Recruiter salary in Columbus, IN
Columbus is a lower-cost market for recruiters: the median of $62,330 a year1 is 5.0% below the Indiana statewide median of $65,600, and 17.9% below the US median of $75,940. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#394 of 521). About 340 recruiters work here, 2% of the Indiana total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Columbus, IN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Columbus against Indiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, IN | $43,310 | $62,330 | $100,800 | |
| Indiana | $44,810 | $65,600 | $106,830 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Columbus earns $49,380–$79,340. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $100,800, only 2.3 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($68,370) is 10% 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 $29,960 wide, against $32,290 across Indiana and $40,770 nationally: employers in Columbus 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 | $43,310 | $3,609 | $20.82 | $55,884 |
| 25th percentile | $49,380 | $4,115 | $23.74 | $63,716 |
| Median | $62,330 | $5,194 | $29.97 | $80,426 |
| 75th percentile | $79,340 | $6,612 | $38.14 | $102,374 |
| 90th percentile | $100,800 | $8,400 | $48.46 | $130,065 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $12,950 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $17,010, or about $21,948 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 Columbus, and the Indiana statewide median of $65,600 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Columbus
At the $62,330 median, a local hire costs about $80,426 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $18,096 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 Columbus
Of the 14 roles we track in Columbus, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($63,150) and office managers ($61,950). Project Coordinator is the highest at $91,510.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +6.5% | 180 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +1.3% | 240 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 340 | |
| Office Manager | -0.6% | 230 | |
| Executive Assistant | -2.0% | 50 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #12 of the 14 roles we track in Columbus (-17.9%), between marketing specialists (-15.7%) and paralegals (-19.7%). The typical role here is at -9.0%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in Columbus than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 9.9% of the jobs in these 14 roles in Columbus, 6.6% across Indiana and 5.9% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Indiana
Across the 15 areas of Indiana with data for this job, the median runs from $60,990 in Muncie to $67,690 in Michigan City-La Porte, a gap of $6,700 a year. Of the 9 areas in Indiana with more recruiters than Columbus, 1 pays less: the Central Indiana nonmetro area ($61,520).
| Area | Median | vs Columbus | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evansville, IN | +1.9% | 660 | |
| Southern Indiana (Nonmetro) | +0.6% | 760 | |
| Northern Indiana (Nonmetro) | +0.3% | 820 | |
| Columbus, IN | this area | 340 | |
| Terre Haute, IN | -1.0% | 240 | |
| Central Indiana (Nonmetro) | -1.3% | 670 | |
| Muncie, IN | -2.1% | 200 |
Columbus against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Columbus is #331 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Indiana, Missoula and Springfield pay just above Columbus and Harrisonburg and Wichita Falls just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Columbus. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Columbus | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck, ND | +21.9% | 340 | jobs | |
| Bangor, ME | +2.5% | 350 | jobs | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | +1.1% | 350 | jobs | |
| Springfield, OH | +0.1% | 200 | pay | |
| Missoula, MT | +0.1% | 280 | pay | |
| Columbus, IN | this area | 340 | ||
| Harrisonburg, VA | -0.0% | 240 | pay | |
| Wichita Falls, TX | -0.0% | 220 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Columbus, IN?
About $80,426 a year at the median, or $6,702 a month: $62,330 in pay plus about $18,096 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in Columbus?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $62,330 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $43,310, the 90th $100,800, and the middle half earned $49,380 to $79,340.
Is Columbus cheaper than the rest of Indiana for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $62,330 against $65,600 statewide. The next area up in Indiana is the Northern Indiana nonmetro area at $62,530, the next down Terre Haute at $61,730.
How many recruiters work in Columbus?
BLS counts about 340 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Indiana total of 17,110. 9 areas in Indiana have more; the closest in size is Lafayette-West Lafayette, with about 510.
Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in Columbus?
Yes: $380 a year more at the median. The medians are $62,330 and $61,950.
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.