Recruiter salary in Erie, PA
Erie is a lower-cost market for recruiters: the median of $60,860 a year1 is 13.6% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $70,450, and 19.9% below the US median of $75,940. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#447 of 521). About 540 recruiters work here, 1% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Erie, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Erie against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie, PA | $42,650 | $60,860 | $103,510 | |
| Pennsylvania | $46,610 | $70,450 | $119,850 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Erie earns $49,540–$79,760. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $103,510, only 2.4 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($67,830) 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 $30,220 wide, against $34,870 across Pennsylvania and $40,770 nationally: employers in Erie 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 | $42,650 | $3,554 | $20.50 | $55,032 |
| 25th percentile | $49,540 | $4,128 | $23.82 | $63,923 |
| Median | $60,860 | $5,072 | $29.26 | $78,529 |
| 75th percentile | $79,760 | $6,647 | $38.35 | $102,916 |
| 90th percentile | $103,510 | $8,626 | $49.76 | $133,561 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $18,900 over the median, the 25th only $11,320 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $24,387 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 Erie, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $70,450 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Erie
At the $60,860 median, a local hire costs about $78,529 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $17,669 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 Erie
Of the 17 roles we track in Erie, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($70,000) and marketing specialists ($60,700). Project Coordinator is the highest at $93,590.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +53.8% | 520 | |
| Accountant | +15.0% | 970 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 540 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -0.3% | 420 | |
| Office Manager | -2.4% | 1,040 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #15 of the 17 roles we track in Erie (-19.9%), between sales development representatives (-19.7%) and marketing specialists (-22.9%). The typical role here is at -10.9%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in Erie than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 5.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Erie, 6.5% across Pennsylvania and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Pennsylvania
Across the 20 areas of Pennsylvania with data for this job, the median runs from $59,120 in Johnstown to $76,700 in Philadelphia-Camden, a gap of $17,580 a year. All 10 areas in Pennsylvania with more recruiters than Erie also pay more, among them Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ ($76,700) and Pittsburgh, PA ($65,260).
| Area | Median | vs Erie | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altoona, PA | +5.0% | 310 | |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +4.5% | 610 | |
| Central Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +3.5% | 730 | |
| Gettysburg, PA | +2.9% | 120 | |
| Williamsport, PA | +1.8% | 220 | |
| Erie, PA | this area | 540 | |
| Johnstown, PA | -2.9% | 190 |
Erie against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Erie is #228 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 Pennsylvania, Muncie and Albany pay just above Erie and Sebastian-Vero Beach and Cape Girardeau just below. All four are within $250 a year of the median in Erie. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Erie | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | +10.7% | 540 | jobs | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | +7.9% | 540 | jobs | |
| Charleston, WV | +1.1% | 540 | jobs | |
| Albany, GA | +0.4% | 250 | pay | |
| Muncie, IN | +0.2% | 200 | pay | |
| Erie, PA | this area | 540 | ||
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | -0.1% | 230 | pay | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | -0.3% | 230 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Erie, PA?
About $78,529 a year at the median, or $6,544 a month: $60,860 in pay plus about $17,669 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in Erie?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $60,860 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $42,650, the 90th $103,510, and the middle half earned $49,540 to $79,760.
Is Erie cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $60,860 against $70,450 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Williamsport at $61,940, the next down Johnstown at $59,120.
How many recruiters work in Erie?
BLS counts about 540 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Pennsylvania total of 36,960. 10 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, with about 610.
Does a recruiter cost more than a marketing specialist in Erie?
Yes: $160 a year more at the median. The medians are $60,860 and $60,700.
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.