Recruiter salary in Columbia, SC
Columbia pays recruiters more than South Carolina as a whole but less than the country. The median is $67,990 a year1: 4.0% above the South Carolina statewide median of $65,370 and 10.5% below the US median of $75,940. Among US areas it comes in at #222 of 521. BLS counts about 2,270 people in this job here, 17% of the South Carolina total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Columbia, SC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Columbia against South Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, SC | $46,200 | $67,990 | $111,550 | |
| South Carolina | $46,070 | $65,370 | $118,590 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Columbia earns $53,310–$87,420. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $111,550, only 2.4 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($74,370) is 9% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $34,110 wide, against $35,610 across South Carolina and $40,770 nationally: employers in Columbia 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 | $46,200 | $3,850 | $22.21 | $59,613 |
| 25th percentile | $53,310 | $4,442 | $25.63 | $68,787 |
| Median | $67,990 | $5,666 | $32.69 | $87,729 |
| 75th percentile | $87,420 | $7,285 | $42.03 | $112,800 |
| 90th percentile | $111,550 | $9,296 | $53.63 | $143,935 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $19,430 a year in pay and about $25,071 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $14,680 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 Columbia, and the South Carolina statewide median of $65,370 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Columbia
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 $19,739 to the $67,990 median and brings it to $87,729 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 Columbia
Of the 17 roles we track in Columbia, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($68,600) and office managers ($62,230). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,260.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +1.8% | 3,260 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +0.9% | 1,800 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 2,270 | |
| Office Manager | -8.5% | 6,120 | |
| Paralegal | -15.8% | 1,790 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in Columbia (-10.5%), between office managers (-10.5%) and data entry specialists (-12.4%). The typical role here is at -10.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 4.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Columbia, 5.5% across South Carolina and 5.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in South Carolina
Across the 11 areas of South Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $61,300 in Florence to $70,580 in Charleston-North Charleston, a gap of $9,280 a year. The one area in South Carolina with more recruiters, Greenville-Anderson, SC ($66,870), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Columbia | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sumter, SC | +2.9% | 160 | |
| Northwestern South Carolina (Nonmetro) | +2.9% | 400 | |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC | +2.6% | 300 | |
| Columbia, SC | this area | 2,270 | |
| Spartanburg, SC | -0.9% | 850 | |
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | -1.6% | 2,430 | |
| Northeastern South Carolina (Nonmetro) | -8.2% | 330 |
Columbia against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Columbia is #63 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 South Carolina, Ocala and Glens Falls pay just above Columbia and Birmingham and Michigan City-La Porte just below. All four are within $300 a year of the median in Columbia. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Columbia | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | +25.8% | 2,350 | jobs | |
| Albuquerque, NM | +7.8% | 2,250 | jobs | |
| Glens Falls, NY | +0.3% | 190 | pay | |
| Ocala, FL | +0.1% | 450 | pay | |
| Columbia, SC | this area | 2,270 | ||
| Birmingham, AL | -0.2% | 3,060 | pay | |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | -0.4% | 160 | pay | |
| Boise City, ID | -2.8% | 2,180 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Columbia, SC?
About $87,729 a year at the median, or $7,311 a month: $67,990 in pay plus about $19,739 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Columbia?
The median was $67,990 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,200, the 90th $111,550, and the middle half earned $53,310 to $87,420.
Is Columbia cheaper than the rest of South Carolina for recruiters?
No, it costs more: a median of $67,990 against $65,370 statewide. The next area up in South Carolina is Hilton Head Island-Bluffton at $69,740, the next down Spartanburg at $67,410.
How many recruiters work in Columbia?
BLS counts about 2,270 in the May 2025 survey. That is 17% of the South Carolina total of 13,720. Only Greenville-Anderson has more in South Carolina.
Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in Columbia?
Yes: $5,760 a year more at the median. The medians are $67,990 and $62,230.
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.