Recruiter salary in Dubuque, IA
Hiring a recruiter costs less in Dubuque than in Iowa or the country as a whole. The median is $64,390 a year1: 3.5% below the Iowa statewide median of $66,710 and 15.2% below the US median of $75,940. Nationally it ranks #306 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 380 people in this job here, 5% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Dubuque, IA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Dubuque against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque, IA | $42,850 | $64,390 | $106,090 | |
| Iowa | $45,400 | $66,710 | $110,640 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Dubuque earns $55,950–$80,370. The top tenth earns $106,090 or more, 2.5 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.7 times. The mean ($71,420) is 11% 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 $24,420 wide, against $31,880 across Iowa and $40,770 nationally: employers in Dubuque 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 | $42,850 | $3,571 | $20.60 | $55,290 |
| 25th percentile | $55,950 | $4,662 | $26.90 | $72,194 |
| Median | $64,390 | $5,366 | $30.96 | $83,084 |
| 75th percentile | $80,370 | $6,698 | $38.64 | $103,703 |
| 90th percentile | $106,090 | $8,841 | $51.00 | $136,890 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $15,980 over the median, the 25th only $8,440 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $20,619 a year in employer cost. 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 Dubuque, and the Iowa statewide median of $66,710 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Dubuque
At the $64,390 median, a local hire costs about $83,084 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $18,694 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 Dubuque
Of the 15 roles we track in Dubuque, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($74,140) and office managers ($64,070). Project Coordinator is the highest at $104,690.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +62.6% | 290 | |
| Accountant | +15.1% | 450 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 380 | |
| Office Manager | -0.5% | 440 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -3.8% | 210 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #11 of the 15 roles we track in Dubuque (-15.2%), between medical administrative assistants (-14.3%) and HR assistants (-15.7%). The typical role here is at -11.4%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in Dubuque than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 6.5% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Dubuque, 5.9% across Iowa and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Iowa
Across the 12 areas of Iowa with data for this job, the median runs from $61,900 in Waterloo-Cedar Falls to $79,670 in Davenport-Moline, a gap of $17,770 a year. Of the 7 areas in Iowa with more recruiters than Dubuque, 3 pay less: Cedar Rapids, IA ($63,070), the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area ($63,250) and the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area ($62,850).
| Area | Median | vs Dubuque | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | +10.5% | 480 | |
| Ames, IA | +8.8% | 260 | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | +1.7% | 930 | |
| Dubuque, IA | this area | 380 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -1.8% | 590 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | -2.1% | 670 | |
| Southwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -2.1% | 300 |
Dubuque against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Dubuque is #313 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Wilmington and Traverse City pay just above Dubuque and Flint and Mobile just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in Dubuque. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Dubuque | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire, WI | +0.8% | 390 | jobs | |
| Traverse City, MI | +0.1% | 270 | pay | |
| Wilmington, NC | +0.1% | 850 | pay | |
| Dubuque, IA | this area | 380 | ||
| Flint, MI | -0.2% | 600 | pay | |
| Mobile, AL | -0.2% | 800 | pay | |
| Daphne-Fairhope, AL | -2.8% | 380 | jobs | |
| Joplin, MO-KS | -4.9% | 390 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Dubuque, IA?
About $83,084 a year at the median, or $6,924 a month: $64,390 in pay plus about $18,694 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in Dubuque?
The median was $64,390 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $42,850, the 90th $106,090, and the middle half earned $55,950 to $80,370.
Is Dubuque cheaper than the rest of Iowa for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $64,390 against $66,710 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area at $65,490, the next down the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area at $63,250.
How many recruiters work in Dubuque?
BLS counts about 380 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Iowa total of 7,930. 7 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area, with about 460.
Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in Dubuque?
Yes: $320 a year more at the median. The medians are $64,390 and $64,070.
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.