Recruiter salary in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area
Hiring a recruiter costs less in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area than in Kentucky or the country as a whole. The median is $63,900 a year1: 7.4% below the Kentucky statewide median of $69,010 and 15.9% below the US median of $75,940. Nationally it ranks #326 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 880 people in this job here, 8% of the Kentucky total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area against Kentucky and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | $41,590 | $63,900 | $96,880 | |
| Kentucky | $43,690 | $69,010 | $107,940 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area earns $50,280–$78,010. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $96,880, only 2.3 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $27,730 wide, against $32,310 across Kentucky and $40,770 nationally: employers in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area 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 | $41,590 | $3,466 | $20.00 | $53,665 |
| 25th percentile | $50,280 | $4,190 | $24.17 | $64,877 |
| Median | $63,900 | $5,325 | $30.72 | $82,452 |
| 75th percentile | $78,010 | $6,501 | $37.50 | $100,658 |
| 90th percentile | $96,880 | $8,073 | $46.58 | $125,006 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $13,620 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $14,110, or about $18,206 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 median and the 75th percentile in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area, and the Kentucky statewide median of $69,010 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area
At the $63,900 median, a local hire costs about $82,452 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $18,552 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 the Central Kentucky nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($70,670) and office managers ($63,550). Project Coordinator is the highest at $76,260.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +19.3% | 960 | |
| Accountant | +10.6% | 1,070 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 880 | |
| Office Manager | -0.5% | 1,620 | |
| Executive Assistant | -9.9% | 370 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area (-15.9%), between accountants (-15.5%) and e-commerce order specialists (-16.1%). The typical role here is at -16.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 5.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area, 5.5% across Kentucky and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Kentucky
Across the 10 areas of Kentucky with data for this job, the median runs from $54,180 in the East Kentucky nonmetro area to $78,850 in Elizabethtown, a gap of $24,670 a year. All 3 areas in Kentucky with more recruiters than the Central Kentucky nonmetro area also pay more, among them Louisville, KY-IN ($71,880) and Lexington-Fayette, KY ($69,990).
| Area | Median | vs the Central Kentucky nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY-IN | +12.5% | 3,680 | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | +9.5% | 1,320 | |
| Paducah, KY-IL | +0.9% | 210 | |
| Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | this area | 880 | |
| Owensboro, KY | -2.3% | 170 | |
| Bowling Green, KY | -3.2% | 360 | |
| West Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -7.3% | 490 |
the Central Kentucky nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Central Kentucky nonmetro area is #142 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Kentucky, Bangor and Altoona pay just above the Central Kentucky nonmetro area and Idaho Falls and Kankakee just below. All four are within $180 a year of the median in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Central Kentucky nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | +25.7% | 870 | jobs | |
| Fayetteville, NC | +18.1% | 870 | jobs | |
| Peoria, IL | +15.8% | 890 | jobs | |
| Altoona, PA | +0.0% | 310 | pay | |
| Bangor, ME | +0.0% | 350 | pay | |
| Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | this area | 880 | ||
| Idaho Falls, ID | -0.1% | 280 | pay | |
| Kankakee, IL | -0.3% | 160 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Central Kentucky (Nonmetro)?
About $82,452 a year at the median, or $6,871 a month: $63,900 in pay plus about $18,552 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area?
The median was $63,900 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $41,590, the 90th $96,880, and the middle half earned $50,280 to $78,010.
Is the Central Kentucky nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Kentucky for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $63,900 against $69,010 statewide. The next area up in Kentucky is Paducah at $64,500, the next down Owensboro at $62,440.
How many recruiters work in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 880 in the May 2025 survey. That is 8% of the Kentucky total of 10,900. 3 areas in Kentucky have more; the closest in size is Elizabethtown, with about 1,060.
Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in the Central Kentucky nonmetro area?
Yes: $350 a year more at the median. The medians are $63,900 and $63,550.
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.