Recruiter salary in Louisville, KY-IN
For this job Louisville sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $71,880 a year1. That is 4.2% above the Kentucky statewide median of $69,010, and 5.3% below the US median of $75,940. Nationally it ranks #166 of 521 areas. It is the largest market for the job in Kentucky: about 3,680 people.
BLS occupation 13-1071, area Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Louisville against Kentucky and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY-IN | $45,760 | $71,880 | $108,420 | |
| Kentucky | $43,690 | $69,010 | $107,940 | |
| United States | $47,180 | $75,940 | $128,720 |
The middle half of recruiters in Louisville earns $56,070–$87,850. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $108,420, only 2.4 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 $31,780 wide, against $32,310 across Kentucky and $40,770 nationally: employers in Louisville 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 | $45,760 | $3,813 | $22.00 | $59,045 |
| 25th percentile | $56,070 | $4,672 | $26.96 | $72,348 |
| Median | $71,880 | $5,990 | $34.56 | $92,748 |
| 75th percentile | $87,850 | $7,321 | $42.24 | $113,355 |
| 90th percentile | $108,420 | $9,035 | $52.12 | $139,897 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $15,970 a year in pay and about $20,606 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $15,810 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 Louisville, and the Kentucky statewide median of $69,010 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Louisville
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 $20,868 to the $71,880 median and brings it to $92,748 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 Louisville
Of the 17 roles we track in Louisville, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($76,320) and office managers ($67,450). Project Coordinator is the highest at $82,660.
| Role | Median | vs recruiter | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +15.0% | 3,630 | |
| Accountant | +6.2% | 4,590 | |
| Recruiter | this role | 3,680 | |
| Office Manager | -6.2% | 6,470 | |
| Executive Assistant | -11.8% | 890 |
Measured against the US median, recruiters rank #8 of the 17 roles we track in Louisville (-5.3%), between bookkeepers (-5.3%) and e-commerce order specialists (-5.6%). The typical role here is at -5.6%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Recruiters hold 5.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Louisville, 5.5% across Kentucky and 5.8% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
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. No other area in Kentucky has as many recruiters, and 8 of the other 9 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Louisville | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown, KY | +9.7% | 1,060 | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | this area | 3,680 | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | -2.6% | 1,320 | |
| Paducah, KY-IL | -10.3% | 210 | |
| Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -11.1% | 880 | |
| Owensboro, KY | -13.1% | 170 | |
| Bowling Green, KY | -13.9% | 360 |
Louisville against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Louisville is #46 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, El Centro and Monroe pay just above Louisville and Jacksonville and Chambersburg just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in Louisville. Of the three markets with about as many recruiters, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Louisville | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe, MI | +0.2% | 210 | pay | |
| El Centro, CA | +0.1% | 220 | pay | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | this area | 3,680 | ||
| Jacksonville, FL | -0.0% | 5,060 | pay | |
| Chambersburg, PA | -0.1% | 260 | pay | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | -3.8% | 3,650 | jobs | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | -8.5% | 3,490 | jobs | |
| Oklahoma City, OK | -12.1% | 3,900 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a recruiter in Louisville, KY-IN?
About $92,748 a year at the median, or $7,729 a month: $71,880 in pay plus about $20,868 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for recruiters in Louisville?
The median was $71,880 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $45,760, the 90th $108,420, and the middle half earned $56,070 to $87,850.
Is Louisville cheaper than the rest of Kentucky for recruiters?
No, it costs more: a median of $71,880 against $69,010 statewide. The next area up in Kentucky is Elizabethtown at $78,850, the next down Lexington-Fayette at $69,990.
How many recruiters work in Louisville?
BLS counts about 3,680 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in Kentucky has as many.
Does a recruiter cost more than an office manager in Louisville?
Yes: $4,430 a year more at the median. The medians are $71,880 and $67,450.
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.