Recruiter salary in Lancaster, PA
Hiring a recruiter costs less in Lancaster than in Pennsylvania or the country as a whole. The median is $66,330 a year1: 5.8% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $70,450 and 12.7% below the US median of $75,940. Nationally it ranks #257 of 521 areas. About 1,200 recruiters work here, 3% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Lancaster, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Lancaster against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster, PA | $46,590 | $66,330 | $104,750 | |
| Pennsylvania | $46,610 | $70,450 | $119,850 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Lancaster earns $56,830–$81,840. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $104,750, only 2.2 times the bottom tenth, against 2.7 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($72,130) 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 $25,010 wide, against $34,870 across Pennsylvania and $40,770 nationally: employers in Lancaster 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 | $46,590 | $3,882 | $22.40 | $60,116 |
| 25th percentile | $56,830 | $4,736 | $27.32 | $73,329 |
| Median | $66,330 | $5,528 | $31.89 | $85,587 |
| 75th percentile | $81,840 | $6,820 | $39.35 | $105,600 |
| 90th percentile | $104,750 | $8,729 | $50.36 | $135,161 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $15,510 over the median, the 25th only $9,500 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $20,013 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 Lancaster, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $70,450 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Lancaster
At the $66,330 median, a local hire costs about $85,587 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $19,257 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 Lancaster
Of the 17 roles we track in Lancaster, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between executive assistants ($66,350) and marketing specialists ($64,790). Project Coordinator is the highest at $95,820.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +14.7% | 1,990 | |
| Executive Assistant | +0.0% | 350 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 1,200 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -2.3% | 990 | |
| Office Manager | -3.5% | 1,890 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #15 of the 17 roles we track in Lancaster (-12.7%), between sales development representatives (-9.8%) and executive assistants (-13.4%). The typical role here is at -5.9%, so, measured against the US, recruiters cost less in Lancaster than the area's general pay level would suggest. Recruiters hold 5.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Lancaster, 6.5% across Pennsylvania and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Pennsylvania
Across the 20 areas of Pennsylvania with data for this job, the median runs from $59,120 in Johnstown to $76,700 in Philadelphia-Camden, a gap of $17,580 a year. Of the 4 areas in Pennsylvania with more recruiters than Lancaster, 1 pays less: Pittsburgh, PA ($65,260).
| Area | Median | vs Lancaster | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | +5.6% | 1,720 | |
| Reading, PA | +4.6% | 940 | |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +0.6% | 440 | |
| Lancaster, PA | this area | 1,200 | |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | -1.5% | 1,130 | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | -1.6% | 6,280 | |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -2.8% | 480 |
Lancaster against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Lancaster is #108 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 Pennsylvania, Grand Junction and Goldsboro pay just above Lancaster and Pensacola-Ferry Pass and Kokomo just below. All four are within $330 a year of the median in Lancaster. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Lancaster | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven, CT | +24.4% | 1,230 | jobs | |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | +1.2% | 1,210 | jobs | |
| Goldsboro, NC | +0.5% | 150 | pay | |
| Grand Junction, CO | +0.5% | 280 | pay | |
| Lancaster, PA | this area | 1,200 | ||
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass, FL | -0.1% | 1,060 | pay | |
| Kokomo, IN | -0.2% | 130 | pay | |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | -2.4% | 1,220 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Lancaster, PA?
About $85,587 a year at the median, or $7,132 a month: $66,330 in pay plus about $19,257 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in Lancaster?
The median was $66,330 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,590, the 90th $104,750, and the middle half earned $56,830 to $81,840.
Is Lancaster cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for recruiters?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $66,330 against $70,450 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area at $66,720, the next down Scranton-Wilkes-Barre at $65,360.
How many recruiters work in Lancaster?
BLS counts about 1,200 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Pennsylvania total of 36,960. 4 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is Allentown-Bethlehem, with about 1,720.
Does a recruiter cost more than a marketing specialist in Lancaster?
Yes: $1,540 a year more at the median. The medians are $66,330 and $64,790.
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.