Recruiter salary in Lexington-Fayette, KY
For this job Lexington-Fayette sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $69,990 a year1. That is 1.4% above the Kentucky statewide median of $69,010, and 7.8% below the US median of $75,940. Among US areas it comes in at #193 of 521. BLS counts about 1,320 people in this job here, 12% of the Kentucky total.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Lexington-Fayette, KY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Lexington-Fayette against Kentucky and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $46,380 | $69,990 | $104,250 | |
| Kentucky | $43,690 | $69,010 | $107,940 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Lexington-Fayette earns $57,040–$83,310. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $104,250, only 2.2 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 $26,270 wide, against $32,310 across Kentucky and $40,770 nationally: employers in Lexington-Fayette 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 | $46,380 | $3,865 | $22.30 | $59,845 |
| 25th percentile | $57,040 | $4,753 | $27.42 | $73,600 |
| Median | $69,990 | $5,832 | $33.65 | $90,310 |
| 75th percentile | $83,310 | $6,942 | $40.05 | $107,497 |
| 90th percentile | $104,250 | $8,688 | $50.12 | $134,516 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $12,950 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $13,320, or about $17,187 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 Lexington-Fayette, and the Kentucky statewide median of $69,010 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Lexington-Fayette
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 $20,320 to the $69,990 median and brings it to $90,310 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 Lexington-Fayette
Of the 17 roles we track in Lexington-Fayette, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($77,780) and marketing specialists ($65,280). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,520.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +20.8% | 2,020 | |
| Accountant | +11.1% | 1,830 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 1,320 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -6.7% | 1,140 | |
| Executive Assistant | -7.4% | 580 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in Lexington-Fayette (-7.8%), between accountants (-7.1%) and virtual receptionists (-10.6%). The typical role here is at -7.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 4.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Lexington-Fayette, 5.5% across Kentucky and 5.8% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Kentucky
Across the 10 areas of Kentucky with data for this job, the median runs from $54,180 in the East Kentucky nonmetro area to $78,850 in Elizabethtown, a gap of $24,670 a year. The one area in Kentucky with more recruiters, Louisville, KY-IN ($71,880), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Lexington-Fayette | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown, KY | +12.7% | 1,060 | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | +2.7% | 3,680 | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | this area | 1,320 | |
| Paducah, KY-IL | -7.8% | 210 | |
| Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -8.7% | 880 | |
| Owensboro, KY | -10.8% | 170 | |
| Bowling Green, KY | -11.6% | 360 |
Lexington-Fayette against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Lexington-Fayette is #98 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 Kentucky, Allentown-Bethlehem and Ames pay just above Lexington-Fayette and Sumter and Las Vegas-Henderson just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Lexington-Fayette. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Lexington-Fayette | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland, ME | +11.6% | 1,310 | jobs | |
| Syracuse, NY | +10.3% | 1,280 | jobs | |
| Reno, NV | +8.6% | 1,320 | jobs | |
| Ames, IA | +0.1% | 260 | pay | |
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | +0.1% | 1,720 | pay | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | this area | 1,320 | ||
| Sumter, SC | +0.0% | 160 | pay | |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | -0.1% | 4,470 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Lexington-Fayette, KY?
About $90,310 a year at the median, or $7,526 a month: $69,990 in pay plus about $20,320 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do recruiters earn in Lexington-Fayette?
The median was $69,990 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,380, the 90th $104,250, and the middle half earned $57,040 to $83,310.
Is Lexington-Fayette cheaper than the rest of Kentucky for recruiters?
No, it costs more: a median of $69,990 against $69,010 statewide. The next area up in Kentucky is Louisville at $71,880, the next down Paducah at $64,500.
How many recruiters work in Lexington-Fayette?
BLS counts about 1,320 in the May 2025 survey. That is 12% of the Kentucky total of 10,900. Only Louisville has more in Kentucky.
Does a recruiter cost more than a marketing specialist in Lexington-Fayette?
Yes: $4,710 a year more at the median. The medians are $69,990 and $65,280.
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.