Recruiter salary in Jackson, TN
Jackson is a lower-cost market for recruiters: the median of $63,430 a year1 is 5.8% below the Tennessee statewide median of $67,370, and 16.5% below the US median of $75,940. Among US areas it comes in at #345 of 521. About 370 recruiters work here, 2% of the Tennessee total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Jackson, TN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Jackson against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, TN | $41,980 | $63,430 | $111,870 | |
| Tennessee | $45,630 | $67,370 | $109,990 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
Recruiters at the 90th percentile earn $111,870, 2.7 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.7. The middle half of recruiters in Jackson earns $50,680–$81,180. The mean ($69,050) 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 only $30,500 wide, against $31,310 across Tennessee and $40,770 nationally: employers in Jackson 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 | $41,980 | $3,498 | $20.18 | $54,168 |
| 25th percentile | $50,680 | $4,223 | $24.37 | $65,394 |
| Median | $63,430 | $5,286 | $30.50 | $81,845 |
| 75th percentile | $81,180 | $6,765 | $39.03 | $104,748 |
| 90th percentile | $111,870 | $9,322 | $53.78 | $144,348 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $17,750 a year in pay and about $22,903 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $12,750 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 Jackson, and the Tennessee statewide median of $67,370 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Jackson
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 $18,415 to the $63,430 median and brings it to $81,845 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 Jackson
Of the 17 roles we track in Jackson, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($71,980) and office managers ($61,270). Project Coordinator is the highest at $81,450.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +28.4% | 330 | |
| Accountant | +13.5% | 520 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 370 | |
| Office Manager | -3.4% | 1,040 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -8.9% | 140 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in Jackson (-16.5%), between administrative assistants (-14.3%) and medical administrative assistants (-17.0%). The typical role here is at -16.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 5.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Jackson, 5.9% across Tennessee and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $59,820 in Morristown to $70,460 in the South Central Tennessee nonmetro area, a gap of $10,640 a year. Of the 10 areas in Tennessee with more recruiters than Jackson, 3 pay less: Chattanooga, TN-GA ($61,660), the North Central Tennessee nonmetro area ($60,710) and the East Tennessee nonmetro area ($61,810).
| Area | Median | vs Jackson | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksville, TN-KY | +3.5% | 540 | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | +1.9% | 530 | |
| West Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +1.0% | 440 | |
| Jackson, TN | this area | 370 | |
| East Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -2.6% | 530 | |
| Johnson City, TN | -2.7% | 360 | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | -2.8% | 1,550 |
Jackson against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Jackson is #315 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Tennessee, Flagstaff and Coeur d'Alene pay just above Jackson and Columbia and Gainesville just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in Jackson. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Jackson | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | +10.2% | 360 | jobs | |
| Dubuque, IA | +1.5% | 380 | jobs | |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | +0.0% | 280 | pay | |
| Flagstaff, AZ | +0.0% | 310 | pay | |
| Jackson, TN | this area | 370 | ||
| Columbia, MO | -0.1% | 640 | pay | |
| Gainesville, GA | -0.2% | 460 | pay | |
| Daphne-Fairhope, AL | -1.4% | 380 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Jackson, TN?
About $81,845 a year at the median, or $6,820 a month: $63,430 in pay plus about $18,415 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Jackson?
The median was $63,430 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $41,980, the 90th $111,870, and the middle half earned $50,680 to $81,180.
Is Jackson cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $63,430 against $67,370 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is the West Tennessee nonmetro area at $64,080, the next down the East Tennessee nonmetro area at $61,810.
How many recruiters work in Jackson?
BLS counts about 370 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Tennessee total of 21,460. 10 areas in Tennessee have more; the closest in size is the West Tennessee nonmetro area, with about 440.
Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in Jackson?
Yes: $2,160 a year more at the median. The medians are $63,430 and $61,270.
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.