7,230 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average professional recruiter earned $47,385 annually, but today, they earn $54,615 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for professional recruiters over the last decade.
Compare professional recruiter salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare professional recruiter salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $54,600 | $26.26 | +2.5% |
| 2025 | $53,300 | $25.61 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $52,400 | $25.18 | +0.9% |
| 2023 | $51,900 | $24.96 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $50,900 | $24.47 | +1.4% |
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