Recruiter salary in Eau Claire, WI
Eau Claire is a lower-cost market for recruiters: the median of $64,900 a year1 is 8.0% below the Wisconsin statewide median of $70,540, and 14.5% below the US median of $75,940. Nationally it ranks #291 of 521 areas. About 390 recruiters work here, 2% of the Wisconsin total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Eau Claire, WI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Eau Claire against Wisconsin and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire, WI | $48,210 | $64,900 | $99,500 | |
| Wisconsin | $47,860 | $70,540 | $105,270 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Eau Claire earns $56,400–$79,820. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $99,500, only 2.1 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($71,200) 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 $23,420 wide, against $27,560 across Wisconsin and $40,770 nationally: employers in Eau Claire 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 | $48,210 | $4,018 | $23.18 | $62,206 |
| 25th percentile | $56,400 | $4,700 | $27.12 | $72,774 |
| Median | $64,900 | $5,408 | $31.20 | $83,742 |
| 75th percentile | $79,820 | $6,652 | $38.38 | $102,994 |
| 90th percentile | $99,500 | $8,292 | $47.84 | $128,387 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $14,920 over the median, the 25th only $8,500 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $19,252 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 Eau Claire, and the Wisconsin statewide median of $70,540 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Eau Claire
At the $64,900 median, a local hire costs about $83,742 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $18,842 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 Eau Claire
Of the 16 roles we track in Eau Claire, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between office managers ($67,980) and marketing specialists ($61,990). Project Coordinator is the highest at $95,840.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +5.6% | 100 | |
| Office Manager | +4.7% | 610 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 390 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -4.5% | 460 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -7.1% | 580 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #14 of the 16 roles we track in Eau Claire (-14.5%), between sales development representatives (-13.8%) and marketing specialists (-21.3%). The typical role here is at -3.2%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in Eau Claire than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 5.1% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Eau Claire, 6.2% across Wisconsin and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Wisconsin
Across the 17 areas of Wisconsin with data for this job, the median runs from $63,270 in Janesville-Beloit to $76,660 in Madison, a gap of $13,390 a year. Of the 11 areas in Wisconsin with more recruiters than Eau Claire, 4 pay less, the largest of them the Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetro area ($63,800), Appleton, WI ($63,650) and Janesville-Beloit, WI ($63,270).
| Area | Median | vs Eau Claire | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WI | +2.9% | 330 | |
| South Central Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | +1.0% | 910 | |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | +0.8% | 390 | |
| Eau Claire, WI | this area | 390 | |
| Kenosha, WI | -1.3% | 470 | |
| Northwestern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -1.3% | 170 | |
| Northeastern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -1.7% | 900 |
Eau Claire against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Eau Claire is #306 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Wisconsin, Slidell-Mandeville and Logan pay just above Eau Claire and Elkhart-Goshen and New Orleans-Metairie just below. All four are within $120 a year of the median in Eau Claire. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Eau Claire | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | +17.1% | 400 | jobs | |
| Yakima, WA | +11.2% | 390 | jobs | |
| Logan, UT-ID | +0.1% | 260 | pay | |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | +0.1% | 320 | pay | |
| Eau Claire, WI | this area | 390 | ||
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | -0.1% | 620 | pay | |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | -0.2% | 1,900 | pay | |
| Joplin, MO-KS | -5.6% | 390 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Eau Claire, WI?
About $83,742 a year at the median, or $6,978 a month: $64,900 in pay plus about $18,842 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in Eau Claire?
The median was $64,900 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $48,210, the 90th $99,500, and the middle half earned $56,400 to $79,820.
Is Eau Claire cheaper than the rest of Wisconsin for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $64,900 against $70,540 statewide. The next area up in Wisconsin is La Crosse-Onalaska at $65,400, the next down Kenosha at $64,080.
How many recruiters work in Eau Claire?
BLS counts about 390 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Wisconsin total of 17,360. 11 areas in Wisconsin have more; the closest in size is Racine-Mount Pleasant, with about 400.
Does a recruiter cost more than a marketing specialist in Eau Claire?
Yes: $2,910 a year more at the median. The medians are $64,900 and $61,990.
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.