Recruiter salary in Indianapolis-Carmel, IN
Indianapolis-Carmel pays recruiters more than Indiana as a whole but less than the country. The median is $67,300 a year1: 2.6% above the Indiana statewide median of $65,600 and 11.4% below the US median of $75,940. Nationally it ranks #238 of 521 areas. With about 7,150 recruiters, 42% of the Indiana total, no area in Indiana employs more.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Indianapolis-Carmel against Indiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | $46,090 | $67,300 | $116,270 | |
| Indiana | $44,810 | $65,600 | $106,830 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Indianapolis-Carmel earns $53,210–$91,850. The top tenth earns $116,270 or more, 2.5 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.7 times. The mean ($75,390) is 12% 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 $38,640 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 | $46,090 | $3,841 | $22.16 | $59,471 |
| 25th percentile | $53,210 | $4,434 | $25.58 | $68,658 |
| Median | $67,300 | $5,608 | $32.36 | $86,839 |
| 75th percentile | $91,850 | $7,654 | $44.16 | $118,516 |
| 90th percentile | $116,270 | $9,689 | $55.90 | $150,026 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $24,550 over the median, the 25th only $14,090 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $31,677 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 Indianapolis-Carmel, and the Indiana statewide median of $65,600 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Indianapolis-Carmel
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 $19,539 to the $67,300 median and brings it to $86,839 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 Indianapolis-Carmel
Of the 17 roles we track in Indianapolis-Carmel, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between office managers ($74,680) and sales development representatives ($65,850). Project Coordinator is the highest at $99,710.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +17.8% | 11,210 | |
| Office Manager | +11.0% | 8,670 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 7,150 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -2.2% | 9,870 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -3.1% | 6,330 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #15 of the 17 roles we track in Indianapolis-Carmel (-11.4%), between sales development representatives (-5.9%) and marketing specialists (-17.2%). The typical role here is at -3.1%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in Indianapolis-Carmel than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 6.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Indianapolis-Carmel, 6.4% across Indiana and 5.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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. No other area in Indiana has as many recruiters, and 13 of the other 14 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Indianapolis-Carmel | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | +0.6% | 160 | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | this area | 7,150 | |
| Bloomington, IN | -0.8% | 320 | |
| Kokomo, IN | -1.6% | 130 | |
| Fort Wayne, IN | -2.7% | 1,150 | |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | -3.6% | 620 | |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | -4.7% | 510 |
Indianapolis-Carmel against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Indianapolis-Carmel is #30 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, Champaign-Urbana and Knoxville pay just above Indianapolis-Carmel and Racine-Mount Pleasant and Toledo just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in Indianapolis-Carmel. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Indianapolis-Carmel | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | +13.8% | 7,210 | jobs | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | +11.7% | 6,950 | jobs | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +8.5% | 7,110 | jobs | |
| Knoxville, TN | +0.1% | 2,980 | pay | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | +0.1% | 540 | pay | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | this area | 7,150 | ||
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | -0.1% | 400 | pay | |
| Toledo, OH | -0.1% | 1,500 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Indianapolis-Carmel, IN?
About $86,839 a year at the median, or $7,237 a month: $67,300 in pay plus about $19,539 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Indianapolis-Carmel?
The median was $67,300 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,090, the 90th $116,270, and the middle half earned $53,210 to $91,850.
Is Indianapolis-Carmel cheaper than the rest of Indiana for recruiters?
No, it costs more: a median of $67,300 against $65,600 statewide. The next area up in Indiana is Michigan City-La Porte at $67,690, the next down Bloomington at $66,750.
How many recruiters work in Indianapolis-Carmel?
BLS counts about 7,150 in the May 2025 survey. That is 42% of the Indiana total of 17,110. No other area in Indiana has as many.
Does a recruiter cost more than a sales development representative in Indianapolis-Carmel?
Yes: $1,450 a year more at the median. The medians are $67,300 and $65,850.
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.