Recruiter salary in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
Hiring a recruiter costs less in Buffalo-Cheektowaga than in New York or the country as a whole. The median is $74,510 a year1: 11.7% below the New York statewide median of $84,380 and 1.9% below the US median of $75,940. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#126 of 521). BLS counts about 2,730 people in this job here, 5% of the New York total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Buffalo-Cheektowaga against New York and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $48,920 | $74,510 | $120,410 | |
| New York | $56,040 | $84,380 | $149,990 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Buffalo-Cheektowaga earns $59,750–$94,990. The top tenth earns $120,410 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 $35,240 wide, against $53,120 across New York and $40,770 nationally: employers in Buffalo-Cheektowaga 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 | $48,920 | $4,077 | $23.52 | $63,123 |
| 25th percentile | $59,750 | $4,979 | $28.73 | $77,097 |
| Median | $74,510 | $6,209 | $35.82 | $96,142 |
| 75th percentile | $94,990 | $7,916 | $45.67 | $122,568 |
| 90th percentile | $120,410 | $10,034 | $57.89 | $155,368 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $20,480 a year in pay and about $26,426 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $14,760 in pay. 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 median and the 75th percentile in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, and the New York statewide median of $84,380 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Buffalo-Cheektowaga
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $21,632 to the $74,510 median and brings it to $96,142 a year. 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga
Of the 17 roles we track in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between executive assistants ($74,870) and sales development representatives ($73,070). Project Coordinator is the highest at $101,180.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +2.0% | 2,520 | |
| Executive Assistant | +0.5% | 2,870 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 2,730 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -1.9% | 3,330 | |
| Office Manager | -6.1% | 4,410 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in Buffalo-Cheektowaga (-1.9%), between accountants (-1.9%) and executive assistants (-2.2%). The typical role here is at -1.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 4.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, 5.0% across New York and 5.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in New York
Across the 16 areas of New York with data for this job, the median runs from $68,170 in Glens Falls to $89,780 in New York-Newark, a gap of $21,610 a year. All 2 areas in New York with more recruiters than Buffalo-Cheektowaga also pay more, among them New York-Newark, NY-NJ ($89,780) and Albany-Schenectady, NY ($77,000).
| Area | Median | vs Buffalo-Cheektowaga | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, NY | +2.8% | 2,460 | |
| Binghamton, NY | +2.2% | 330 | |
| Ithaca, NY | +1.0% | 200 | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | this area | 2,730 | |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | -0.8% | 180 | |
| Southwest New York (Nonmetro) | -0.8% | 670 | |
| Central East New York (Nonmetro) | -0.8% | 590 |
Buffalo-Cheektowaga against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Buffalo-Cheektowaga is #54 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 New York, Phoenix-Mesa and Yuba City pay just above Buffalo-Cheektowaga and Spokane-Spokane Valley and Salt Lake City-Murray just below. All four are within $170 a year of the median in Buffalo-Cheektowaga. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Buffalo-Cheektowaga | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | +2.9% | 2,810 | jobs | |
| Yuba City, CA | +0.2% | 180 | pay | |
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | +0.2% | 15,430 | pay | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | this area | 2,730 | ||
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | -0.1% | 1,370 | pay | |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | -0.1% | 5,350 | pay | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | -5.9% | 2,640 | jobs | |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | -9.2% | 2,630 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?
About $96,142 a year at the median, or $8,012 a month: $74,510 in pay plus about $21,632 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $74,510 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $48,920, the 90th $120,410, and the middle half earned $59,750 to $94,990.
Is Buffalo-Cheektowaga cheaper than the rest of New York for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $74,510 against $84,380 statewide. The next area up in New York is Ithaca at $75,270, the next down Watertown-Fort Drum at $73,920.
How many recruiters work in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
BLS counts about 2,730 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the New York total of 54,610. Only New York-Newark and Albany-Schenectady have more in New York.
Does a recruiter cost more than a sales development representative in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Yes: $1,440 a year more at the median. The medians are $74,510 and $73,070.
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.