Recruiter salary in Honolulu, HI
Honolulu is the most expensive place in Hawaii to hire a recruiter. The median is $75,490 a year1, 2.4% above the Hawaii statewide median of $73,750 and about level with the US median of $75,940. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#107 of 521). With about 1,990 recruiters, 77% of the Hawaii total, no area in Hawaii employs more.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Urban Honolulu, HI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Honolulu against Hawaii and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | $49,850 | $75,490 | $117,180 | |
| Hawaii | $49,110 | $73,750 | $113,320 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Honolulu earns $59,860–$94,850. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $117,180, only 2.4 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 $34,990 wide, between the figure for Hawaii ($32,470) 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 | $49,850 | $4,154 | $23.97 | $64,323 |
| 25th percentile | $59,860 | $4,988 | $28.78 | $77,239 |
| Median | $75,490 | $6,291 | $36.29 | $97,406 |
| 75th percentile | $94,850 | $7,904 | $45.60 | $122,387 |
| 90th percentile | $117,180 | $9,765 | $56.34 | $151,200 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $19,360 a year in pay and about $24,981 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $15,630 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 Honolulu, and the Hawaii statewide median of $73,750 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Honolulu
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 $21,916 to the $75,490 median and brings it to $97,406 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 Honolulu
Of the 17 roles we track in Honolulu, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between project coordinators ($79,090) and accountants ($74,990). Executive Assistant is the highest at $80,600.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +6.8% | 1,040 | |
| Project Coordinator | +4.8% | 1,240 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 1,990 | |
| Accountant | -0.7% | 3,590 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -16.6% | 1,090 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in Honolulu (-0.6%), between customer support specialists (-0.3%) and HR assistants (-3.3%). The typical role here is at -0.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 5.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Honolulu, 4.8% across Hawaii and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Hawaii
Across the 3 areas of Hawaii with data for this job, the median runs from $66,150 in the Hawaii-Kauai nonmetro area to $75,490 in Honolulu, a gap of $9,340 a year. No other area in Hawaii has as many recruiters, and both others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Honolulu | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | this area | 1,990 | |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | -5.5% | 240 | |
| Hawaii-Kauai (Nonmetro) | -12.4% | 320 |
Honolulu against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Honolulu is #71 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Hawaii, Longview-Kelso and Detroit-Warren pay just above Honolulu and Hinesville and Columbus just below. All four are within $340 a year of the median in Honolulu. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Honolulu | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | +2.4% | 2,050 | jobs | |
| Detroit-Warren, MI | +0.5% | 11,480 | pay | |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | +0.4% | 190 | pay | |
| Honolulu, HI | this area | 1,990 | ||
| Hinesville, GA | -0.1% | 110 | pay | |
| Columbus, OH | -0.1% | 7,740 | pay | |
| Provo-Orem, UT | -2.9% | 2,000 | jobs | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | -18.7% | 1,960 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Honolulu, HI?
About $97,406 a year at the median, or $8,117 a month: $75,490 in pay plus about $21,916 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Honolulu?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $75,490 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,850, the 90th $117,180, and the middle half earned $59,860 to $94,850.
Is Honolulu the most expensive area in Hawaii for recruiters?
Yes. Its median of $75,490 is the highest of 3 areas in Hawaii. Kahului-Wailuku comes next at $71,370.
How many recruiters work in Honolulu?
BLS counts about 1,990 in the May 2025 survey. That is 77% of the Hawaii total of 2,570. No other area in Hawaii has as many.
Does a recruiter cost more than an accountant in Honolulu?
Yes: $500 a year more at the median. The medians are $75,490 and $74,990.
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.