Recruiter salary in Kansas City, MO-KS
Kansas City is the most expensive place in Missouri to hire a recruiter. The median is $75,190 a year1, 12.2% above the Missouri statewide median of $66,990 and about level with the US median of $75,940. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#114 of 521). About 6,950 recruiters work here.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Kansas City, MO-KS. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Kansas City against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $47,810 | $75,190 | $119,070 | |
| Missouri | $44,730 | $66,990 | $110,660 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
Recruiters at the 90th percentile earn $119,070, 2.5 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.7. The middle half of recruiters in Kansas City earns $58,710–$98,380. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $39,670 wide, between the figure for Missouri ($38,150) 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 | $47,810 | $3,984 | $22.99 | $61,690 |
| 25th percentile | $58,710 | $4,892 | $28.23 | $75,755 |
| Median | $75,190 | $6,266 | $36.15 | $97,019 |
| 75th percentile | $98,380 | $8,198 | $47.30 | $126,942 |
| 90th percentile | $119,070 | $9,922 | $57.25 | $153,639 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $16,480 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $23,190, or about $29,923 once benefits are added. 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 Kansas City, and the Missouri statewide median of $66,990 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Kansas City
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 $21,829 to the $75,190 median and brings it to $97,019 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 Kansas City
Of the 17 roles we track in Kansas City, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($80,040) and marketing specialists ($72,580). Project Coordinator is the highest at $101,050.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +34.4% | 8,380 | |
| Accountant | +6.5% | 11,260 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 6,950 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -3.5% | 6,920 | |
| Office Manager | -11.2% | 8,860 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Kansas City (-1.0%), between customer support specialists (-0.9%) and project coordinators (-1.2%). The typical role here is at -1.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 5.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Kansas City, 6.3% across Missouri and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Missouri
Across the 12 areas of Missouri with data for this job, the median runs from $56,140 in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area to $75,190 in Kansas City, a gap of $19,050 a year. The one area in Missouri with more recruiters, St. Louis, MO-IL ($71,670), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Kansas City | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | this area | 6,950 | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | -4.7% | 8,130 | |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | -14.6% | 250 | |
| Central Missouri (Nonmetro) | -14.8% | 640 | |
| Columbia, MO | -15.7% | 640 | |
| Springfield, MO | -16.0% | 1,270 | |
| Jefferson City, MO | -17.0% | 530 |
Kansas City against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Kansas City is #32 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 Missouri, Ithaca and Lebanon pay just above Kansas City and Rapid City and Milwaukee-Waukesha just below. All four are within $220 a year of the median in Kansas City. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Kansas City | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | +1.8% | 7,210 | jobs | |
| Lebanon, PA | +0.2% | 310 | pay | |
| Ithaca, NY | +0.1% | 200 | pay | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | this area | 6,950 | ||
| Rapid City, SD | -0.3% | 230 | pay | |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | -0.3% | 5,050 | pay | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | -2.9% | 7,110 | jobs | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | -10.5% | 7,150 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Kansas City, MO-KS?
About $97,019 a year at the median, or $8,085 a month: $75,190 in pay plus about $21,829 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Kansas City?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $75,190 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,810, the 90th $119,070, and the middle half earned $58,710 to $98,380.
Is Kansas City the most expensive area in Missouri for recruiters?
Yes. Its median of $75,190 is the highest of 12 areas in Missouri. St. Louis comes next at $71,670.
How many recruiters work in Kansas City?
BLS counts about 6,950 in the May 2025 survey. Only St. Louis has more in Missouri.
Does a recruiter cost more than a marketing specialist in Kansas City?
Yes: $2,610 a year more at the median. The medians are $75,190 and $72,580.
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.