Recruiter salary in Denver-Aurora, CO
Budget above the national rate here. The median recruiter in Denver-Aurora earned $82,550 a year in May 20251, 2.1% above the Colorado statewide median of $80,840 and 8.7% above the US median of $75,940. Only 17 of 521 US areas pay more for this job. With about 12,520 recruiters, 64% of the Colorado total, no area in Colorado employs more.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Denver-Aurora against Colorado and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora, CO | $53,130 | $82,550 | $135,870 | |
| Colorado | $51,290 | $80,840 | $133,850 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Denver-Aurora earns $63,520–$105,910. The top tenth earns $135,870 or more, 2.6 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.7 times. The mean ($90,400) 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 $42,390 wide, wider than in Colorado as a whole ($42,350) and the US ($40,770), so what a recruiter earns in Denver-Aurora depends more on the employer.
What to budget for a recruiter here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $53,130 | $4,428 | $25.54 | $68,555 |
| 25th percentile | $63,520 | $5,293 | $30.54 | $81,961 |
| Median | $82,550 | $6,879 | $39.69 | $106,516 |
| 75th percentile | $105,910 | $8,826 | $50.92 | $136,658 |
| 90th percentile | $135,870 | $11,322 | $65.32 | $175,316 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $19,030 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $23,360, or about $30,142 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 25th percentile and the median in Denver-Aurora, and the Colorado statewide median of $80,840 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Denver-Aurora
At the $82,550 median, a local hire costs about $106,516 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $23,966 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 Denver-Aurora
Of the 17 roles we track in Denver-Aurora, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($99,040) and sales development representatives ($80,650). Project Coordinator is the highest at $116,740.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +21.2% | 22,720 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +20.0% | 17,000 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 12,520 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -2.3% | 24,480 | |
| Paralegal | -2.5% | 3,740 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Denver-Aurora (+8.7%), between HR assistants (+10.8%) and data entry specialists (+8.6%). The typical role here is at +11.2%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 6.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Denver-Aurora, 6.1% across Colorado and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Colorado
Across the 10 areas of Colorado with data for this job, the median runs from $66,660 in Grand Junction to $86,200 in Boulder, a gap of $19,540 a year. No other area in Colorado has as many recruiters, and 8 of the other 9 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Denver-Aurora | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | +4.4% | 1,480 | |
| Denver-Aurora, CO | this area | 12,520 | |
| Colorado Springs, CO | -4.3% | 1,800 | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | -4.9% | 900 | |
| Greeley, CO | -7.7% | 580 | |
| Northwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | -11.2% | 580 | |
| Pueblo, CO | -16.6% | 290 |
Denver-Aurora against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Denver-Aurora is #15 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 Colorado, Hartford-West Hartford and Vallejo pay just above Denver-Aurora and New Haven and Charlottesville just below. All four are within $610 a year of the median in Denver-Aurora. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Denver-Aurora | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | +12.4% | 14,120 | jobs | |
| Vallejo, CA | +0.7% | 650 | pay | |
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | +0.4% | 3,460 | pay | |
| Denver-Aurora, CO | this area | 12,520 | ||
| New Haven, CT | -0.0% | 1,230 | pay | |
| Charlottesville, VA | -0.1% | 610 | pay | |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | -2.7% | 12,660 | jobs | |
| Detroit-Warren, MI | -8.1% | 11,480 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Denver-Aurora, CO?
About $106,516 a year at the median, or $8,876 a month: $82,550 in pay plus about $23,966 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Denver-Aurora?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $82,550 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $53,130, the 90th $135,870, and the middle half earned $63,520 to $105,910.
Is Denver-Aurora cheaper than the rest of Colorado for recruiters?
No, it costs more: a median of $82,550 against $80,840 statewide. The next area up in Colorado is Boulder at $86,200, the next down Colorado Springs at $79,000.
How many recruiters work in Denver-Aurora?
BLS counts about 12,520 in the May 2025 survey. That is 64% of the Colorado total of 19,450. No other area in Colorado has as many.
Does a recruiter cost more than a sales development representative in Denver-Aurora?
Yes: $1,900 a year more at the median. The medians are $82,550 and $80,650.
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.