Recruiter salary in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
Harrisburg-Carlisle pays recruiters close to the Pennsylvania norm. The median is $70,140 a year1, about level with the Pennsylvania statewide median of $70,450 and 7.6% below the US median of $75,940. Nationally it ranks #186 of 521 areas. BLS counts about 2,640 people in this job here, 7% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Harrisburg-Carlisle against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $47,890 | $70,140 | $104,810 | |
| Pennsylvania | $46,610 | $70,450 | $119,850 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Harrisburg-Carlisle earns $57,090–$84,070. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $104,810, only 2.2 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $26,980 wide, against $34,870 across Pennsylvania and $40,770 nationally: employers in Harrisburg-Carlisle 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 | $47,890 | $3,991 | $23.02 | $61,794 |
| 25th percentile | $57,090 | $4,758 | $27.45 | $73,665 |
| Median | $70,140 | $5,845 | $33.72 | $90,503 |
| 75th percentile | $84,070 | $7,006 | $40.42 | $108,477 |
| 90th percentile | $104,810 | $8,734 | $50.39 | $135,239 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $13,930 a year in pay and about $17,974 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $13,050 in pay. 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $70,450 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Harrisburg-Carlisle
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 $20,363 to the $70,140 median and brings it to $90,503 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle
Of the 17 roles we track in Harrisburg-Carlisle, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between executive assistants ($70,450) and office managers ($65,880). Project Coordinator is the highest at $97,850.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +1.9% | 1,560 | |
| Executive Assistant | +0.4% | 700 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 2,640 | |
| Office Manager | -6.1% | 4,510 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -6.4% | 1,880 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in Harrisburg-Carlisle (-7.6%), between sales development representatives (-6.2%) and executive assistants (-8.0%). The typical role here is at -4.4%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in Harrisburg-Carlisle than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 8.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Harrisburg-Carlisle, 6.5% across Pennsylvania and 5.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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. Of the 2 areas in Pennsylvania with more recruiters than Harrisburg-Carlisle, 1 pays less: Pittsburgh, PA ($65,260).
| Area | Median | vs Harrisburg-Carlisle | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lebanon, PA | +7.4% | 310 | |
| York-Hanover, PA | +6.0% | 980 | |
| Chambersburg, PA | +2.4% | 260 | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | this area | 2,640 | |
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | -0.1% | 1,720 | |
| Reading, PA | -1.0% | 940 | |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -4.9% | 440 |
Harrisburg-Carlisle against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Harrisburg-Carlisle is #55 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 Pennsylvania, Killeen-Temple and Asheville pay just above Harrisburg-Carlisle and Ames and Lexington-Fayette just below. All four are within $150 a year of the median in Harrisburg-Carlisle. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Harrisburg-Carlisle | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | +6.2% | 2,730 | jobs | |
| Asheville, NC | +0.1% | 910 | pay | |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | +0.0% | 720 | pay | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | this area | 2,640 | ||
| Ames, IA | -0.1% | 260 | pay | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | -0.2% | 1,320 | pay | |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | -3.5% | 2,630 | jobs | |
| Tulsa, OK | -9.5% | 2,560 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?
About $90,503 a year at the median, or $7,542 a month: $70,140 in pay plus about $20,363 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
The median was $70,140 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,890, the 90th $104,810, and the middle half earned $57,090 to $84,070.
Is Harrisburg-Carlisle cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for recruiters?
About the same: a median of $70,140 against $70,450 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Chambersburg at $71,800, the next down Allentown-Bethlehem at $70,040.
How many recruiters work in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
BLS counts about 2,640 in the May 2025 survey. That is 7% of the Pennsylvania total of 36,960. Only Philadelphia-Camden and Pittsburgh have more in Pennsylvania.
Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Yes: $4,260 a year more at the median. The medians are $70,140 and $65,880.
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.