Recruiter salary in Fort Wayne, IN
Fort Wayne pays recruiters close to the Indiana norm. The median is $65,510 a year1, about level with the Indiana statewide median of $65,600 and 13.7% below the US median of $75,940. Among US areas it comes in at #275 of 521. BLS counts about 1,150 people in this job here, 7% of the Indiana total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Fort Wayne, IN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Fort Wayne against Indiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne, IN | $45,090 | $65,510 | $103,690 | |
| Indiana | $44,810 | $65,600 | $106,830 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Fort Wayne earns $51,190–$84,990. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $103,690, only 2.3 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($71,620) is 9% 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 $33,800 wide, between the figure for Indiana ($32,290) and the US figure ($40,770).
What to budget for a recruiter here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $45,090 | $3,758 | $21.68 | $58,181 |
| 25th percentile | $51,190 | $4,266 | $24.61 | $66,052 |
| Median | $65,510 | $5,459 | $31.50 | $84,529 |
| 75th percentile | $84,990 | $7,082 | $40.86 | $109,665 |
| 90th percentile | $103,690 | $8,641 | $49.85 | $133,794 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $14,320 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $19,480, or about $25,135 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 Fort Wayne, and the Indiana statewide median of $65,600 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Fort Wayne
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $19,019 to the $65,510 median and brings it to $84,529 a year. 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 Fort Wayne
Of the 17 roles we track in Fort Wayne, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between office managers ($71,100) and executive assistants ($62,640). Project Coordinator is the highest at $92,590.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +14.9% | 1,640 | |
| Office Manager | +8.5% | 1,510 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 1,150 | |
| Executive Assistant | -4.4% | 220 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -5.8% | 1,040 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Fort Wayne (-13.7%), between sales development representatives (-13.2%) and payroll specialists (-14.1%). The typical role here is at -7.3%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in Fort Wayne than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 6.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Fort Wayne, 6.4% across Indiana and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
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. The one area in Indiana with more recruiters, Indianapolis-Carmel, IN ($67,300), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Fort Wayne | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | +2.7% | 7,150 | |
| Bloomington, IN | +1.9% | 320 | |
| Kokomo, IN | +1.1% | 130 | |
| Fort Wayne, IN | this area | 1,150 | |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | -1.0% | 620 | |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | -2.1% | 510 | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | -2.8% | 670 |
Fort Wayne against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Fort Wayne is #111 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Indiana, Grants Pass and Staunton-Stuarts Draft pay just above Fort Wayne and Rockford and Billings just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Fort Wayne. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Fort Wayne | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | +16.9% | 1,160 | jobs | |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | +0.0% | 220 | pay | |
| Grants Pass, OR | +0.0% | 100 | pay | |
| Fort Wayne, IN | this area | 1,150 | ||
| Rockford, IL | -0.0% | 650 | pay | |
| Billings, MT | -0.1% | 440 | pay | |
| Lincoln, NE | -3.4% | 1,130 | jobs | |
| Jackson, MS | -4.3% | 1,160 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Fort Wayne, IN?
About $84,529 a year at the median, or $7,044 a month: $65,510 in pay plus about $19,019 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Fort Wayne?
The median was $65,510 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $45,090, the 90th $103,690, and the middle half earned $51,190 to $84,990.
Is Fort Wayne cheaper than the rest of Indiana for recruiters?
About the same: a median of $65,510 against $65,600 statewide. The next area up in Indiana is Kokomo at $66,200, the next down Elkhart-Goshen at $64,860.
How many recruiters work in Fort Wayne?
BLS counts about 1,150 in the May 2025 survey. That is 7% of the Indiana total of 17,110. Only Indianapolis-Carmel has more in Indiana.
Does a recruiter cost more than an executive assistant in Fort Wayne?
Yes: $2,870 a year more at the median. The medians are $65,510 and $62,640.
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.