Recruiter salary in Iowa City, IA
Iowa City pays recruiters more than Iowa as a whole but less than the country. The median is $71,120 a year1: 6.6% above the Iowa statewide median of $66,710 and 6.3% below the US median of $75,940. Nationally it ranks #177 of 521 areas. About 480 recruiters work here, 6% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Iowa City, IA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Iowa City against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | $48,850 | $71,120 | $111,550 | |
| Iowa | $45,400 | $66,710 | $110,640 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Iowa City earns $59,470–$85,460. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $111,550, only 2.3 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 $25,990 wide, against $31,880 across Iowa and $40,770 nationally: employers in Iowa City 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 | $48,850 | $4,071 | $23.49 | $63,032 |
| 25th percentile | $59,470 | $4,956 | $28.59 | $76,735 |
| Median | $71,120 | $5,927 | $34.19 | $91,768 |
| 75th percentile | $85,460 | $7,122 | $41.09 | $110,271 |
| 90th percentile | $111,550 | $9,296 | $53.63 | $143,935 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $14,340 a year in pay and about $18,503 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $11,650 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 Iowa City, and the Iowa statewide median of $66,710 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Iowa City
At the $71,120 median, a local hire costs about $91,768 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $20,648 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 Iowa City
Of the 16 roles we track in Iowa City, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($75,100) and office managers ($66,430). Project Coordinator is the highest at $96,820.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +36.1% | 420 | |
| Accountant | +5.6% | 790 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 480 | |
| Office Manager | -6.6% | 600 | |
| Paralegal | -6.6% | 330 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #12 of the 16 roles we track in Iowa City (-6.3%), between customer support specialists (-5.4%) and accountants (-10.3%). The typical role here is at -4.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 6.0% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Iowa City, 5.8% across Iowa and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Iowa
Across the 12 areas of Iowa with data for this job, the median runs from $61,900 in Waterloo-Cedar Falls to $79,670 in Davenport-Moline, a gap of $17,770 a year. Of the 5 areas in Iowa with more recruiters than Iowa City, 3 pay less: the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area ($65,490), Cedar Rapids, IA ($63,070) and the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area ($63,250).
| Area | Median | vs Iowa City | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | +12.0% | 1,420 | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +0.7% | 2,450 | |
| Iowa City, IA | this area | 480 | |
| Ames, IA | -1.5% | 260 | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | -7.9% | 930 | |
| Dubuque, IA | -9.5% | 380 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -11.1% | 590 |
Iowa City against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Iowa City is #255 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Ogden and Santa Fe pay just above Iowa City and Cleveland and Redding just below. All four are within $290 a year of the median in Iowa City. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Iowa City | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Cloud, MN | +5.0% | 480 | jobs | |
| Santa Fe, NM | +0.3% | 320 | pay | |
| Ogden, UT | +0.2% | 1,430 | pay | |
| Iowa City, IA | this area | 480 | ||
| Cleveland, OH | -0.3% | 6,330 | pay | |
| Redding, CA | -0.4% | 250 | pay | |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | -16.8% | 490 | jobs | |
| Tyler, TX | -17.4% | 490 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Iowa City, IA?
About $91,768 a year at the median, or $7,647 a month: $71,120 in pay plus about $20,648 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in Iowa City?
The median was $71,120 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $48,850, the 90th $111,550, and the middle half earned $59,470 to $85,460.
Is Iowa City cheaper than the rest of Iowa for recruiters?
No, it costs more: a median of $71,120 against $66,710 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is Des Moines-West Des Moines at $71,600, the next down Ames at $70,060.
How many recruiters work in Iowa City?
BLS counts about 480 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the Iowa total of 7,930. 5 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area, with about 590.
Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in Iowa City?
Yes: $4,690 a year more at the median. The medians are $71,120 and $66,430.
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.