Recruiter salary in Bakersfield-Delano, CA
Bakersfield-Delano pays recruiters less than California as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $76,700 a year1: 8.1% below the California statewide median of $83,500 and 1.0% above the US median of $75,940. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#79 of 521). About 1,240 recruiters work here, 1% of the California total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Bakersfield-Delano, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Bakersfield-Delano against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $47,980 | $76,700 | $121,660 | |
| California | $52,770 | $83,500 | $151,410 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Bakersfield-Delano earns $60,050–$98,640. The top tenth earns $121,660 or more, 2.5 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.7 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $38,590 wide, against $51,370 across California and $40,770 nationally: employers in Bakersfield-Delano pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a recruiter here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,980 | $3,998 | $23.07 | $61,910 |
| 25th percentile | $60,050 | $5,004 | $28.87 | $77,484 |
| Median | $76,700 | $6,392 | $36.88 | $98,968 |
| 75th percentile | $98,640 | $8,220 | $47.42 | $127,277 |
| 90th percentile | $121,660 | $10,138 | $58.49 | $156,981 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $16,650 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $21,940, or about $28,310 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $75,940 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in Bakersfield-Delano, and the California statewide median of $83,500 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Bakersfield-Delano
At the $76,700 median, a local hire costs about $98,968 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $22,268 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for recruiters we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Bakersfield-Delano
Of the 17 roles we track in Bakersfield-Delano, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($79,620) and executive assistants ($72,860). Project Coordinator is the highest at $104,580.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +36.3% | 1,410 | |
| Accountant | +3.8% | 1,870 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 1,240 | |
| Executive Assistant | -5.0% | 650 | |
| Office Manager | -6.3% | 2,430 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Bakersfield-Delano (+1.0%), between HR assistants (+1.9%) and paralegals (+0.8%). The typical role here is at +2.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 5.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Bakersfield-Delano, 6.2% across California and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $70,830 in Redding to $112,140 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $41,310 a year. Of the 8 areas in California with more recruiters than Bakersfield-Delano, 2 pay less: Riverside-San Bernardino, CA ($76,570) and Fresno, CA ($74,170).
| Area | Median | vs Bakersfield-Delano | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | +1.7% | 610 | |
| Modesto, CA | +0.5% | 730 | |
| Merced, CA | +0.2% | 280 | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | this area | 1,240 | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | -0.2% | 7,210 | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | -0.2% | 1,160 | |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | -0.6% | 110 |
Bakersfield-Delano against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Bakersfield-Delano is #104 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside California, Norwich-New London and Providence-Warwick pay just above Bakersfield-Delano and Philadelphia-Camden and Topeka just below. All four are within $230 a year of the median in Bakersfield-Delano. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Bakersfield-Delano | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven, CT | +7.6% | 1,230 | jobs | |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | +0.3% | 4,180 | pay | |
| Norwich-New London, CT | +0.1% | 440 | pay | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | this area | 1,240 | ||
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | +0.0% | 16,000 | pay | |
| Topeka, KS | -0.0% | 720 | pay | |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | -15.6% | 1,220 | jobs | |
| Springfield, MO | -17.7% | 1,270 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?
About $98,968 a year at the median, or $8,247 a month: $76,700 in pay plus about $22,268 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in Bakersfield-Delano?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $76,700 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,980, the 90th $121,660, and the middle half earned $60,050 to $98,640.
Is Bakersfield-Delano cheaper than the rest of California for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $76,700 against $83,500 statewide. The next area up in California is Merced at $76,820, the next down Riverside-San Bernardino at $76,570.
How many recruiters work in Bakersfield-Delano?
BLS counts about 1,240 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the California total of 104,000. 8 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, with about 1,710.
Does a recruiter cost more than an executive assistant in Bakersfield-Delano?
Yes: $3,840 a year more at the median. The medians are $76,700 and $72,860.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1071: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.