Recruiter salary in Cleveland, OH
Cleveland pays recruiters more than Ohio as a whole but less than the country. The median is $70,900 a year1: 1.0% above the Ohio statewide median of $70,180 and 6.6% below the US median of $75,940. Nationally it ranks #178 of 521 areas. About 6,330 recruiters work here, 19% of the Ohio total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Cleveland, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cleveland against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland, OH | $47,140 | $70,900 | $115,500 | |
| Ohio | $45,950 | $70,180 | $118,340 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Cleveland earns $54,830–$92,440. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $115,500, only 2.5 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 $37,610 wide, against $37,890 across Ohio and $40,770 nationally: employers in Cleveland 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 | $47,140 | $3,928 | $22.66 | $60,826 |
| 25th percentile | $54,830 | $4,569 | $26.36 | $70,748 |
| Median | $70,900 | $5,908 | $34.09 | $91,484 |
| 75th percentile | $92,440 | $7,703 | $44.44 | $119,277 |
| 90th percentile | $115,500 | $9,625 | $55.53 | $149,032 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $21,540 a year in pay and about $27,794 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $16,070 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 Cleveland, and the Ohio statewide median of $70,180 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Cleveland
At the $70,900 median, a local hire costs about $91,484 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $20,584 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 Cleveland
Of the 17 roles we track in Cleveland, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($71,350) and executive assistants ($68,570). Project Coordinator is the highest at $95,000.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +12.8% | 10,740 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +0.6% | 5,440 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 6,330 | |
| Executive Assistant | -3.3% | 2,170 | |
| Office Manager | -8.8% | 8,590 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in Cleveland (-6.6%), between virtual receptionists (-4.4%) and office managers (-7.0%). The typical role here is at -3.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 6.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Cleveland, 6.5% across Ohio and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Ohio
Across the 16 areas of Ohio with data for this job, the median runs from $60,430 in the Southern Ohio nonmetro area to $75,440 in Columbus, a gap of $15,010 a year. All 2 areas in Ohio with more recruiters than Cleveland also pay more, among them Columbus, OH ($75,440) and Cincinnati, OH-KY ($73,010).
| Area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | +6.4% | 7,740 | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +3.0% | 7,110 | |
| Cleveland, OH | this area | 6,330 | |
| Akron, OH | -1.4% | 1,800 | |
| West Northwestern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -1.9% | 1,100 | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | -2.6% | 2,160 | |
| Toledo, OH | -5.2% | 1,500 |
Cleveland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cleveland is #33 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Ohio, Iowa City and Ogden pay just above Cleveland and Redding and Dallas-Fort Worth just below. All four are within $380 a year of the median in Cleveland. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | +6.1% | 6,950 | jobs | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | +4.6% | 5,710 | jobs | |
| Ogden, UT | +0.5% | 1,430 | pay | |
| Iowa City, IA | +0.3% | 480 | pay | |
| Cleveland, OH | this area | 6,330 | ||
| Redding, CA | -0.1% | 250 | pay | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | -0.3% | 29,190 | pay | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | -8.0% | 6,280 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Cleveland, OH?
About $91,484 a year at the median, or $7,624 a month: $70,900 in pay plus about $20,584 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in Cleveland?
The median was $70,900 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,140, the 90th $115,500, and the middle half earned $54,830 to $92,440.
Is Cleveland cheaper than the rest of Ohio for recruiters?
No, it costs more: a median of $70,900 against $70,180 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Cincinnati at $73,010, the next down Akron at $69,900.
How many recruiters work in Cleveland?
BLS counts about 6,330 in the May 2025 survey. That is 19% of the Ohio total of 33,500. Only Columbus and Cincinnati have more in Ohio.
Does a recruiter cost more than an executive assistant in Cleveland?
Yes: $2,330 a year more at the median. The medians are $70,900 and $68,570.
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.